Routes from the Centre for Entrepreneurship
Competitions
Converge challenge
Whether you’re a student, recent graduate, or academic, Converge can provide you with the skills, support, guidance, and funding to springboard your big idea from concept to reality.
Venture competition
All students, staff, and recent graduates can enter this £78,500 (2024 award) competition for new business ideas. On the final day of the competition, a public audience will vote for the best pitches. There are eight prize fund categories, and winners will be offered a place on Elevator’s Dundee accelerator programme for further training.
Find out more about the Venture competition
Scottish Edge
Scottish EDGE is a funding competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s innovative and high growth potential entrepreneurial talent. Scottish EDGE consists of three categories:
- Scottish EDGE
- Young EDGE
- Wild Card EDGE
As you progress through the stages of the Scottish EDGE competition, the competition standard and level of expectation can often increase.
Training
Elevator Accelerator
This is a fully funded course which teaches staff and students the key points in starting up a business. It lasts for 8-12 weeks and focuses on the core skills to give you a competitive edge, including:
- ideation
- customer discovery
- growth strategies
- branding and marketing
- investment
- sales
Elevator - Academic Accelerator
Converge challenge
Open to University staff, students, and recent graduates across Scotland, the Converge challenge is designed to springboard new businesses. It offers:
- intensive business training
- networking
- 1-2-1 support
- generous equity-free cash prizes
- expert advice from out roster of industry partners.
Support
Business Gateway
Business Gateway offers all round support, whatever stage your business is at. They give advice, support and training spanning across areas such as:
- market reports
- human resources
- Finance and Digital Boost
Visit the Business Gateway website
Resources
Graduate visa
If you are a recently graduated international student and want to start your own business, you will require a Graduate visa. For this visa, you will need to meet various eligibility criteria, and your business idea should be innovative, scalable, and viable.
Masterclasses on demand
Masterclasses offer advanced insights into the career journeys of successful entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs, who all have links to the University, are from diverse fields and will share their unique techniques and remarkable stories to help you to see beyond your everyday capabilities.