We are proud to share May 2026’s Friends and Family Fund Grant Winner: Eirini Tamousi, founder of Nectar, a family-run Mediterranean cocktail bar and restaurant in Edinburgh built to make people feel at home.
Every month, Sky’s the Limit invests $2,500 in early stage entrepreneurs through the Friends and Family Fund. These grants support founders who turn lived experience into solutions that strengthen families, communities, and future generations.
Built From Scratch, Powered by Family
How Nectar Became One of Edinburgh’s Most Welcoming Hospitality Spaces
When Eirini Tamousi and her family opened Nectar in Edinburgh, Scotland, they weren’t trying to create just another restaurant. They wanted to build something personal. A place where people could walk in, feel welcomed, and leave feeling like they belonged.
That vision helped Nectar become the winner of Sky’s The Limit’s May 2026 Pitch Competition.
Nectar is a family-run Mediterranean cocktail bar and restaurant founded by Eirini, her mother, her brother, and co-founder Chris. Inspired by their own experiences moving to Scotland from abroad, the team built Nectar around warmth, hospitality, and connection.
“My mom does the cooking, my brother’s making all the cocktails, and Chris and I are greeting everybody with a genuine smile,” Eirini shared during her pitch.
In less than a year, Nectar has already built a loyal following with more than 260 five-star Google reviews and a growing events business. Unlike traditional restaurants focused mostly on food sales, Nectar’s cocktail-led model has helped the business create stronger margins while giving guests a more flexible and social experience.
What makes Nectar’s growth even more impressive is that it has all happened organically. Eirini explained that the business has not spent money on advertising so far, instead growing through social media, word of mouth, community support, and relationships within the local hospitality industry.
The pitch competition funding will now help Nectar invest in its first major marketing push through professional photography, videography, and targeted campaigns designed to grow awareness and increase event bookings.
“We Started With Nothing but Each Other”
After being announced as the winner, Eirini admitted she was shocked.
“I listened to the other two presentations and pitches, and I thought they were incredible,” she shared. “I was like, yeah, I don’t think we’re going to get this.”
Eirini also spoke about how she discovered Sky’s the Limit through fellow entrepreneurs in Scotland who had gone through the program themselves. After hearing how valuable the mentorship and connections were, she decided to join.
“So I thought, why not?” she said. “And I’m loving it so far.”
The May Friends and Family Fund Grant supports Nectar as the team works to grow its visibility, expand its events business, and continue building a hospitality space rooted in community and connection.
This funding helps Nectar invest in professional photography, videography, and marketing for the first time since opening, giving the business more opportunities to reach new guests and grow sustainably.
More importantly, it supports a family-run business created to make people feel welcomed, represented, and at home in a new city.
Eirini Tamousi was awarded the May 2026 Friends and Family Fund Grant after winning the live pitch competition.
Each month, the two most boosted pitches on the Sky’s the Limit platform, along with one wildcard, advance to compete live. Eirini stood out through her clarity of purpose, her resilience, and her commitment to building something that directly serves families like her own.
Winning the May 2026 Pitch Competition marks a major milestone for Eirini and the Nectar team. With support from the funding, Nectar plans to invest in professional photography, videography, and targeted marketing campaigns to bring more people through the doors and grow its events business.
As the business continues to grow, Eirini hopes to create more jobs, support future hospitality professionals, and continue building a space where people feel connected and welcomed. Long term, Nectar’s vision includes becoming one of the top cocktail destinations in the world while staying rooted in the same family-style hospitality that built the business from day one.
The Friends and Family Fund provides early-stage capital of up to $2,500 each month to underrepresented entrepreneurs building impactful businesses and community-driven ideas.
Through Sky’s The Limit’s community-powered process, founders receive mentorship, training, feedback, and funding designed to help early-stage businesses grow with confidence and momentum.
Whether you are a mentor, donor, or community partner, your support helps founders like Eirini continue building businesses rooted in culture, connection, and opportunity.
Sky’s the Limit exists to help entrepreneurs turn lived experience into businesses that strengthen communities and create lasting impact.