One of the UK’s leading tech entrepreneurs is investing in the future of Scotland’s creative industries with a major donation to support emerging talent in the performing arts.

Mark Logan, former Chief Operating Officer of Skyscanner and former Chief Entrepreneur at the Scottish Government, has pledged £15,000 for a new prize for Converge, Scotland’s leading company creation and enterprise programme for staff, students and recent graduates of Scottish universities.

Logan will fund the Creative Fusion award within the Performing and Production Arts (P&PA) Challenge – co-developed by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Converge.

The award supports performers, producers and technicians in the performing arts to transform their creative practice into viable businesses. They’re equipped with the skills and confidence to navigate the entrepreneurial realities of the industry through tailored training and mentorship.

The donation will be distributed over three years, with £5,000 awarded annually.

Mark Logan, who was appointed Entrepreneur in Residence at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2025 (pictured below with RCS Principal, Jeffrey Sharkey), said: “Scotland has an outstanding reputation in the performing and production arts and its members are amongst the most innovative and disciplined entrepreneurs I’ve ever met.

“Let’s properly recognise the economic potential of this sector and extend the same level of support to its entrepreneurs as we do in the tech sector.”

In addition to the new Creative Fusion award, Converge is increasing the main prize in the P&PA Challenge from £5,000 to £10,000 to reflect growing demand following its successful pilot last year.

RCS Head of Engagement, Deborah Keogh, said: “We are extremely grateful to Mark for this generous donation and for his ongoing advocacy in raising awareness of the impact and opportunity within Scotland’s creative economy.

“A sector dominated by individual creative practitioners and micro enterprises has long been misunderstood in terms of its contribution to wider economy and society.”

Converge Deputy Director, Dr Lissa Herron, said: “We’re excited to increase the prize values in the Performing and Production Arts Challenge.

“The creative industries continue to be a growth sector for the Scottish economy, and we were delighted with the strength of interest in the challenge last year. It has proven that there is a real demand for support for creative entrepreneurs looking to take their next step.”

The 17-strong cohort in the P&PA Challenge, drawn from RCS and universities across Scotland, are undergoing intensive entrepreneurial training, delivered by creative and social enterprise leader and RCS advisor Rachael Arnold and guests.

They will create action plans to take their companies and ideas to the next stage, before pitching to a panel of industry experts. Prize winners will be announced at the Converge Awards ceremony in Glasgow on 1 October.

This year’s prize fund for the Converge Challenge – which also includes the Net Zero, Create Change and Kickstart categories – stands at more than £410,000, the largest in the programme’s 15-year history.