Four in a Row: LaunchMe Celebrates Another Scottish Edge Winner
We’re thrilled to announce that Fair Feast has won Social Edge Round 26, becoming LaunchMe’s fourth consecutive Scottish Edge winner!
Helen Stewart from Fair Feast pitched her social enterprise, which provides donations of venison-based meals to food banks across Scotland by managing deer overpopulation, and secured £75,000 in funding.
A Pattern of Success
This win means that Firstport has now supported the last six Scottish Edge winners across our programmes, with four of these receiving comprehensive pitching and business development support via the LaunchMe programme.
The results speak for themselves. In recent rounds, LaunchMe participants have made up a significant portion of Social Edge finalists, and we’re celebrating four wins in a row. This isn’t about luck – it’s about what happens when social entrepreneurs get the right support at the right time.
What Our Winners Say
Every one of our Scottish Edge winners has told us that the programme’s support made the difference. Each winner received:
- A comprehensive pitching workshop with an expert facilitator
- A one-to-one pitching session with a specialist who knows what judges look for
- Pitch practice and 1-2-1 support from their dedicated LaunchMe relationship manager
- Access to our full suite of LaunchMe business development support
- Peer feedback and collaborative learning opportunities
But the support goes far beyond pitching practice. LaunchMe provides business planning guidance, cash flow support, application reviews, and connections to funding opportunities and partners. It’s about building genuinely investment-ready social enterprises, not just polished presentations.
The People Behind the Success
Our pitching support comes from people who’ve been there themselves. Karis Gills (she/her) is co-founder of Social Stories Club, a Young Edge winner and thriving social enterprise, delivers our core workshops. We’re also working with Cecilia (they/them) from Studio Lutalica, who won Young Edge and has pitched for Social Edge three times.
These aren’t people teaching theory from the sidelines – they’re social entrepreneurs who know exactly what it takes to stand on that stage and convince judges that your idea deserves investment.
Learning That Works for Everyone
We’ve built our resources in multiple formats because we know people learn differently. Our participants can access:
- Recorded workshops they can watch at their own pace
- Live Q&A sessions for real-time support
- Written templates and guides
- Videos of successful Scottish Edge pitches
- One-to-one sessions tailored to their specific needs
Everything lives on our LaunchPad platform, so support is there when entrepreneurs need it, not just when it fits into a rigid schedule.
The Collaborative Difference
Here’s what makes LaunchMe special: our participants genuinely support each other. Even when several people from the same cohort are competing for the same funding, they help each other strengthen their pitches, share honest feedback, and celebrate each other’s progress.
This collaborative culture creates something powerful. We’ve watched LaunchMe alumni go on to work together, share directors, run joint events, and support each other’s funding applications. The connections built through LaunchMe last well beyond any individual competition.
What This Win Means
For the winners, this funding means they can get on with delivering their vision. But it also means recognition that their approach works, validation of their social mission, and the chance to prove that their idea can create real change.
We couldn’t be prouder of our Social Edge winners and everything they’ve achieved. This is what investment readiness support should look like – practical, accessible, collaborative, and genuinely effective.
Thank You
To our brilliant partners who make this possible – Karis, Cecilia, and all the experts who contribute their time and knowledge to LaunchMe participants. To the LaunchMe cohort who lift each other up. And to the Social Edge winners for showing what’s possible when social enterprises get the support they deserve.
Here’s to four in a row, and to every social enterprise working towards their own Scottish Edge moment.
If you’re a social enterprise interested in joining LaunchMe, applications for our next cohort open in early 2026. For more information about the Investment Readiness Programme, visit LaunchMe – Firstport or get in touch with the team at launchme@firstport.org.uk