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Pitch competition · Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Converge Challenge

A company-creation programme and competition for staff, students and recent graduates of Scottish universities. Entrants get six months of business training, finalists pitch to investors, and winners share the prize funds.

Closed Run by Converge (operated by Heriot-Watt University)

Visit the programme's site

Verified 19 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding
not published The Converge Challenge category has a prize fund of GBP 85k+; separate challenges (KickStart, Net Zero, Create Change, Space, Hydrogen, Performing & Production Arts) have their own prize funds. In 2026, 20 winners from 12 universities shared more than GBP 410,000
Instrument
Prize
Equity taken
not published
Programme fee
not published
Duration
not published
Cohort size
not published
Cohorts
not published
Delivery
Hybrid
Stages
Idea, pre-seed
Sectors
Sector-agnostic
Open to founders from
United Kingdom
Perks
  • Online on-demand training modules
  • In-person regional training and an intensive training and pitch week in Edinburgh
  • Investment training for finalists
  • Travel, accommodation and childcare costs covered for in-person events

Application dates

ClosedConverge 2026

Usual timing: The 2026 programme has closed; applications opened on 28 January and closed at 12 noon on 2 April 2026. Dates for 2027 are not yet published.

Who can apply

  • Staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, or graduates of up to 36 months from a participating Scottish university (teams need one such member)
  • The business will be headquartered in Scotland
  • Validated product or service, early customer engagement and ready to start operating within twelve months of the October awards
  • An existing company must be dormant, non-trading or trading for no more than 24 months, with secured income of no more than GBP 200,000
  • The lead applicant must take part in all training sessions and events
  • Stage: idea, pre-seed

What founders should check

  1. The programme does not publish how much equity it takes. Ask before you accept a place.
  2. It does not publish a fee. Ask whether you pay for desks, services or the programme itself.
  3. It mixes remote and in-person sessions in Edinburgh. Ask how much time on site it expects.
  4. The last window we track closed on 2 April 2026. The 2026 programme has closed; applications opened on 28 January and closed at 12 noon on 2 April 2026. Dates for 2027 are not yet published.

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