Strathclyde Business School student Ruth McLaren has earned recognition in a Scotland-wide company creation competition for universities.
Ruth, who is studying Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Strathclyde, was among the winners of an Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in the 2018 Converge Challenge, an annual celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship for Scottish academia.
Ruth received the £1,000 cash prize for her mattress accessory company, Silver Lion Innovations Ltd. She has developed a smart mattress topper called EasyOver, with an integrated technology that rotates people with mobility issues in bed. This facilitates independence and uninterrupted sleep for both the person and those who care for them.
Ruth said, -I'm delighted for Silver Lion Innovations to be recognised by Converge. Lack of sleep is academically proven to accelerate the disease so EasyOver could be the difference for say, an extra five years with my dad. It's great to have support for technology within healthcare to benefit people who need it most - it's a triumph for those with Parkinson's, MS, MND, Muscular Dystrophy, stroke patients, and the elderly to name a few.
"It's great to be part of the most incredible entrepreneurial ecosystem in Scotland: with the likes of Converge, we absolutely can be world leaders for innovation and make Scotland a can-do place. A big thank you to the Converge Challenge: it means so much to start-ups to have your support for our visions when we need it at this crucial stage of the journey."
Converge Challenge Director Dr Olga Kozlova said, -Congratulations to all this year-s winners and finalists. It is impressive how much they have progressed in just a few short months and we are looking forward to supporting them during the coming year and seeing their businesses thrive.
"This year has been particularly exciting for me due to our record female participation with 35% of entrants, 60% of our finalists and 70% of winners this year being women-led or co-founded businesses. This has been a personal cause of mine to see many more women entrepreneurs coming forward."