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Dr Carolina Mateo-Segura and Dr Maiwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas have each reached the Top 10 shortlist for the KickStart award category in the 2017 Converge Challenge.
Dr Mateo-Segura's InfiNect's shortlisting is a new technology providing broadband flat panel antennas for reliable satellite on-the-move communications. Dr Kersaudy-Kerhoas' Natantis' is a robust reproducible sample-preparation for clinical diagnosis and biomarker discovery.
This year's finalists are game changers showcasing innovations with amazing market potential.
How to vote
You can vote for the Heriot-Watt finalists at Kickstart Digital Entrepreneur Award. Voting closes at midnight on Tuesday 19 September.
What is Kickstart?
The Kickstart category is for early stage ideas, and is one of three categories, along with Converge Challenge itself, for established ideas, and Social Enterprise, for ideas that will have a positive impact on social and environmental issues.
Dr Olga Kozlova, Director of Converge Challenge, said, “This year's finalists are game changers showcasing innovations with amazing market potential. The candidate's business plans displayed solid market engagement and commitment to developing a strong team and clear details on how they plan to grow the business, all key elements that contribute to the future success of a new business and ultimately Scotland's economy.
“The strong pipeline of university spinouts is encouraging and at Converge Challenge we are delighted to offer the follow on training and support to develop these ‘ideas' into profitable and scalable businesses.
“We congratulate all the candidates for getting through to this stage, the judges found it difficult as every project had the potential to become an exciting business and we have no doubt they will go on to become Scotland's next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.”
Finalists will now go through to the final stage of the company creation competition and entrepreneurship development programme with the opportunity to win cash prizes and in kind business support packages from the total prize fund valued at over £170,000. The winners will be announced at a Converge Challenge awards ceremony in September.