The startup has been announced as finalists in both the Funded Business of the Year and Business to Watch categories.

Commenting on being shortlisted, Nicola Kennedy, CEO of Heero Technologies, said: “As a young company, we are incredibly proud to be nominated in these two categories. It is a positive endorsement of our ambitious, woman-led team and the solution we have created, and a testament to the growing realisation that technology has a vital role to play in addressing environmental challenges.” 

Heero Technologies was launched in 2022 with the aim of empowering homeowners to reduce their energy consumption and decarbonise their homes. To help overcome the multitude of barriers and complex guidance householders often encounter when trying to reduce their energy bills, the company developed an easy-to-use app aimed at guiding people through the entire retrofit journey while streamlining the user experience.

Through its app, the company provides agnostic and bespoke property guidance that allows for the seamless end-to-end installation of energy efficiency and renewable technologies in privately owned homes. However, the app not only delivers personalised home energy efficiency recommendations, but also addresses challenges such as the disruption caused by invasive retrofit measures, confusion over financing and government grants for energy efficiency, the lack of flexibility and choice over technology, installers and manufacturers. Essentially, it helps consumers seamlessly and conveniently navigate home energy efficiency improvements via their Smartphone.

Carolyn Currie, CEO of Women’s Enterprise Scotland, commented: “Our Awards recognise the considerable contribution women-led businesses make to Scotland’s economy. The cost of business crisis, coming so closely after the COVID-19 pandemic, has placed many businesses under more pressure than ever. It is vital that we put the achievements and the resilience of our women business leaders in the spotlight as they continue to innovate and push forward.”

She added: “Both the volume and the calibre of entries for the Awards were exceptionally high and the judging panel had a very challenging task to compile the list of finalists. We are now looking forward to a fantastic Awards evening next month, when we will come together to celebrate the diverse range and scale of women led businesses which are starting up and thriving across Scotland.”

Winners of the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards, which is being supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, HFL Holistic Financial Leadership, Business Gateway, N4 Partners LLP, The University of Glasgow, and Scottish Enterprise, will be announced during a glamorous ceremony at the voco Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow on 26th October. The keynote speaker at this year’s event is BAFTA-winning television journalist Kirsty Wark.

Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) was established in 2011 as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) working to close the gender gap in enterprise participation. The WES vision is for Scotland to be world leading in its approach to supporting women business owners, enabling equal access to resources and opportunities as they develop successful and sustainable businesses.