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A large group of people, likely business leaders or entrepreneurs, gathered in front of a large %22START%22 sign, suggesting a startup or business event.

START

Introduction and Programme

START is a pioneering project-based learning programme, recently accredited by the SCQF, 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.

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Entrepreneurial Educational Fund, START initially piloted in the High School of Glasgow and three partner local authority schools – John Paul Academy, Knightswood Secondary School and St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School. Its success has seen the programme expand to around 17 schools in the 2025/26 session, as well as partnering with Scottish EDGE, Morgan Stanley and the University of Strathclyde. The aim of START is to become a fully funded course, open to all school leavers in Scotland. Learn more about the START journey below, and please visit our website to get in touch with us.

 

 

START is a cracking example of entrepreneurial mindset helping to create a pipeline of remarkable talent within our education system. I particularly like the purposeful combination of design thinking alongside entrepreneurship.”

Professor Ross Tuffee,
Scottish Government Advisor on Entrepreneurship

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.

"It’s a wonderful programme. I am so pleased that participants are being exposed to entrepreneurial thinking [and] considering the challenges that are faced in bringing ideas to market."

Evelyn McDonald,
Scottish EDGE CEO

Events

The Design Day

In October, students participated in a Design Day hosted at the Social Hub in Glasgow.

The event gathered around 150 participants from 13 schools, and featured workshops from Design Professor, Tom Inns, as well as a panel Q&A with Evelyn McDonald, Danny Campbell and Manjit Mooker.

Thirty-one startup teams of S6 pupils were helped by Morgan Stanley employees and the University of Strathclyde’s Thomas Devaney.

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 project. Click here to read more.

The START programme will culminate in a Pitch Final in March 2026. To book a place at this event, please email: info@STARTforschools.com

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 2024-25 event took place in the Glasgow Science Centre in March.

Eight teams of S6 pupils from across the four participating schools delivered pitches to an audience of parents and members of the design, entrepreneurial and education communities. The judging panel was made up of Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE; Jillian MacBryde, Associate Principal, Strathclyde; and Jessica Geddes- Scott, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley.

Click here to read more about an unforgettable evening for our budding entrepreneurs.

"START is amazing because it helps to bridge the gap between school and university. Its developing lots of skills and competencies that we really want to see.”

Jill MacBryde,
Associate Principal, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise at The University of Strathclyde

Internships

The transformative power of START extends beyond the classroom, with internship prizes available for outstanding participants.

For former pupil, Mehik Barhaya, a highlight of her internship with CienDos, working closely with CEO, Jules Salmond, was the opportunity to make a real difference:

Practical learning in a corporate environment with real-world consequences is unlike anything that you can experience within the walls of a classroom”.


Learn more about how Mehik’s internship with CienDos left her “inspired”, and helped her harness her creativity and independent thinking here.

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.

"Programmes like START are so valuable for our next generation of innovators. The impact of giving young people real-world experience in building companies and solving real life problems cannot be overstated."

Jessica Geddes-Scott, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley

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