Students from two Scottish colleges have been the first to benefit from an innovation accelerator programme, tailored specifically for the Further Education college sector.

Boutique Innovation designed and delivered the programme, supporting students to turn their ideas into businesses delivering products and services.

Interface added support by co-ordinating mentors with input from Converge Challenge, and connected the students to additional support, funding opportunities, and partners across the innovation ecosystem.

The students from Edinburgh College and Ayrshire College completed a seven-week pilot which combined hands-on workshops with 1-to-1 mentoring. Participants gained confidence, developed stronger business ideas, and began thinking more strategically about their customers and markets. Feedback highlighted the value of having a peer cohort, mentoring, and the depth of insight gained through the process.

Elaine Baxter, Director of Boutique Innovation, said: “I am incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with Scottish FE colleges in partnership with Amelia Whitelaw and Louise Arnold at Interface on the first ScotCol accelerator programme. We have been amazed at the dedication and passion which has shone through from these early-stage entrepreneurs, and I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more from them as their business ideas flourish and grow.”

Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, added: “ScotCol demonstrates the value of investing in college-based innovation through high-quality, structured support. By combining hands-on workshops with one-to-one mentoring, the programme equipped students with practical tools, confidence, and connections to turn their ideas into viable ventures. At Interface, we believe that unlocking this kind of potential within the college sector is vital to achieving Scotland’s inclusive innovation goals—and models like ScotCol show exactly what’s possible with the right backing.”

The participants developed some key business and personal skills through taking part in the programme, increasing their confidence as well as understanding customer needs better.

Former social worker Leeann Lavery, a student at Ayrshire college, has ambitions to launch a business supporting carers – both paid and unpaid.

“The programme helped me understand the world of business better, how to refine my idea and make it bigger. During the course, my thinking has gone from ‘maybe this could work’ to ‘let’s make this work’. It’s given me invaluable skills, advice and guidance and the confidence to go for it and take the next steps.”

Cerys Venters-Scott, who studied at Edinburgh College, secured £5,000 funding for her business idea – developing women’s underwear which can incorporate insulin pumps and stoma bags – shortly after taking part in the programme. She said: “I felt far more prepared and confident for my pitch to the Royal Company of Merchants, which is a significant boost to my business.

“Gathering customer research through interviews gave me valuable insights, and it turned out that most of the questions they asked were directly related to this research. Without this programme, I wouldn’t have thought to approach my market research in that way”.

Edinburgh College student Claire Williams valued the focus on research during ScotCol. She said: “The research helped to prove the concept I had for my business, so was invaluable. Along with the mentors, including Louise Arnold, the other students had good advice and insights from their own experiences, so that peer mentoring was an added bonus.”

#ChooseCollege is a national campaign celebrating the vital role of Scotland’s colleges and encouraging prospective students to explore the wide range of opportunities they offer. After the success of last year’s campaign, Scotland’s colleges are once again coming together with a shared voice to highlight the powerful impact of colleges on education, skills, communities, and the economy.

Boutique Innovation and Interface are planning the next ScotCol Accelerator programme after funding was secured through the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund, announced last month by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.

Thanks to Louise Arnold for her contribution to this article.