Edinburgh College Students Shortlisted for National Enterprise Awards
A pair of business-savvy Edinburgh College students have been shortlisted for a new national award aimed at recognising enterprising students for their innovative and entrepreneurial work.
HND Sound Production student David Maitland and NC Level 6 Media student Waqar Mehmood have both been shortlisted for the newly-introduced Innovation Award at this year’s Bridge 2 Business Educator Awards. David has also been shortlisted for the Social Enterprise Team, and Enterprising Student of the Year Awards.
David’s shortlisting follows his work in setting up his own music technology company, Tonic Note Audio. Tonic Note focuses on community at its heart, bringing people together with a similar passion to share knowledge and skills to help others develop. The company has organised a number of events in the area to promote a unique type of music in a creative and innovative way.
Waqar was shortlisted after coming up with an idea for an app that is available to students and aims to make their lives easier with information on mental health, the College, travel, discounts and more. Waqar has worked hard to develop his business plan, canvas other students, research the competition, make approaches to organisations and individuals who can advise and help him, including preparing a presentation for Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford and gaining the support of the College in testing it.
The Innovation Award recognises a project or start-up enterprise that has had a successful innovative approach towards the development of a product or service. The judges were looking for examples of ideas, and a strong understanding of innovation to create either; a solution to a problem, a commercial opportunity, or the development of a new process.
Every year, Bridge 2 Business celebrates the hard-working and enterprising efforts of students, lecturers, and colleges. The programme which engages with over 10,000 students per year, is delivered across nine colleges across Scotland and aims to inspire, connect, and support students into and through enterprise.
Thirty-four-year-old David Maitland said: “I feel very proud to be shortlisted for this award. I set up a company called Tonic Note Audio. This was initially a record label, but has now developed to be involved in a full-blown music technology company.
“Since community and sharing knowledge is a huge aspect of the company, I also run classes for private individuals, offer video answers to music questions via my “Buy Me A Coffee” Page, and I work with Glasgow-based charity SoundLab to provide music tech workshops to care-experienced children and young adults.”
Twenty-year-old Waqar Mehmood said: “I feel very honoured and excited to be in a position where I have been shortlisted for this award. I hope I can keep working hard making the College proud, the city proud and get my vision and goal made into a reality very soon.”
The winners will be announced at the virtual Festival Of Youth Enterprise on Tuesday 2 June.
