UHI Business Competition 2024 winners!

Dr James Macdonald, KTP Associate, from the Institute for Biodiversity and Freshwater Conservation and a Sustainable Energy Solutions student at UHI North, West and Hebrides has won the UHI Business Competition 2024 in the category of the Best Social Impact Award. His company, Energize Highlands, brings renewable power to remote Highland communities while empowering young engineers through work experience. This innovative approach tackles energy challenges and bridges the gap between education and employment.

The awards ceremony was held at the UHI Inverness campus. It is organised by CREATE, the Highlands and Islands Hub for Enterprise and Innovation, based at the Centre for Living Sustainability.

With funding support from the University Innovation Fund from the Scottish Funding Council, the competition aims to discover and support enterprising people, helping them take their first steps in starting their own business. Since the competition began in 2006, it has awarded £108,000 in prize money.

This year the competition attracted 78 entries from students across the UHI partnership, as well as entrepreneurs living in the Highlands and Islands, Moray, Perthshire and Argyll. The total prize fund was £8,000, with ten winners each receiving a prize from one of the sponsors.