Scotland does not support ‘Not for EU’ food labelling proposals
Concerns about “arbitrarily adding costs to businesses” at a time when consumers are already facing a cost of living crisis have been raised by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
The UK Government has proposed a roll out of ‘not for EU’ labelling on food and drink products across the whole of the UK from October, despite the fact that food labelling is a devolved matter.
The Food and Drink Federation Scotland has called for a proportionate alternative and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon has sought further clarification from the UK Government given “the information that has been provided to us so far is limited and does not currently represent a convincing argument or provide any real evidence… why this blanket measure is considered a proportionate approach.”
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Barclay, Ms Gougeon said: “As labelling is a wholly devolved matter, the policy decision on whether to place this additional burden on Scottish businesses should rest with the Scottish Ministers.
“On the face of it, your proposals would impact a large number of businesses in Scotland who do not sell goods to Northern Ireland but would be required to change their labelling, or who sell into Europe and would be required to set up separate labelling streams.
“I do not support this GB-wide labelling proposal as it stands, and I am not persuaded on the information provided so far that there is a case to introduce it in Scotland. I look forward to meeting with you and discussing this issue in due course.”
Barratt Developments Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, has made a substantial contribution of £355.5m to the Scottish economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £115.5m in GVA itself.
In the year ending 30 June 2023, Barratt East Scotland also completed 847 new homes of which 187 were affordable, and supported 1,641 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region, which includes Edinburgh and The Lothians.
2023 also saw the largest UK housebuilder reinforce its commitment to creating homes for nature as well as people. The business created 10.3ha of public green spaces and private gardens around the region, the equivalent of 15 football pitches, to help support wildlife on and around its sites.
Across the UK, Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29 per cent by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24 per cent per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 1.87t in Scotland – a reduction of 2 per cent from the 2018 benchmark.
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Developments East Scotland, said:“As the UK’s largest housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, we place considerable emphasis on supporting people, the environment and generating strong economic growth for the region.
“We are proud to have made such a positive contribution to the region in 2023 with 847 new homes being delivered to families and boosting the local economy by £115.5m.”
As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £3.4m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 173 new school places. More than £27.3m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.
Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2021 socio-economic report include:
Increased support for public services with £28.9m in generated tax revenues
Over £96,000 donated to local charitable and community causes
296 supplier and 276 sub-contractor companies supported
Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country
More than £15.2m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 150 retail and service-related jobs
The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 75 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2023, including 24 from its East Scotland division.
The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.
Scottish EDGE invests £1.5 million into 38 early stage, high growth businesses
With many UK firms struggling to innovate against the current economic backdrop, 38 Scottish businesses with high-growth potential have received a much-needed injection of cash at the 22nd round of the Scottish EDGE Awards that took place last week.
Taking place for the first time in Glasgow since 2019 and hosted by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the awards were attended by Simon Hannah in his first official engagement as Chair of the organisation, and Mark Scott, CEO of pet wellness brand Bella & Duke.
This year also saw the introduction of the new Scottish Government backed £100,000 Pathways Award, to support an ambitious female entrepreneur and was presented to Good Nude Food, a multi-award winning, probiotic fermented sauerkraut company.
Two of the other big winners of the evening were Brose Oats, which triumphed in the Food and Drink Category, a new award sponsored by Food & Drink Scotland, and Conneckt Charging, an EV charging network which won in the Net Zero category, supported by Royal Bank of Scotland.
Both winners took home a prize worth £100,000, while GLORIAH, a company manufacturing sustainable intimate care products for women experiencing menopause, won a prize worth £80,000 in the Zero Waste Scotland supported Circular Economy category.
Sustainability was also a theme for Oir Soap, who won £65,000 alongside the STV Award of £75,000 of advertising airtime, and who create luxury soaps using natural ingredients.
Biotech start-up Prozymi Biolabs won the £65,000 IBioIC award to further their quest to revolutionise the gluten-free market, while Edinburgh Open Workshop, which offers affordable and flexible access to workshop machinery and tools, was awarded £75,000 in the Social Enterprise category, which is supported by The Postcode Innovation Trust.
