Celebrating Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Bright Red Triangle Young Enterprise Lothian Awards 2025
The hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of young students from across the Lothians were celebrated at the much-anticipated Bright Red Triangle Young Enterprise Awards 2025, held at Edinburgh Napier University’s Craiglockhart campus.
This year, 18 teams participated, showcasing a diverse range of entrepreneurial and innovative business ideas, from eco-friendly products to creative solutions for everyday problems.
Before the presentations kicked off, attendees were treated to a spread of pizza, pakoras, samosas, tea, coffee, and biscuits, fuelling the students and judges for the exciting evening ahead. This set the perfect tone for an evening of creativity, collaboration, and celebration. It was a much-needed opportunity for everyone to relax, catch up, and enjoy some tasty treats before diving into the presentations that followed.
The night kicked off with a warm welcome from Graeme Easton, Chair of the Lothian Project, who spoke about the importance of nurturing young talent and the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of business leaders. Graeme’s words were echoed by Nick Fannin, Head of Enterprise at The Bright Red Triangle, who took the stage to talk about BRT’s work supporting over 250 startups. “What you’re learning tonight is more than just business skills,” Nick said. “It’s about adopting an entrepreneurial mindset—a mindset that will help you succeed no matter where you go after this.”
The message was clear: the Young Enterprise journey is just the beginning of something huge for these students. Sarah Borthwick Saddler, the academic lead for student success at Edinburgh Napier, spoke on the university’s commitment to empowering students with the skills needed to succeed in the business world. With an emphasis on entrepreneurship and employability, Sarah reminded the students of Edinburgh Napier’s vision to be ‘The Business School for empowerment, enterprise and employability for all.’
Then came the heart of the evening – the presentations. Each team took the stage to share their business ideas, showcasing not just their products, but their passion and drive. One standout was Athol from Stewart’s Melville, which has created a line of stylish, sustainable decorative lights using discarded glass bottles – promoting a circular economy in the process.
Coast to Coast from George Watson’s also stole the show with their unique beach-cleaning coasters and memorable jingle, showing that sustainability can be both creative and profitable.
Another impressive presentation was from Tartan Timber, a company crafting eco-friendly, handcrafted products like coasters and keyrings.
Down2Doodle from George Watson’s wowed the audience with their mindfulness-promoting colouring books, which are designed to help people relax and destress while being environmentally conscious.
A total of 18 companies presented, each with their own unique flare and uniquely designed products.
Recognising Excellence: The Awards Ceremony
This year’s awards ceremony recognised the top entrepreneurs in various categories, celebrating everything from creativity to sustainability. The Young Enterprise Competition was judged on all aspects of the business. Weighting for the judges’ decisions was based on the Company Report (40%), Interviews (30%) and Presentations (30%).
Some of the top awards included:
- Best Creativity Award, presented by Ronnie Lannon, which went to Cozy Companionzzz, for their imaginative approach to handcrafted crochet animals.
- Best Sustainability Award, presented by Chris Brandie, was awarded to Tartan Timber, recognised for their eco-friendly, handcrafted products.
- Best Technology Award, presented by Sandra Stenhouse, went to Collect, for their innovative and durable slime product.
- Best Finance Award, awarded by Adam George, celebrated Glassy Glassware, which demonstrated impressive profitability with their eco-friendly glassware.
- Best Marketing Award, awarded by Rosemary Alford, went to Grab & Glow for their amazing branding and well crafted online campaigns.
- Best Managing Director Award, awarded by Rosemary Alford, went to the managing director of Lyrical Apparel for her great leadership and communication.
The final three awards of the night were:
A special new award, the Lothian Impact Award, recognised a product that had a positive impact on society. Down2Doodle emerged as the first winner for their relaxing and creative colouring books that have had a positive impact on mental wellbeing.
The evening’s grand finale saw Totes Awesome win Best Presentation with their stylish, functional tote bags. Their presentation included short videos, props and had an overall great structure making it snappy and memorable. Clearly conveying the journey through their entrepreneurial journey.
The final award of the night, Bright Red Triangle’s Best Company in Lothian, considered the full enterprise journey, including the company report, interviews, and presentations. The winner of this award receives the honour of representing The Lothians and the Young Enterprise Scotland Finals in May. The award, presented by Nick Fannin, went to Cozy Companionzzz.
Looking to the Future
Graeme gave thanks to all Lothian Board Members for their contributions to the Lothian Project and support with the event. Specific thanks were given to Chris Brandie, Guidance Teacher; Ronnie Lannon, Retired Senior Lecturer Edinburgh Napier; Sandra Stenhouse, Retired Business Education Teacher; Claire Forrester, Business Education Teacher; Adam George, Head of Financial Planning Apex Hotels; Graeme Easton, Business Teacher & Sports Announcer; Rosemary Allford, Lecturer Edinburgh Napier; Nick Fannin, Head of Enterprise at Bright Red Triangle.
Nick Fannin wrapped up the evening with a heartfelt congratulations to all the students. “Your innovation, passion, and dedication tonight is only the beginning,” he said. “We’re excited to see where your entrepreneurial journeys take you, and Bright Red Triangle is here to support you every step of the way.”
The Bright Red Triangle Young Enterprise Lothian Awards 2025 was a reminder of the incredible talent in the region. These young entrepreneurs are ready to make their mark on the world, armed with creativity, determination, and the mindset to turn their ideas into action. A huge congratulations to everyone involved, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
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