Entrepreneurs prepare for chance to shine at Accelerator Showcase

Robert Gordon University’s Startup Accelerator Showcase, the finale to the University’s flagship entrepreneurial programme, will take place on campus on Wednesday 26 March and feature the seventh cohort of big thinking and aspiring businesspeople.

Among them includes two recent big winners at last month’s Scottish EDGE regional finals who competed alongside a further three previous Accelerator participants that were also involved.

InGlaze, a start-up which offers an adaptable, affordable and sustainable secondary glazing system, scooped the main prize of £50,000. Windstorm, creators of an enhanced wind turbine system, also won £15,000. Both ventures will be hoping to be given the opportunity of pitching next week when the Showcase takes over the University’s Sir Ian Wood Building.

Aisha Kasim, Startup Manager and RGU Startup Accelerator Lead at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group (EIG), RGU, said: “The 2025 cohort brings together a diverse mix of industries, backgrounds, and perspectives, fostering entrepreneurial innovation within RGU’s dynamic academic environment.

“With a strong foundation in research, development, and real-world application, this year’s Accelerator Showcase will not only highlight groundbreaking innovation but also the commercial potential of Outer Space, aiming to inspire both our guests and start-ups.”

Other Accelerator teams include AeroGen who are currently based in Sri Lanka and have been involved through RGU’s transnational education partnership with Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) in Colombo. AeroGen hope to enhance the flying experience through AI and blockchain with greater forecasting and analysis for flight delays and cancellations providing a reliability score prior to a flight being booked.

The Showcase comes in the wake of new analysis from Universities UK (UUK) that has revealed that by 2028, around 27,000 new start-ups – with a predicted turnover of around £10.8bn - could be established at institutions in the UK.

It’s also been found that between 2014 – 2023, almost 2,000 companies emerged in Scotland with the support of universities while start-up companies created by staff and graduates of universities in Scotland turned over more than £179m in 2022-23 and employed close to 3,000 people.

Donella Beaton, Vice Principal for Economic Development, RGU, said: “RGU’s Startup Accelerator has had huge success since launching in 2019 with over 250 entrepreneurs progressing through the programme and many of them going on to reach some incredible heights.

“The University is steadfastly committed to improving the economic, social and cultural development of Aberdeen and the wider region and the growth of this successful, innovative programme is testament to this. Being on this year’s judging panel, I am in a privileged position to get to witness all of these start-ups next week and I look forward to watching the next generation of entrepreneurs thrive over the coming years!”

Past RGU Startup Accelerator success stories continue to flourish in the North East and further afield. A recent spotlight has shone on the likes of Highland Heritage Woodworks, which now has a £1.5m turnover target, and Archilink which is comprised of two RGU alums that entered the University's very first Startup Accelerator programme and are now turning over more than £1m.

The brains behind Everybody Counts, Andy Ridgeway, was also invited to share his entrepreneurial story at a UUK Chancellors Reception this week. Having progressed through the 2022 RGU Startup Accelerator programme, Andy’s firm is making groundbreaking progress across the globe in the education and technology sector.

This year’s Accelerator Showcase will take place from 5:00PM-8:30PM on Wednesday 26 March in the Sir Ian Wood Building at the University’s campus in the south of the city. The event will feature a mini expo of entrepreneurs, an opening ministerial address, and live pitching to around 200 attendees and a live online audience. Winners on the night will be in with a chance of receiving a total prize pot of up to £30,000 thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) through Aberdeen City Council.

To find out more, please email: innovation@rgu.ac.uk