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Entrepreneurial Scotland and STV have joined forces to launch a new campaign celebrating entrepreneurship across Scotland.

Summit – Celebrating Scottish Entrepreneurship will showcase inspirational stories which explore the entrepreneurial mindset, illustrate its brilliance and highlight the value to our country’s economy and broader society.  These case studies will be featured on STV in the run-up to a special awards event in November.

STV will shine a spotlight on established and up-and-coming entrepreneurs from a range of backgrounds and sectors.  These are the people and their teams who not only create jobs and value for the economy, they also breathe life into solutions to our biggest challenges and shape the future we want to live in.  Their stories will bring to life their passion, innovation, struggles, resilience, determination and warmth.

The campaign is supported by a host of sponsors and partners, to be announced in due course, who endorse the ambitions of the campaign.  It is also fully aligned to the Scotland CAN DO movement and Scotland is Now.

The Summit – Celebrating Scottish Entrepreneurship campaign will culminate in November, when STV and Entrepreneurial Scotland will recognise Scotland’s outstanding entrepreneurs with seven nominated awards which are being launched today (2 July).

STV and Entrepreneurial Scotland are calling on innovators, visionaries and game-changers – no matter what stage they are at in their journey – to come forward and take part.

From today, STV will screen a campaign seeking nominations for The 2018 Summit Entrepreneurship Awards. Nominees are welcomed from every part of Scotland from all types of organisation, including small start-ups and family businesses, expanding corporations, social enterprises and public sector groups.

Entries are welcomed from anyone showing an entrepreneurial mindset to grow a business or organisation, address a challenge or seize an opportunity. Nominate yourself, your colleagues, customers or suppliers – anyone you believe is truly entrepreneurially-minded. Entries can be submitted here ahead of the deadline of 16th August 2018.

The 2018 Summit Entrepreneurship Awards will build on the success of Entrepreneurial Scotland’s national awards, established 22 years ago. Reflecting the high regard in which these have been held by Scotland’s entrepreneurial community, the 2018 Summit Entrepreneurship Awards will include the existing Entrepreneur of the Year, Scale-Up of the Year and Rising Star of the Year awards categories.

Previous winners of these annual accolades include some of Scotland’s most high-profile entrepreneurs, including: Jim McColl O.B.E. of Clyde Blowers (1999), David Sibbald O.B.E. of Alantech (2000), Ann Budge of Newell & Budge (2005), Mike Loggie of Saltire Energy (2015), Gareth Williams of Skyscanner (2017), Lucinda Bruce Gardyne of Genius Gluten Free (2005), and Mike Welch O.B.E. of Blackcircles (2014).

The 2018 Summit Entrepreneurship Awards will also feature four new categories in recognition of the increasing scope and diversity of entrepreneurship within Scotland.  The additional awards categories are:

• Entrepreneur of the Year, for individuals who demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset and ethos with a dramatic effect on the organisation which employs them, be they in the public or private sector.
• Social Entrepreneur of the Year, recognising those who use their entrepreneurial talents and leadership to achieve a social purpose.
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year, for young people aged 12-18, starting out on their entrepreneurial journey.
• Academic Entrepreneur of the Year, shining a light on those academics who have turned their discoveries or research into mainstream, impactful businesses.