UHI Business Competition

The UHI Business Competition is an annual flagship event run by CREATE, the Highlands and Islands hub for Enterprise and Innovation, based in the Centre for Living Sustainability at UHI Inverness.

Entrepreneurship is vital to our local and national economy and this competition plays a key role in inspiring, encouraging and supporting promising entrepreneurs by allowing them to develop their business ideas.

The Competition is open to everyone over the age of 16 living within the Highlands and Islands, Moray, Perthshire, and Argyll, including students at all colleges and research centres within the UHI partnership. Since the competition was established in 2006, entrants have used it as a platform to share their ideas, receive support and launch their entrepreneurial careers.

As part of running the Business Competition, we offer student workshops to develop enterprise competences. These 2-hour workshops are for any class group across the entire curriculum range and include:

• Presentation for success

Aim: to introduce students to the importance of being able to present themselves to different audiences and develop their ability to articulate a convincing point of view.

• Creative problem solving

Aim: to help students recognise the importance of creativity/problem solving as a key employability skill and help them differentiate between being creative and being innovative.

• Be your own boss

Aim: to provide students with a basic overview of self-employment and of the qualities, skills and attitudes required.

Funding –Knowledge Exchange Innovation Fund (KEIF)

Sponsorship of up to £8,500 prize-fund (2025) – Engineers in Business Fellowship, The Apprentice Store, Harper Macleod LLP, Johnston Carmichael, Northern Innovation Hub, Scotia Recruitment, Tuminds, the University of the Highlands and Islands and Whyte & Mackay.

For more information visit: Create Highland - Competitions