The Young EDGE and Wildcard categories returned this round, with the former supporting companies whose Managing Directors are under 30 years old and the latter providing a grant to pre-trading businesses which need support to bring their products to market.
Winners of this year’s Young EDGE award ranged from Selki Store, which provides heat packs to people suffering from chronic pain, to confectionery companies Tabrifics and Chocolatia, who received the £15,000 Harper Macleod and Scottish Enterprise top Young EDGE awards respectively.
Wildcard winners included Claymore Surgical Ltd, who are developing a software platform to automate the diagnosis of childhood sleep apnoea, and Practest, who are aiming to revolutionise GPs’ communication with their patients.
Sir Tom Hunter of the Hunter Foundation said: “Bold, brave and brilliant – those are the characteristics of Scottish EDGE winners.
“All the evidence points to Scotland needing far more of these businesses. EDGE is a brilliant supporter of high growth business and I’m sure could do a lot more for Scotland’s economy with the right Government support.”
Judith Cruickshank,MD Commercial Mid Market at the Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “The Scottish EDGE awards continue to showcase the remarkable innovative talent present within Scotland’s entrepreneurial community.
“Helping businesses to scale and succeed is core to our principles which is why we’re so proud to continue our support for the Scottish EDGE awards.
“We’d like to congratulate all those businesses who were awarded funding at last night’s awards, and we can’t wait to see their progress in the coming months. As supporters of the Net Zero category, we’d like to extend special congratulations to Connekt Charging. Their work in creating an extensive and reliable charging network has the potential to be transformational.”
Jane Martin, managing director of innovation and investment at Scottish Enterprise said:“We’re pleased to continue our support for the Young EDGE category, which was once again a highly competitive field.
“Scottish EDGE has an important role to play within Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. By supporting innovative, high growth potential start-ups, together we can drive Scotland’s future economic prosperity and create purposeful, scaling companies of the future.”
Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE, said: “As businesses across Scotland find themselves facing challenging circumstances, there’s never been a more urgent need to drive creativity and innovation.
“The winners of the 22nd round of Scottish EDGE are testament to the incredible potential within Scotland’s start-up landscape. The addition of further awards this round, both Pathways and Food and Drink, has allowed us to reward more businesses, and alongside our partner organisations we continue our commitment to help Scottish businesses not just survive, but to thrive”.
Supported by The Hunter Foundation, the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, Scottish EDGE has a key role to play in facilitating the nation’s economic growth.
List of this year’s Scottish EDGE winners (alphabetically)
· Ansearch (Edinburgh) – Ansearch connect to all of your business apps, to make their data searchable from one place (imagine Google, but the results are from your business) – Young EDGE, £10,000
· BOROBOSCOT (Edinburgh) – Introducing Maah, a robotic platform and its digital twin designed to aid older adults and caregivers improve both their lives and work, against the backdrop of the demographic crisis – £80,000
· Brose Oats (East Lothian) – Brose is a healthy and delicious alternative to dairy, and is made of the most environmentally sustainable substances of all plant-based drinks – oats – Food & Drink, £100,000
· CaskNet (Edinburgh) – CaskNet is a digital cask register, authenticating ownership of whisky casks owned by private individuals or brokers in Scotland, alleviating problems facing the industry – £65,000
· CEXAL LTD (Edinburgh) – CEXAL Ltd creates rapid, accurate and cost-effective test kits for the identification of harmful pathogens in water samples – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Chocolatia (Forfar)- Chocolate producer from a restaurant background making luxury chocolates with ethical, sustainable ingredients, showcasing Scottish seasonal produce and highlighting their importance – Young EDGE, £15,000
· Coolthstore Ltd (Edinburgh) – We provide FridgeMate, a non-battery energy-storage module onto which all future fridges will be built. FridgeMate harvests and stores renewable energy for later peak-time usage – Wildcard, £10,000
