Georgie Rennie of Edinburgh based Pounce Padel has picked up the top prize of £15,000 at the first ever Royal Bank Pitch competition on Friday afternoon.
The announcement came from the new Accelerator Hub on Princes Street in Edinburgh where Medical Ascend won second prize of £10,000 and Gloriah won the third prize of £5,000.
Six finalists competed in front of a live audience for £30,000 cash prize delivering a quick fire sales pitch to explain why they should win.
Pounce Padel has scooped the pool with its innovative padel racquets for women, and also scored an out of home promotional campaign delivered by JC Decaux as part of the prize.
Georgie Rennie, Pounce Padel Founder, said: “It was an exhilarating and fun experience to take part in Scotland’s first ever Pitch competition. I would like to thank Royal Bank of Scotland for all the support that they have given me through the Accelerator programme.
“Our win in the Pitch competition gives Pounce Padel a great platform from which to grow and expand. Startup businesses rely on exposure and promotion just as much as funding and the Royal Bank Pitch is a great way to deliver this.”
Darren Pirie, Head of Accelerator, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Our first Royal Bank Accelerator Pitch competition was a great showcase of the dynamism and ingenuity of Scotland’s startup community. It takes real grit, courage and conviction to pitch your business in a tight timeframe in front of a live audience. I would like to thank all of the finalists for a great showing and to congratulate our winner Pounce Padel who absolutely smashed their pitch.
“With our new partnership with Edinburgh University and the opening of our new hub building on Princes Street, our Royal Bank Accelerator community is going from strength to strength. We welcome anyone, anywhere with the drive to start up and grow their own business.”
The competition, the first of its kind in Scotland, was held at the official opening Royal Bank of Scotland’s new Edinburgh Accelerator Hub. The new building doubles the capacity of the Bank to offer physical working and meeting space in the heart of Scotland’s capital to startups free of charge. The Scottish Accelerator programme is also celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, having been set up in 2016.
