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START

START is a pioneering project-based learning programme that brings the experience of participating in a startup business incubator to Scottish schools

Built through a collaboration between leading design academics, key entrepreneurial voices and The High School of Glasgow, the programme fosters the skills identified by major international bodies such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) as vital for the future which benefit all young people, regardless of their career aspirations.

START takes teams of S6 pupils on an exciting journey from initial problem-spotting to early-stage investor presentation, igniting entrepreneurial ambition and culminating in a pitch competition that offers internship prizes.

Having attracted support from the Scottish Government's Entrepreneurial Education Fund, START is now piloting in The High School of Glasgow and three partner local authority schools – John Paul Academy, Knightswood Secondary School and St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School. Our aim is to grow the programme across many more schools next session. Learn more about the START journey below, and please get in touch using the form at the bottom of the page.

Register Your Interest

Impact Case Study

We have already seen START make a huge impact upon young people, as they learn the skills they need for our rapidly changing and increasingly complex world.

The programme answers calls from many in education for more real-world learning in schools and offers precisely the sort of interdisciplinary project advocated by the recent Review of Scottish Qualifications by Professor Louise Hayward.

By igniting entrepreneurial passion across young people of all backgrounds, the programme is also closely aligned with the central aims of Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

The Design Day

In September, our Pilot Year Participants participated in a Design Day hosted at Morgan Stanley's offices in Glasgow.

The event gathered 55 young people from four schools, and featured sessions from Design Professor, Tom Inns, and Scottish EDGE CEO, Evelyn McDonald.

Ten startup teams of S6 pupils from The High School of Glasgow, Knightswood Secondary, John Paul Academy and St Thomas Aquinas Secondary were helped by Morgan Stanley employees and recent Design graduates from Strathclyde University and Imperial College London.

The day was a huge success, with pupils gaining invaluable insights into the world of startup businesses, while collaborating with their peers in advancing their projects. Click here to read more.

The START programme will culminate in a Pitch Final on Tuesday 25th March at Glasgow Science Centre.

To book a place at this event, please email: START@hsog.co.uk

The Pitch Final Evening

START culminates in a Pitch Final where our startup teams present their concepts and learning to a judging panel of industry experts. 

Our 2023-24 event took place at SWG3 in March. Five teams of S6 pupils delivered pitches to an audience of parents and members of the design, entrepreneurial and education communities. The judging panel was made up of Kevin Walls, COO of Scottish EDGE, Wendy McDougall, CEO of Firefish, and Danny Campbell, Architect and Founder of HOKO. 

Click below to read more about an unforgettable evening for our budding entrepreneurs!

Read More

Mentoring

A key element of the transformative power of START comes through industry mentoring. 

This session, START has a strategic partnership with Scottish EDGE, Scotland’s biggest startup funding competition, to connect volunteers from their alumni community to our pupil startup teams. This means that our young people are supported by those who have a wealth of recent experience in the entrepreneurial journey to pass on, and this, again, fulfils a key aim of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation to connect the world of startup enterprise with schools. Mentoring creates an outsized positive impact on young people, inspiring them to consider possibilities previously unimagined. 

Register Your Interest

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