· Conneckt Charging (Ayr/Glasgow)- Connekt is a privately operated EV charging network and App which integrates into commercial EV charging solutions to provide its drivers with a seamless and reliable charging experience – Net Zero, £100,000
· Claymore Surgical (Glasgow) – We are developing a centralised software platform to automate the diagnosis of childhood sleep apnoea and prioritise treatment for the children who need urgent care – Wild Card, £15,000
· Edinburgh Open Workshop (Edinburgh) – A creative makerspace offering affordable, flexible, Pay-As-You-Go access to workshop machinery and tools – Social £75,000
· Eye to the Future – Eye to the Future develops software that enables clinicians to deliver improved and more consistent health outcomes through earlier diagnosis of critical eye conditions – £70,000
· Feverfew Garden Company (Orkney) – We’re the UK’s first functional gardenwear brand specifically designed for women. We create high quality products that help women feel confident in the garden – £10,000
· GLORIAH (Edinburgh) – GLORIAH create, manufacture, and sell sustainable luxury intimate care products for women experiencing menopausal symptoms alongside providing educational, sharable content focused on the menopause – Circular Economy, £80,000
· Good Nude Food (Shetland Isles) – Good Nude Food is a multi-award-winning, probiotic fermented sauerkraut company. Our vision is to be a brand leader in the growing gut-healthy, fermented food sector – Pathways, £100,000
· Gradatim (Edinburgh) – We create children’s picture books to aid the delivery of complex disability/illness information to children under 5 that are read in conjunction with their treatment – Wildcard, £10,000
· Happy Leaf Ltd (Glasgow) – Developing an all-in-one smart sensor and app that makes growing houseplants easy – Wildcard, £10,000
· Highland Domes Ltd (Dingwall) – We build competitively priced, visually pleasing geodesic greenhouses that are more resilient, better insulated and with more economic use of space than alternative structures – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Jacks-Alt-Stays (Millport) – Jack’s Alt-Stays – A one-of-a-kind cabin accommodation concept on a scenic Scottish island, powered by renewable energy – £90,000
· Klank (St Andrews)- Klank is a live-music booking service that connects musical performers, event hosts, and fans in an intuitive, streamlined, mobile application – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Local Caddie Ltd (Edinburgh) – Local Caddie is an innovative virtual platform connecting Golf Tourists and Scottish Caddies – Wildcard, £10,000
· Marked: Wayfinding System (Glasgow) – MARKED: Wayfinding System, is a micro-mobility management and navigation system that aims to redefine how people experience cycling and scooting in the city – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Oir Soap Ltd (South Queensferry) – At Oir we make luxury, plastic-free soaps using all natural and sustainable ingredients. The bars are deigned to replace shower gel – STV, £65,000 + £75,000 ad airtime
· Nami Surgical Ltd (Glasgow) – Nami has developed a miniaturised ultrasonic scalpel for robotic assisted surgery. Nami is an innovative B2B OEM for surgical robot manufacturers – £80,000
· Planner Bee VA Services Ltd (Aberdeen) – Planner Bee VA Services is a Virtual Assistant Service supporting sustainable and ethical businesses to make a buzz with their digital marketing – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Practest (Kirkwall) – We are on a mission to change how GPs communicate with their patients. Developing the Practest product (trading name), responsible for commercialisation and customer – Wildcard, £10,000
· Pro Dispense (Hamilton) – A protein machine that dispenses a smooth organic blend of protein and other key supplements such as creatine, on demand whenever the user requires – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Prozymi Biolabs (Edinburgh) – A biotech start-up that aims to revolutionise the gluten-free market using gluten-degrading enzymes for the production of gluten-free bread made of wheat – IBioIC, £65,000
· Quine Ltd (West Lothian) – Quine Magazine, the only digital-first publication for women in Scotland. Quine covers the latest in fashion, beauty, lifestyle and careers – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Research in Dreams t/a Hubble Bubble (Edinburgh) – Hubble Bubble is an online AI-based platform matching international students with the right course based on their passion at the top universities in the UK – £70,000
