Young EDGE

About this programme

Young EDGE is a category within Scottish EDGE, the funding competition run by Scottish EDGE — a partnership between Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, and the Hunter Foundation. It sits alongside the main Scottish EDGE award, Wild Card EDGE, and Social Enterprise EDGE as one of the competition's award categories.

The category exists specifically for younger founders: every director of the applicant company must be aged 18 to 30 (non-executive directors and investors are excluded from that count). Scottish EDGE frames it as recognising that growing a business can be particularly hard for younger entrepreneurs, and the assessment criteria applied to Young EDGE applicants are the same as those used for the main Scottish EDGE category.

Young EDGE awards are grant-only — winners receive either £15,000 or £10,000 with no loan component and no repayment obligation. The prizes are sponsored by Techscaler and Mettle. Because Young EDGE has no loan element, it is one of only two categories (alongside Wild Card EDGE) that sole traders and partnerships, not just incorporated companies, can enter.

Scottish EDGE runs one competition round per year. Round 28 opened for applications on 5 August 2026 (9am) and closed on 2 September 2026 (2pm), with First Stage Assessment, Semi-Finals, and category finals — including the Young EDGE Final — following in the weeks after, per the round's published timeline.

How it works

Applicants apply once, through the single Scottish EDGE online application, and select the Young EDGE category (you can only submit one application per round, into one of Scottish EDGE, Social Enterprise EDGE, Young EDGE, or Wild Card EDGE).

All applications go through the same First Stage Assessment as the main competition. Applications are scored against six criteria: Value Proposition, Team, Impact, Customer Focus, Business Growth, and Utilisation of Funding.

Applicants who progress from First Stage Assessment pitch live at the Scottish EDGE Semi-Finals, in front of a different panel from the one that assessed the written application.

Young EDGE finalists then pitch at a dedicated Young EDGE Final, judged by a panel of assessors.

Winners receive a grant-only award of either £15,000 or £10,000, with no equity taken and no loan or repayment component.

Winners and finalists also get access to a package of free or discounted business support; the specific support package varies by round.

Who can apply

Every director of the applying company must be aged 18–30. Non-executive directors and investors are excluded from this requirement.

The business otherwise has to meet the standard Scottish EDGE eligibility rules: trading for less than 5 years, current annual turnover no more than £1 million, and total external investment received under £500,000.

The business must be headquartered in Scotland, with at least 50% of key business leaders resident in Scotland.

For limited companies, at least 50% of ownership must sit with directors actively working in the business day-to-day, and the company must be incorporated at Companies House (social enterprises and charities incorporated at OSCR are also eligible). Sole traders and partnerships can apply for Young EDGE (and Wild Card EDGE) even though they cannot apply for the main Scottish EDGE award, because Young EDGE carries no loan component.

With Scottish EDGE support, the business should be able to show potential to achieve new or increased cumulative sales of £200,000 over the following 3 years, and the capability to create new, sustainable Scottish jobs within 3 years.

Key business leaders must not have already won a main Scottish EDGE (loan + grant) award in a previous round; previous Young EDGE or Wild Card EDGE winners may reapply.

The business must not be in administration or liquidation, and directors/principals must not have fraud convictions or director disqualifications. Non-UK passport holders must be able to provide visa documentation confirming their right to work/reside in the UK.

How to apply

1. Apply online via the Scottish EDGE application portal during the annual application window — Round 28 was open 5 August to 2 September 2026 (2pm close). No paper or email applications are accepted.
2. Select the Young EDGE category on the application — only one category can be entered per round.
3. An optional practice/offline application is available on the Scottish EDGE site to prepare answers before submitting through the live portal.
4. Applications are scored at First Stage Assessment against the six standard criteria (Value Proposition, Team, Impact, Customer Focus, Business Growth, Utilisation of Funding).
5. Shortlisted applicants are invited to pitch live at the Scottish EDGE Semi-Finals.
6. Young EDGE semi-finalists selected to progress pitch at the dedicated Young EDGE Final, where winners are announced.

Frequently asked

Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.