RGU Startup Accelerator Showcase 2026
Thursday 04 June 2026 17:00 - Monday 01 June 2026 21:00
Location: Online and in-person in the Sir Ian Wood Building, Robert Gordon University
Join us to celebrate this year's cohort of the RGU Startup Accelerator. The Startup Showcase is our annual end-of-programme celebration event for the year's cohort, which includes commercial research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
RGU’s flagship entrepreneurial development programme, is now on its 8th year and a key finalist contributor to the University winning Institution of the Year at The Herald Higher Education Awards 2026.
Over the past five months, our innovative startups have been developing their ideas, speaking to customers and collaborating to get ready to launch impactful innovative ventures which can scale and create impact in Scotland and beyond.
Watch online or in-person as the finalists of the cohort pitch live to win cash prizes in and peruse the mini-expo stands.
This year, we have a variety of highlights in store at the 2026 Startup Showcase:
- Welcome Address by Dr Jeanette Forbes OBE
- Aberdeen & Islands Startups Mini Expo stands
- Live Pitching winning £20,000 equity free cash prizes on the night! Your vote counts!
- Audience Participation Prizes - social media, Best Dressed etc.
- Speakers & Distinguished Judges - Highland Heritage Startup Alumni, Entrepreneur in Residence Phil Murray, DYW, Innovate UK etc.
- Spotlight on Innovation Topic - Commercialising Deep Tech - Distinguished Panellists including Director of Commercialisation & Innovation of the Federated Hubs University of Cambridge etc.
Registration
Watch online
The streaming audience can watch live to see which teams will be walking away with cash prizes.
There's no need to register to watch the Showcase online:
Attend in person
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to meet the startups, mingle with guest speakers, network and watch the finalist pitches to then vote for their favourites, you decide who wins the prizes. Attendance in person is dependent on capacity of the venue, but you can submit a request online, with applications reviewed in line with venue capacity:
Register online - Startup Showcase 2026 In-person waiting list