· Screen Hustler (Glasgow) – Screen Hustler is a talent marketplace and portfolio platform for the film and TV industry – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Selki Store (Stirling) – We aim to help people living with chronic pain by contributing to the understanding of their needs, and by creating functional heat-packs – Young EDGE, £10,000
· SIP IT (Scotland) (Aberdeen) – SIP IT takes pride in being Scotland’s only PUR SIP manufacturer of structural insulated panels – £85,000
· Tabrifabrics (Aberdeen) – Tabrifics® is a new small-batch Scottish confectionery company, which is passionate about bringing new life to our nation’s classic confection – Young EDGE, £15,000
· The Prebiotic Company (Edinburgh) – The Prebiotic Company’s principal business activity is the sale of our own innovative prebiotic water under the brand name ió fibrewater – £70,000
· Tourprism (Stirling) – Tourprism develops a web application that empowers tourism businesses with customized feedback insights, crucial for their business strategy and tactical decisions – Wildcard, £10,000
· Ujaama Spice (Edinburgh) – Scottish spice trading business, committed to decolonizing the traditional supply chain and shifting the stigma surrounding spice commodities – Young EDGE, £10,000
· Venturithm (Glasgow) – Venturithm is a web-based simulation platform that supports entrepreneurs by transforming market research into financial projections, enabling a new level of business model experimentation – Wildcard, £10,000
· 2B Jumps (Edinburgh) – 2B Jumps has created an innovative showjump design that increases horse welfare, rider safety and enhances course building efficiency and accessibility – Wildcard, £10,000
The voice of business is being heard at the heart of government, Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray has told industry leaders.
Addressing the Scottish Chambers of Commerce annual dinner in Glasgow, Mr Gray said he was committed to strengthening the partnership with business and consulting on policy.
He also acknowledged the need to tackle labour and skills shortages and confirmed the Scottish Government would update shortly on plans for the reform of lifelong education and skills training.
Mr Gray said: “Growth is fundamental to a vision for a wellbeing economy and business plays a crucial role in achieving that.
“The New Deal for Business Group aims to ensure businesses can navigate the policy development process. This will mean they can contribute more effectively, ensuring that informed choices are made by government around the timing, content and practical consequences of new policies.
“The voice of business is not just being listened to, it is being put at the heart of government. We have published an implementation plan on recommendations deriving from the New Deal Group and I am very conscious that, to keep earning your trust, I must deliver on it.
“This will not provide a solution to all policy issues or stop differences of opinion, but I hope it will ensure that operate on the basis of no surprises. Our policy should be informed by your expertise and your business planning should be informed by clear, early signals of policy.
“We continue to work with industry to develop our Talent Attraction and Migration Service and create the conditions to help business flourish and, in turn, drive economic growth that benefits all of society.”
HUNTER FOUNDATION OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR SCALEUPSCOTLAND2.0
The Hunter Foundation (‘THF’), in partnership with the Scottish National Investment Bank (‘The Bank’) has opened up applications for its second ScaleupScotland2.0 programme for highly ambitious, scaling businesses to join their next cohort.
The programme sees 12 scaling businesses work collaboratively with fellow CEOs and leadership teams to supercharge growth over a one-year period beginning January 2024. During that year they attend quarterly overnight events for inspiration and action including masterclasses, focussed dinners and peer-to-peer learning. #
This year’s cohort have been supported and inspired by an incredible talent pool including:
Professor Sir Chris Evans, Theo Paphitis, Kim Perdikou, Carolyn Jamieson, Ruth Chandler, Kristian Tapaninaho, Willie Watt, Lisa McPherson, Mike Reid, Yvette Hopkins, Bob Keiller, Mark Logan. Mark Beaumont and Calum Paterson,*
The programme is hosted by Sir Tom Hunter at THF’s headquarters and leadership home at blairestate.co.uk.
Developed after extensive analysis of the challenges facing businesses as they scale up, ScaleupScotland2.0 addresses the lack of strategic support available to high growth businesses and aims to grow the turnover of each business to over £100 million.
