Converge
University of Dundee start-up New-Found-Hope has developed 'groundbreaking' therapeutic footwear designed to address toe-walking in children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, potentially improving the quality of life for millions of children worldwide.
Toe-walking affects 5-10% of the world’s children and 41% of those with neurodevelopmental conditions. It can lead to long-term medical problems, injuries, muscular atrophy, and an increased risk of bullying. New-Found-Hope's comfortable footwear device promotes a healthy heel-to-toe gait motion, decreasing these risks and building confidence in children.
The venture secured the Entrepreneurial Spirit prize at this year’s Converge Awards, an annual ceremony designed to celebrate and reward the pinnacle of Scottish academic innovation.
The design provides long-term relief from ineffective walking patterns, facilitating rest for more than 1,000 ligaments and 21 muscles that continually support the foot's architecture.
Founded by Nathan Dudley and inspired by personal and family experience with toe-walking, New-Found-Hope impressed judges with its clear passion, dedication, and strong advisory network, earning a 5,000 GBP cash prize to progress the business.
“New-Found-Hope is an adaptive children's brand currently building a footwear innovation to address the issue of toe-walking in children aged two to 12,” said Nathan Dudley, founder of New-Found-Hope. “We’re on a mission to empower children of all abilities to spring forward with new-found hope in their soles.”
“Both the design and the functionality are welcomed by children and parents, from whom we've had great feedback,” Dudley added. “We also have support from experts in physiotherapy, podiatry, and biomechanics at Queen Margaret University, who are going to help us deliver this exciting product to market.”
The Entrepreneurial Spirit prize, awarded as part of the early-stage KickStart Challenge category, was created to reward ambitious and highly creative university founders with early-stage ideas that demonstrate exceptional entrepreneurial spirit.
Adam Kosterka, executive director of Converge said: “New-Found-Hope exemplifies the remarkable innovation emerging from Scotland's universities. Nathan’s project brilliantly combines personal insight with academic expertise to solve a real-world problem. This is precisely the kind of university-born innovation Converge aims to support - ideas with the potential to transform lives worldwide. By nurturing such ventures, we're helping to showcase Scotland's capacity for compassionate, cutting-edge entrepreneurship that makes a lasting difference in society.
“At Converge, we’re privileged to support innovative university founders by providing them with the business acumen and networks that complement their technical expertise. Together with Scotland's universities, we're helping to create an environment where transformative ideas can evolve into successful businesses, contributing to our nation's reputation as a leader of technological advancement and entrepreneurial spirit.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Translating world-class research from our universities into new innovative technologies and businesses is key to delivering on Scotland’s National Innovation Strategy to drive economic growth.
“Converge plays a vital role in providing a supportive environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with investors, mentors and industry leaders. I congratulate this year’s winners, who are addressing global challenges and bringing positive change across the country.”
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and a network of eight corporate partners, Converge works in partnership with 18 of Scotland's universities. Since its launch in 2011, the programme has trained over 670 aspiring founders and supported the creation of over 420 companies that enjoy an above-average three-year survival rate of over 80% (as of 1 June 2024) according to the council.
Open to students, recent graduates, and staff, Converge supports new businesses through intensive business training, networking, 1-2-1 support, generous equity free cash prizes and expert, professional advice from its roster of industry partners.
