Scottish EDGE is Scotland's biggest business funding competition. It offers grants and loans of £10,000 up to £150,000 to help early-stage companies, social enterprises and charities to grow.

Scottish EDGE is made up of 4 main categories:

• Main EDGE – funding of up to £150,000 for early-stage companies and social enterprises across all sectors, offered as a combination of 30% grant and 70% loan
• Young EDGE – a grant of up to £15,000 for companies where all directors are under the age of 30, including sole traders and partnerships
• Wild Card EDGE – a grant of up to £15,000 for pre-trading companies, sole-traders and partnerships
• Social Enterprise EDGE – funding of up to £75,000 for social enterprises, offered as a combination of 70% grant and 30% loan

You may only apply for one of the 4 categories.

For the first stage of the application, you'll need to submit a Scottish EDGE online application form and a 3-minute video presentation.

All applications must be submitted through the online application portal on the Scottish EDGE website by Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 2pm.

These applications will then be assessed and results sent out by 15 April 2026.

If your application is successful, you'll be invited to an online pitch presentation. You will pitch for 3 minutes and spend 10 to 13 minutes answering questions from a panel of judges. 

If you've applied in the Main EDGE category, this initial stage is a semi-final. If you pass, you'll be invited to an in-person final, with another presentation and question-and-answer session.

You're eligible if your business:

• is a limited company, social enterprise or charity
• has been trading for less than 5 years
• is headquartered in Scotland
• is not in administration or liquidation
• has a current annual turnover of £1 million or less
• has not received external investment of £500,000 or more
• is at least 50% owned by directors who actively work in the business day-to-day
• has not previously received a main Scottish EDGE award

Your business should also have the potential:

• to achieve new or increased sales of £200,000 over the next 3 years
• to create new, sustainable Scottish jobs over the next 3 years

At least 50% of your organisation's key business leaders must be resident in Scotland. You'll need to provide visa details, including status and expiration dates, for founders that are non-UK passport holders.

Your directors and key principals must not have been prosecuted for fraud or disqualified from becoming a business director.

Sole traders can only apply for Young EDGE or Wild Card EDGE.

Previous Young EDGE or Wild Card EDGE winners can apply for the main Scottish EDGE competition.

You can read the full eligibility criteria for each competition on the Scottish EDGE website. 

It is free to apply for this fund.

For the main EDGE category, 70% of the total award will be paid in the form of a loan, and the remaining 30% provided as a grant. 

For the Social Enterprise EDGE category, 70% of the total award will be paid in the form of a grant, and the remaining 30% provided as a loan. 

You'll need to repay the loan portion at a 5% interest rate. 

Scotland-based early stage companies, social enterprises and charities looking to grow.

The entire competition process will take approximately 3 months.

The deadline to submit your initial application is Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 2pm.

The applications will be assessed during the weeks of 30 March and 6 April 2026, and results sent out by Wednesday 15 April 2026.

The dates for the semi-finals and finals will be: 

• Main EDGE semi-finals:
  • Thursday 7 May 2026
  • Friday 8 May 2026
  • Tuesday 12 May 2026
  • Wednesday 13 May 2026
  • Thursday 14 May 2026
• Young EDGE finals:
  • Wednesday 20 May 2026
  • Thursday 21 May 2026
• Wild EDGE final:
  • Wednesday 27 May 2026
  • Thursday 28 May 2026
• Social Enterprise EDGE final: Wednesday 3 June 2026
• Scottish EDGE final: Thursday 11 June 2026

The exact dates you'll attend will be agreed during the application process.

An awards dinner will be held the evening of Thursday 18 June 2026.

The deadline to submit your initial application is Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 2pm.

Visit the Scottish EDGE website for more information on the assessment and eligibility criteria and to apply.