Participant companies must be headquartered in Scotland with current revenues typically in excess of £20m, a record of strong year-on-year growth with the potential and matching ambition to achieve £100m+ revenues within the next 5 years.
The programme is open to the CEO and Executive Leadership teams of up to 12 businesses. is cohort based and places a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer learning.
On joining the programme, THF undertakes a deep dive into each business to identify and align the team on the specific challenges and opportunities facing the entrepreneurial leader, the collective executive team, and the individual functional leaders.
One of the existing scaleup2.0 cohort, Richard Madden of WeConnect Energy noted: “The ScaleupScotland2.0 program has been a pivotal catalyst in our business growth journey, elevating our aspirations with an unparalleled network of trusted advisors and motivational speakers, forging invaluable links with fellow CEOs, and providing a gateway into the flourishing landscape of scalable Scottish businesses.”
Fellow existing participant, Scott Smyth, Founder & Group CEO of Soben added: “StartupScotland2.0 has provided access to a new network of world leading entrepreneurs and business advisors that are already positively impacting the growth of my business.
“In addition, I have got to work with and learn from an amazing cohort of other ambitious entrepreneurs each with a shared vision of scaling their business to £100m+”
Sir Tom Hunter, founder of THF commented; “This programme is by and for entrepreneurs, a learning journey of unparalleled opportunity in my view that truly accelerates growth through knowledge and peer-to-peer support.
“The only way to move the economic dial in Scotland is to deliver far more scaling businesses and our portfolio of pre-scaler, scaleup core and scaleup2.0 joins the dots up to deliver some of that ambition so I’m delighted to host and sponsor 2.0.”
Willie Watt chair of The Bank added: “The ScaleUpScotland2.0 programme aligns with The Bank’s missions. We believe that a healthy scale-up support landscape is critical to enable growing businesses to thrive.
“Ensuring that scaling businesses can access the support and guidance they need to sustain their growth brings productivity gains, high-value job creation and the power to transform our economy.”
The programme is subsidised by THF and the Bank, with an additional fee for participants of £11K including all overnight accommodation and subsistence at Blair Castle and Estate.
Applications close at midnight on 31st October 2023.
Environmentally conscious SMEs are being offered the chance to reduce their carbon footprint and lower energy bills thanks to a new partnership between Royal Bank of Scotland, the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) and the University of Edinburgh.
The free course allows businesses to identify the simple, cost-effective steps they can take to reduce emissions and save on outgoings while also helping the planet at the same time.
Successful applicants will take part in three 2-hour workshops that begin by helping SMEs to understand their own energy and carbon usage data and how they can build their own tailored ‘Carbon Reduction Plan’.
The free workshops also explain how taking positive environmental action can result in lower energy usage and therefore lower bills. Organisations can become more cost efficient by making positive changes such as changing boiler settings, installing smart lighting systems, swapping to sustainable suppliers and upgrading insulation.
The scheme is currently accepting applications from all sectors, having already supported over 60 participants from industries such as manufacturing, charity and education.
Applications for the next cohort close on 3rd October, with a later session set to launch at the start of November also welcoming candidates.
Code Hostels completed the course earlier this year and has used the learnings from the programme to make sustainable improvements across the business, including buying more produce from local suppliers and switching to eco-friendly cleaning products.
Talking of his experience, Jamie Greig, Operations and Design Consultant at Code Hostels, said:“The programme was a game changer for us. As a business, when you start looking at reducing emissions it can seem like an incredibly daunting process, and net zero targets can seem a long way off.
“We found it really valuable to chat to the other groups on the cohort, and we quickly realised we weren’t alone in the challenges we were facing.
“Sustainability in the hospitality industry is a personal passion of mine and we know that many other SMEs across the hospitality sector are experiencing the same challenges as we had at Code. I now run my own separate business, Our Property Bear, using energy monitors to help hotels and hostels monitor and reduce their energy consumption.”
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, One Bank Scotland said:“Royal Bank of Scotland is delighted to work with the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Climate Change Institute to deliver a programme which can make a real difference to SMEs across all sectors.
