UHI celebrates future talent with business ideas awards

The future talent of the Highlands and Islands was celebrated in style at the UHI business competition awards yesterday (May 25).

More than 60 entries were made by entrepreneurs and students and put forward to judges this year.

Judges whittled the shortlist down to 14 stand-out proposals with eight finalists taking home winners' plaques and two special prizes.

Hosted at UHI Inverness campus, it marked a return to in-person awards following last year's virtual event caused by the pandemic.

Ideas ranged from a new design of a supplement shaker, to a "smart" jumper designed to record and tackle domestic abuse.

The entrants were all praised by UHI Inverness principal and chief executive Christopher O'Neil as "exceptional".

The award winners:

• Best presentation: Ciara Bow.
• Best researched: Aleksanda Czeck-Seklecka.
• Youth entrepreneur: Jack Barrie.
• Best social impact: Rebecca Wallace.
• Best engineering: Calum Macdonald.
• Best student: Chloe Muir.
• Commercial: Jack Barrie.
• Culture and environment: Anna Renouf.
• Most innovative business: Chloe Muir.
• Johnston and Carmichael accountancy package: Michael Fallows and Connor Rae.
• Top prize: Ciara Bow.

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