Deadline Date: March 25, 2026
The Wild Card EDGE programme offers pre-trading companies, sole traders, and partnerships the chance to receive a grant of up to £15,000 to help take their product or service to market.
The focus areas include supporting pre-trading businesses, recognising innovation in products, services, teams, approaches, design, or branding, providing grant-only financial support, and offering access to non-financial mentoring and guidance from leading business professionals.
Introduced by Scottish EDGE in 2015, the Wild Card EDGE category is designed to identify businesses that demonstrate the innovative ‘wow’ factor. This can relate not only to the product or service but also to the way the business operates, its team dynamics, or the overall design and branding strategy. Winners of the Wild Card EDGE award receive both financial support through a grant of up to £15,000 and access to a package of non-financial support delivered by industry experts. The award is judged collectively by an assessment panel, and the top winner is granted a place at a future Scottish EDGE Semi-final, providing further exposure and development opportunities.
Eligibility for the Wild Card EDGE requires businesses to meet several criteria. Limited companies, social enterprises, or charities must be registered at Companies House or OSCR. Sole traders may only apply for one grant category due to the loan-free nature of Wild Card EDGE. Businesses must have been trading for less than five years and be headquartered in Scotland, with at least half of key leaders residing locally. Applicants cannot have previously won a main Scottish EDGE award, although previous Young EDGE or Wild Card EDGE winners remain eligible. The business should have the potential to generate an additional £200,000 in cumulative sales over three years, with a current turnover of less than £1 million and no external investment of £500,000 or more. Additionally, the business must be capable of creating sustainable Scottish jobs over the next three years, and neither the company nor its directors should have any legal restrictions or history of fraud. Non-UK passport holders must provide evidence of their visa status and expiry date.
The Wild Card EDGE programme is an opportunity for early-stage businesses in Scotland to gain both financial support and strategic guidance to accelerate their market entry and growth. The award recognises creativity, ambition, and the ability to deliver meaningful innovation in any aspect of a business.
For more information, visit Scottish EDGE.