“It offers the insight, learnings and access to experts to help businesses see the opportunities it can offer them – and see the potential tackling climate change could make.”
Prof Dave Raey, Executive Director of ECCI, University of Edinburgh said:“The Climate Springboard programme is inspiring. The great engagement and responses from participating businesses is a testament to the fantastic work of the team here at Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and our partners at the Royal Bank of Scotland.
“In simultaneously helping to cut energy costs and carbon emissions for such a wide array of businesses, they are delivering exactly the kinds of cost-effective climate action so desperately needed in every sector.”
The scheme is currently accepting applications from all sectors, having already supported over 60 participants from industries such as manufacturing, charity and education.
Applications for the next cohort close on 3rd October, with a later session set to launch at the start of November also welcoming candidates.
SMEs looking to learn more about their emissions and how they can start reducing them are invited to register their interest here. More information about the programme is available here.
The number of games development studios operating in Scotland and the size of the workforce they employ grew by 10.2 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, between December 2021 and April 2023, according to new figures released today by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry.
Annually, Scottish games development companies are estimated to invest £161 million in salaries and overheads, contribute £133 million in direct and indirect tax revenues to HM Treasury, and make a direct and indirect contribution of £357 million to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The number of discrete, active, verified Scottish games development companies increased from 147 to 162, compared to an 11.9 per cent increase for the UK industry in its entirety over the same period.
Scotland has 2,338 permanent and full-time equivalent creative staff working on games development. This is up from 2,269 development staff in December 2021.
Scotland is now the fifth largest games cluster in the UK in terms of headcount (after London, the South East, the North West and the West Midlands).
The findings come from TIGA’s definitive report on the state of the UK video games industry Making Games in the UK 2023 (TIGA, 2023) which is based on an extensive survey of UK games businesses, with analysis by Games Investor Consulting.
Additionally, TIGA’s research shows that in the period from December 2021 to April 2023:
Scotland is home to 7.7 per cent of the UK’s total games companies and 9.8 per cent of its developer headcount.
Scotland’s games development sector supports an additional 4,275 indirect jobs (up from 4,148 in December 2021).
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said: “Scotland is one of the world’s most important games development clusters. It’s home to world leading and successful studios, including Rockstar, as well as over 2,300 creative staff in 162 studios. It has a number of excellent universities, whose courses includes TIGA Accredited degrees from Abertay University and the University of the West of Scotland.
“It has one of the best funding environments supported by Scottish Enterprise and Dundee’s UK Games Fund. Dundee is also a centre of excellence for collaboration between academia and industry, in particular the outstanding R&D work carried out by InGAME, which is led by Abertay University, in partnership with the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews.”
Professor Gregor White, Dean of the School of Design and Informatics at Abertay University added: “The continued growth of the games sector in Scotland, and across the UK more widely, once again demonstrates how integral this fast-moving and ever-evolving industry has become to the digital economy, but also the need for continued R&D and innovation support at both Scottish and UK Government level, in order to keep pace with overseas competitors.
“The success of InGAME, which has catalysed an estimated £84.7m GVA for the UK economy, is an excellent example of what can be achieved through a shared games cluster ecosystem designed to bring industry and academia together.”
Community groups can bid for grants to develop entrepreneurial ideas
A fund to help inspire more entrepreneurs to start or scale up their businesses has been relaunched.
The Ecosystem Fund is being widened this year to include initiatives encouraging young people to consider entrepreneurship from an early age. Applications providing access to support services for under-represented groups including women or those from disadvantaged areas will also be considered.
Community groups, non-profit making organisations, industry bodies, colleges and universities are amongst organisations invited to bid for funding to help boost entrepreneurial activity across Scotland. Grants of up to £50,000 will be available.
