Scottish entrepreneur launches start-up initiative for university students
Robert Kilgour has created the initiative to encourage new business ideas among students
/filters:format(webp)/filters:no_upscale()/prod01/cdn/media/stirling/news/news-centre/2026/oct-26/1200X630-banner-image-Your-Startup-Experiment.jpg)
Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Kilgour is funding a scheme for budding entrepreneurs at the University of Stirling.
Robert, founder and CEO of Dow Investments PLC and a former Stirling student, has created the initiative to encourage new business ideas among students.
Your Startup Experiment will award 10 undergraduate and postgraduate students at Stirling a £500 grant each, to implement their experiment plan and test their entrepreneurial idea in the real world. They will also receive a mentoring session with an experienced entrepreneur, and work with University of Stirling Business School staff, to review progress and refine their testing approach.
Robert, who became an honorary graduate of the University in 2023, also founded care home group Renaissance Care and is an active philanthropist who supports medical research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer and heart disease.
/filters:format(webp)/filters:no_upscale()/prod01/cdn/media/stirling/news/news-centre/2026/oct-26/quotation-shot-robert-kilgour.jpg)
Founder and CEO, Dow Investments PLC
Your Startup Experiment will offer participants a chance to test and develop a business idea, but instead of a business plan they will develop an experiment plan. The emphasis will be on gathering real evidence, seeing how it is received by potential customers, and what customers are willing to pay for it.
Robert said: “Your Startup Experiment is exactly what it says on the tin. It will offer participants a chance to test and develop a business idea, but instead of a business plan they will develop an experiment plan. The emphasis will be on gathering real evidence, seeing how it is received by potential customers, and what customers are willing to pay for it.
“Succeeding in business is about more than a great idea. It has to work, and it has to trump what else is out there, and that takes time, research and refining – which is the aim of this initiative. I’m very excited to see what ideas and successes flow from it.”
Professor Kevin Grant, Executive Dean of Stirling Business School, said: “Entrepreneurship – encouraging students to develop ideas, and working with existing businesses – is fundamental to what we do at Stirling Business School, and we are extremely grateful to Robert for allowing students the opportunity to flex their business muscles, test out ideas, and learn from the process, through Your Startup Experiment.”
The deadline for applications is 30 October and it is open to all University of Stirling students. More information here.
