Kick off Ayrshire Business Week 2025 with an inspiring and informative morning featuring Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE - Scotland-s largest business funding competition.

Evelyn has been instrumental in shaping Scottish EDGE into one of the country-s most impactful entrepreneurial support organisations. After overseeing its spin-out from Scottish Enterprise in 2014, she has led the transformation into a dynamic, private-sector-led initiative that now offers far more than just funding. Under her leadership, Scottish EDGE has introduced a revolving loan fund, mentoring, training, alumni events, and the innovative EDGE Pledge to create long-term sustainability for the competition and its winners.

With a career spanning the Prince-s Scottish Youth Business Trust and the Prince-s Trust, Evelyn helped launch a successful growth fund supporting over 300 businesses with access to finance and follow-on support. She currently serves on the board of the Scottish Design Exchange and is an assessor for the Small Business Charter Award.

During the event, you will have the opportunity to:

-Discover how Scottish EDGE funding works

-Learn how your business can apply and benefit

-Hear success stories from local Ayrshire EDGE winners

-Ask questions during a panel discussion with expert speakers

-Network with entrepreneurs and business leaders from across Ayrshire

Why attend-

This event is ideal for anyone looking to:

-Scale their business with expert insight and support

-Secure funding through Scottish EDGE

-Connect with ambitious entrepreneurs and industry professionals

-Be inspired by real success stories

-Understand the application process and what makes a winning pitch

-Tap into a supportive business network

-Explore growth opportunities in Ayrshire and beyond

We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a fantastic start to Ayrshire Business Week 2025!

About Scottish EDGE.

Scottish EDGE is Scotland-s biggest business funding competition, offering grants and loans ranging from -10,000 to -100,000 to help grow innovative startups, social enterprises, and charities.

Funded by The Hunter Foundation, Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and private donors, Scottish EDGE has supported over 569 early-stage businesses with more than -25 million in award funding since its inception.

The competition is delivered twice a year and features four core categories:

-Scottish EDGE

-Social Enterprise EDGE

-Young EDGE

-Wild Card EDGE

It also includes four specialist awards:

-Net Zero EDGE (for climate-focused businesses)

-Circular Economy EDGE

-STV Growth EDGE (for commercial product-based businesses)

-Food and Drink EDGE

With thanks to our Ayrshire Business Week 2025 sponsor RMC Double Glazing (Ayr)

RMC specialise in the production and installation of high quality, energy efficient and secure composite, timber and UPVC windows and doors.

They offer window and door solutions to meet all tastes, budgets and building restrictions. From beautiful, natural looking, weather treated timber to completely maintenance free UPVC, their windows and doors are guaranteed to keep your house warm and secure.