Projects could include:
showcasing Scotland’s start-ups globally to attract talent, investment and strategic partners
networking events allowing founders, investors and partners to share expertise and foster connections
training, mentorship and identifying growth opportunities by providing funding for staff, equipment, meeting places or programmes for start ups
encouraging entrepreneurs who support fair work and environmental good practice to make a positive impact on communities
the promotion of learning and teaching in entrepreneurship
tackling barriers or discrimination preventing women and other social groups from accessing support
Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “This expanded funding will build on Scotland’s international reputation as one of the best places in the UK to do business and help make an impact across the business community.
“Despite representing less than 1% of businesses, start-ups generate more than half the value of all small and medium-sized businesses. The fund will spark innovation while fulfilling our potential to nurture many more inventive new start-up companies and driving sustainable growth.
“We need to instil enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship at all levels from an early age, which is why I encourage collaborative proposals from a wide range of sectors to enable connections and exchange of ideas. In so doing, we can help those who establish businesses to improve lives – such as advancing renewable energy technologies or creating apps that help tackle food waste.
“The Ecosystem Fund is an important step, but we must make further progress expanding entrepreneurial access and opportunity – ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, has the chance to fulfil their potential.
“Together we can remove barriers and open up access and opportunity to budding entrepreneurs across Scotland. By uniting the business community around this goal, we can create a wellbeing economy which is fair, green and growing.”
Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan recommended measures to support new businesses in his August 2020 Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review.
Mr Logan said: “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem to raise a start-up.
“The Ecosystem Fund recognises and supports the vital enabling work of our ecosystem-building organisations. It will accelerate Scotland’s journey towards being an internationally recognised Start-up Nation.”
Royal Bank of Scotland is inviting ambitious entrepreneurs and business owners to apply for a place on its Entrepreneur Accelerator Hub.
The bank is currently accepting applications to its fully funded support programme for Scottish businesses looking to scale and succeed.
Successful applicants will benefit from full use of the Hub’s modern coworking spaces in the city centres of Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as access to a calendar of networking events and one-to-one coaching.
Since its launch, the programme has empowered over 1,000 businesses in Scotland and also includes a Digital Accelerator which offers a virtual programme of support to entrepreneurs based across the country.
Karen Robinson, founder of oat milk brand, Three Robins, has been a member of the Accelerator Hub since 2021. The busy mum of three started the business after noticing a gap in the market for a high-quality, healthy alternative to traditional dairy products when her son developed a lactose intolerance.
The product range was officially launched to the market in May 2022 and has proven an immediate hit with children and adults alike, particularly appealing to families looking for a milk-alternative that doesn’t compromise on nutritional value.
Talking of her experience on the Hub, Karen said: “Prior to starting Three Robins, my background was in international development, and I spent over 20 years working in women’s rights. This involved a lot of travelling to war impacted areas and after a while, it just wasn’t working with family life.
“The idea for Three Robins came about when my son, Christopher, developed a lactose intolerance. We’d be buying several different milk products to suit everyone’s needs and tastes and I remember thinking, it shouldn’t be this complicated to find a product that suits everyone – so I decided to make one.
“Since launching the business, we’ve grown from strength to strength and the support we’ve received from the Edinburgh Accelerator Hub has been invaluable. Having access to a group of like-minded business owners gives you a sounding board to bounce ideas off, and the one-to-one mentoring has given me insight I wouldn’t have otherwise had having not come from a business background.
“We were recently awarded funding from Scottish Edge to fuel our next chapter of the business and were also able to exhibit our products alongside the Bank at this year’s Royal Highland Show. This allowed us to introduce our range to an entirely new audience and I’m excited to keep working alongside Royal Bank of Scotland as we continue to grow.”
Mandy Bailey, Regional Eco-System Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland added: “We are champions of Scotland’s entrepreneurial talent and want to give all business owners the tools they need to scale and succeed.
“Entrepreneur Accelerator is currently accepting applications for its next cohort, and we’re excited to welcome the best and brightest businesses into our Edinburgh and Glasgow Hubs as well as our virtual community.”
The Royal Bank Accelerator programme supports and empowers entrepreneurs across Scotland to scale their businesses to the next level, offering one-to-one coaching, a calendar of thought leadership and events, access to a network of like-minded peers, and full-time use of a modern coworking space.
