Creativity reaps rewards at University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) business competition
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A brother and sister studying at Inverness College UHI were both winners in a competition to find innovative business ideas.
HND engineering systems student Calum MacDonald (31) won the engineering environmental award in the final of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Business Competition after being persuaded to enter the competition by little sister Annie.
Miss MacDonald (29) was also a winner at the competition final held at Inverness Campus.
The PhD history student collected the youth business award and £1000 in prize money for her Sphagnum Media podcast network and Stories of Scotland podcast.
“Calum and I are both incredibly proud of each other and feel so happy to be award winners,” the Inverness resident said.
“I had to persuade Calum to enter and I’m just so pleased he did. I feel so proud of what he’s achieved and can’t wait to start on my new podcast series.”
In turn, Mr MacDonald, who lives in Nairn and won £500 for his idea of using ultrasound to tackle red mite infestation in chickens, said he was also glad his sister had persuaded him to take part.
“It’s been a great experience and I can’t believe I have won an award,” he added.
The pair were among the nine award winners who shared in a record prize fund of £8500.
The competition, which is run by Create, the Highlands and Islands Centre for Enterprise and Innovation based at Inverness College UHI, is open to all students studying across the UHI partnership, and non-students living in the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire.
Now in its 14th year, the competition attracted 90 entries, including 68 from UHI students.
Two other Inverness College UHI students were among the winners, BSc sports and fitness student Joe Buchanan from Inverness and access to nursing student Roma Gibb from Evanton.
Mr Buchanan (18) collected the best commercial business prize and £1000 for his videography company which he launched in July 2019 to enable fans globally to watch otherwise uncovered, local sport in Scotland.
He currently works with Scottish Highland Football League, St Duthus FC and Highland Rugby Club, where he first came up with the idea of creating highlights of footage from matches for the club’s fans.
“I also put forward the idea to live stream the matches onto YouTube,” Mr Buchanan said.
“This has been embraced by supporters all over the world who cannot make the matches. We now have over 20 videographers working on a freelance basis.”
Ms Gibb (36) also won £1000 for best student business with her Night-time Assisted Positioning aid (NAP) which enables users to remain in a restful position all night without the risk of moving.
She said: “Can you imagine having to lay in an uncomfortable slouched position all night, with no way to help yourself. That is the reality for lots of people with mobility problems and this product can change that.”
The top prize of £1000 and a combined legal and accountancy package worth £2000 went to Alison Ruickbie (50), from Elgin, for her zero waste shop Re:Store, which opened in Lossiemouth in October 2019.
Alick Maclean (40), a BEng (Hons) mechanical engineering student at Lews Castle College UHI, returned to Lewis with two awards – best engineer and best design – and a total of £1500 in prize money for his unique boat trailer designed to make boat launching and retrieval effortless, regardless of how challenging the shore terrain might be.
The other award winners included Terry Elder (30), from Dunbeath, a welding instructor and student at North Highland College UHI, who won the most innovative business award and £1000 prize money for a tractor loader front bale handle with hydraulic folding spikes to reduce the potential for accidents.
Kyleakin fisherman Martin Welch (57), whose idea for a natural habitat for cleaner fish used in fish farming earned him £750 and the best researched idea award, and Elgin’s Gary Souter (30), from Elgin, an HNC coaching and developing sport student from Moray College UHI, who won the social impact award and £750 for a scheme opening up participation in football by providing players with essential second-hand kit.
Professor Chris O’Neil, principal of Inverness College UHI, said: “The business competition is a prime example of our ambition to inspire, encourage and support students, staff and the business community to develop the knowledge, skills and motivation they need to realise their potential through enterprise.
“I know the judging panel had a very difficult job trying to identify the winners, however, all the finalists should be regarded as winners. I hope that they can capitalise on this experience and wish them all every success in the future.”
This year’s awards ceremony also featured a keynote address from Mark Councill, co-founder of Logie Timber, who talked about the importance of finding a rewarding career.
