<\/p>\n
Two tiny start-up enterprises in the Western Isles \u2013 one on Lewis and the other on North Uist \u2013 have won support from a Robert Gordon University scheme to assist budding enterprises.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The duo \u2013 plus 24 other selected startups from the Highlands and Islands \u2013 will each be able to access, in addition to pragmatic and high-quality entrepreneurship education, \u00a33,000 equity-free seed funding, and mentorship, while plugging into academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem support such as sponsors Barclays Eagle Labs.<\/p>\n
They will have opportunities to exhibit and live pitch for cash prizes at a\u00a0Startup Showcase event<\/a>.<\/p>\n This event will once again be held at the RGU campus in Garthdee, Aberdeen, on Thursday 4 June 2026.<\/p>\n Now in its eighth year, Robert Gordon University\u2019s 2026 Startup Accelerator, Impact North, has supported the creation of more than 250 new ventures and generated over \u00a317 million in economic impact, helping early-stage businesses grow and thrive.<\/p>\n This year, Impact North welcomes 13 island startups through the Islands Entrepreneurial Network, an initiative led by RGU as part of the Government-funded Islands Growth Deal to stimulate local economies and empower communities across Scotland\u2019s island regions.<\/p>\n The founders secured their places through exceptional performance in the competitive bootcamp stage, joining RGU students, staff and recent alumni in what is one of the programme\u2019s strongest cohorts to date.<\/p>\n \u201cShining a spotlight on innovation, we also promise fun surprises for guests travelling from Hong Kong and beyond,\u201d says RGU.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year, we are delighted to see the return of special award categories, including the Felix Chung Sustainability Prize which will be worth \u00a35,000, plus the well-deserved Mentor\/Judges Prize.\u00a0Although this event is invite-only, get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to attend.<\/p>\n The two Western Isles ventures are:<\/p>\n Siar Interactive (https:\/\/www.siarinteractive.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n Founder: Calum MacIntosh<\/p>\n Siar Interactive is a startup games studio located on North Uist. \u00a0The studio will develop games which include Gaelic and \u201cenrich the creative ecosystem by providing a hub which will aim to use local talent, providing good quality opportunities for local creative practitioners.\u201d<\/p>\n