Based out of the bank’s state-of-the-art city centre offices in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square and Glasgow’s Queen Street, the programme is currently accepting applicants for its next intake.
Ambitious business owners are invited to apply here before applications close on 18th August.
Tata Group announces new multibillion-pound electric car battery factory to be built in the UK – one of the largest ever investments in the UK automotive sector.
Investment will create up to 4,000 new direct jobs, and thousands more in the wider supply chain – driving forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.
New gigafactory set to provide almost half of the battery production needed by 2030 – turbocharging UK’s switch to zero emissions vehicles.
The UK has been chosen as the home of Tata Group’s first ‘gigafactory’ outside India, in a move set to create thousands of jobs and bring a huge boost to the UK’s automotive sector.
Tata Group confirmed the UK had secured one of the largest ever investments in the UK auto industry today (19 July). The gigafactory will secure UK-produced batteries for another Tata Sons investment, Jaguar Land Rover, as well as other manufacturers in the UK and Europe.
The new gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe. It will create up to 4,000 highly skilled jobs, as well as thousands of further jobs in the wider supply chain for battery materials and critical raw minerals, helping grow the economy and take forward the UK’s commitment to net zero.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:“Tata Group’s multi-billion-pound investment in a new battery factory in the UK is testament to the strength of our car manufacturing industry and its skilled workers.
“With the global transition to zero emission vehicles well underway, this will help grow our economy by driving forward our lead in battery technology whilst creating as many as 4,000 jobs, and thousands more in the supply chain.
“We can be incredibly proud that Britain has been chosen as home to Tata Group’s first gigafactory outside India, securing our place as one of the most attractive places to build electric vehicles.”
Mr N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said: “The Tata Group is deeply committed to a sustainable future across our business.
“Today, I am delighted to announce the Tata Group will be setting up one of Europe’s largest battery cell manufacturing facilities in the UK. Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to the country, helping to power the automotive sector’s transition to electric mobility, anchored by our own business, JLR (Jaguar LandRover).
“With this strategic investment, the Tata Group further strengthens its commitment to the UK, alongside our many companies operating here across technology, consumer, hospitality, steel, chemicals, and automotive.
“I also want to thank His Majesty’s Government, which has worked so closely with us to enable this investment.”
The investment of over £4 billion represents a historic moment for the UK’s growing electric vehicles industry.
The new gigafactory will supply JLR’s future battery electric models including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, with the potential to also supply other car manufacturers. Production at the new gigafactory is due to start in 2026.
This investment will be crucial to boosting the UK’s battery manufacturing capacity needed to support the electric vehicle industry in the long term. With an initial output of 40GWh it will also provide almost half of the battery production that the Faraday Institution estimates the UK will need by 2030.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said: “Today’s multibillion-pound investment demonstrates that this Government has got the right plan when it comes to the automotive sector.
“We are backing the UK car industry to help grow our economy as we transition to electric vehicles, and this latest investment will secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country.
“Tata’s decision is a major vote of confidence in UK automotive. The Government is committed to making the UK one of the best places in the world for automotive investment, as evidenced by the Automotive Transformation Fund, the British Industry Supercharger, and the strong programme of support for research and development.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:“This is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and one that will drive growth in our economy, creating thousands of jobs and powering our transition to electric cars.
“Tata Group’s gigafactory builds on the strength of our manufacturing industry and shows we’re on the right track, backing the sectors that will underpin our future prosperity for decades to come.”
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Today’s announcement from Tata is excellent news. We have been working tirelessly with the company, and across government, to make the case for why the UK is the best place for them to invest.
“This new gigafactory puts us firmly in the fast lane to becoming the capital of Europe’s electric car market, and makes crystal clear how they see the UK as the place to be for their future growth.
“With thousands of jobs on site and in the supply chain, this new factory will be the cornerstone of our automotive industry, backing manufacturers to develop and expand, and customers to make the switch from petrol and diesel.”
