The enterprise hub at Edinburgh Napier, Bright Red Triangle, has launched a new start-up studio in the city centre.
The studio, by the Union Canal and close to the university’s Bainfield student accommodation, will provide a space where entrepreneurial students, staff and alumni can come together to connect and develop their enterprise skills.
As well as offering a base for exciting new collaborations to flourish, it will give them a place where they can build valuable relationships with the capital’s wider entrepreneurial community.
Bright Red Triangle has already supported a community of more than 600 innovators in developing enterprise skills, exploring ideas and capturing opportunities.
The hub supports ideas from launch to long-term growth and sustainability, supplying the tools needed to successfully start and run a business through one to ones, bootcamps, workshops and networking opportunities.
The start-up studio, which will operate on a hot-desk basis, initially Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, will take its activities to a new level by giving members a dedicated, larger, more open and central space to meet, work, engage and grow their ventures.
People can turn up, plug in and enjoy access to all the necessary resources and support to kickstart a business, including PC access, fast, reliable and secure wi-fi, printing services, communal desks, meeting space and a tea and coffee station.
Fledgling entrepreneurs will also get access to a community of like-minded people, business advice, mentoring support and the University’s resources and networks.
Although the space is primarily to help students, staff and alumni establish businesses and boost their potential for success, BRT staff are also keen to meet people, nationally and internationally, who want to develop ties with the incubator and the University in general.
The launch has seen the first in a series of new Bright Red Sparks monthly “pitch competitions”, which give university students, staff and alumni the chance to pitch an idea and win a cash prize of £500.
Participants are given two minutes to outline their idea for a startup, after which they get feedback and insights from a panel of fellow entrepreneurs, expert judges and business advisers.
Bright Red Triangle staff believe the studio will be an invaluable asset as they continue working to support the entrepreneurial ambitions of staff, students and alumni.
Peter McLean, Bright Red Triangle business adviser, said: “In person interaction is key in business and sadly that has been missing for the last couple of years. We are delighted we can bring the BRT community back together in an amazing space.”
Fellow Bright Red Triangle business adviser Victoria Bradley said: “The whole BRT team can’t wait to get into the Start up Studio. The space will be an incredible hub where our community can work, collaborate and grow their entrepreneurial ambitions.”
Nick Fannin, head of Bright Red Triangle, said: “Edinburgh Napier University has a great track record in supporting our student and graduate entrepreneurs over the years, and we are committed to working with our partners across the entrepreneurial ecosystem to build the next generation of entrepreneurial talent.
“This new investment will enable us to make a significant contribution towards new graduate outcomes for our students and to post-Covid economic recovery In Edinburgh and beyond.”
Mission to forge closer links with companies
Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, has spoken about the importance of Scotland’s economic development agency being more closely connected to the companies it supports.
Speaking on the Go Radio Business Show, he said: “What I would say to listeners is, if they have an opportunity, if they want to grow, please do get in touch with us. One of the things we’ve done over the past few months is put more of a regional structure into what we do.”
Brewers recover trade lost to wine and spirits firms
Beer sales increased by around a billion pints last year as demand recovered from the impact of lockdowns imposed amid the pandemic , research shows.
A study by UHY Hacker Young found beer sales increased by 13 per cent last year, to 4.6 billion litres, from 4.1bn in 2020. The accountancy group said the increase is equivalent to 1.1 billion pints of beer.
