The winner will receive a fully funded place on FutureX’s Silicon Valley Scale programme, and more than £100,000 of business support from partners including Johnston Carmichael, Sharktower, STV, ClearSky Logic, Vonage, Scaleway, ParlayMe, AAI Employability, and Pencil.

This year’s semi-finalists are:

  • Stamp Free: the Stamp Free Digital Postage Solution, a modern alternative to traditional mailing & returns, built on AI technology and simply delivered via an app on your phone

  • HOKO: a turnkey home remodelling service disrupting the residential architecture system by providing a one-stop-shop; from concept design, through to build and interior design.

  • Pawprint: an employee engagement tool which harnesses the energy employees already have to play their part in the fight against climate change, and channels it towards their organisation’s climate targets

  • SWURF: this platform connects the rapidly growing community of remote workers with welcoming Host venues to work in, away from the home or the office.

  • Know-it: gives SMEs the ability to mitigate credit risk, increase cashflow and reduce debtor days.

  • Electrek Explorer: a mission-focused company, aiming to help tackle the climate crisis by promoting low-carbon, electric vehicle travel and nature-based tourism.

Bruce Walker, CEO and Cofounder of FutureX, said: “As we celebrate 10 years of Startup Summit this year, we are proud to have provided over £1,000,000 in prizes since the competition launched and alumni from FutureX Silicon Valley Scale have raised over £110,000,000 in further investment.

“Startup Summit and the SUS21 Competition is a fantastic showcase of impactful innovation in action and a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit in the face of such steep challenges.” The semi-finalists, drawn from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Aberdeen, span a diverse range of industries and showcase the strength of Scotland’s local ecosystems to support ambitious startups.

Past entrants include prominent Scottish startups such as Care Sourcer, Talking Medicines, StoriiCare and Frog Systems.

As businesses look towards recovery from the impacts of Brexit and COVID-19, a multitude of startups applied for the competition, which organisers FutureX say highlights the “incredible resilience and adaptability” of entrepreneurs in Scotland.

Scottish independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisers Johnston Carmichael will host this year’s virtual semi-finals, with the live final taking place on the second day of this year’s Startup Summit.

Johnston Carmichael said: “The JC team love being part of the Silicon Valley Scale competition: each year, we hear pitches from passionate entrepreneurs who have ambitious plans for internationalisation.

“As we’ve seen from the calibre of this year’s cohort, many are seasoned founders well established in the Scottish tech ecosystem who have ridden out the trials & tribulations of the past year.

“They’ve seen the market opportunities afforded by setting up in US so are ready to take on this new challenge. If you’re a business with the same drive, then we encourage you to apply next year and be assured that the JC and FutureX teams are here to support you every step of the way.”

Michael Behr is Senior Staff Writer at Digit 

This article was previously published on ParlayMe. ParlayMe is an official Media Partner of Startup Summit 2021 and will be offering the winner of the Startup Summit Competition a ParlayMe Silver Membership