Supporting Partners
In addition to financial awards, all Scottish EDGE winners and finalists will be enrolled into the EDGE Alumni programme, where they get access to events, peer to peer learning and training to enhance their skills and grow their network.
Packages of support vary in each round. What remains consistent, however, is that every winner and finalist has access to free, or generously discounted, support from our leading partner organisations.
Each package is exclusively tailored to suit the needs of start-up businesses in Scotland, and combined offer all-encompassing support across key industries, such as; accounting, insurance, legal and creative.
We are enormously grateful to the following businesses for supporting Scotland’s future entrepreneurs through their EDGE partnership:
Founding Partners
The Hunter Foundation
The Hunter Foundation (THF) is a proactive venture philanthropy that seeks to invest in determining model solutions, in partnership with others, to troubling systemic issues relating to poverty reduction and educational enablement.
Royal Bank of Scotland
Established in 1727, Royal Bank of Scotland has been at the heart of Scottish business for nearly 300 years. Today we support one in three businesses across the country at every stage, scale and sector.
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Powering Scottish businesses to Start, Scale and Succeed #PowerUp
The Royal Bank of Scotland Accelerator supports and empowers UK entrepreneurs and business owners to scale their businesses to the next level.
Through our six-month fully funded Accelerator programme we provide wrap-around support and access to expertise, removing barriers and providing more opportunities to help businesses grow.
We focus on the key driver of any business – you.
With the right level of support and challenge, we could help you to take your business much further and faster through our four pillars of support:
Coaching
You’ll be supported by a dedicated Acceleration Manager, helping to develop both you and your business, overcome challenges and move your business forward.
Community
Join a vibrant community of like-minded entrepreneurs through our virtual network and make use of free co-working spaces across the UK.
Network
As the biggest bank for business in the UK, our experienced Ecosystem Managers are here to connect you to the unrivalled partner and mentor network across the UK, at the right time for you and your business.
Thought Leadership
Focussed on your needs as an entrepreneur, our programme of thought leadership and content could support your acceleration.
Our specialist programme provides:
Six months focused support with access to mentors, partners and experienced entrepreneurs
One-to-one coaching with our experienced Acceleration Managers
A programme of thought leadership and events
Access to a network of like-minded peers, supported by our Ecosystem Managers
Use of our modern co-working spaces in one of our nationwide hubs
Please register your interest here.
Royal Bank Business Builder
This programme provides access to a bespoke digital learning platform, virtual workshops and an online community, creating a robust, ever-growing holistic source of business and personal development tools and guidance, tailored to support a wide range of industries and experience levels.
Support to become more sustainable
We’re here to support your business and climate goals as we all make a transition to a low carbon economy. Adopting green practices is crucial to tackling climate change, and it can also help your business be more efficient and gain positive recognition from customer and investors.
Contact: accelerator@rbs.com
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is Scotland’s national economic development agency. We work with partners in the public and private sector to grow the Scottish economy for the benefit of all, helping to create more quality jobs and a brighter future for every region.
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Scotland’s business advice, support and funding agency
Our specialist advisers can help you overcome day-to-day challenges, enhance your business practices, or explore new markets and opportunities to grow and scale your company.
We offer a wide range of business development, advice & grant funding, including:
Intellectual Property Support - If you’re looking to better understand your rights and the steps you can take to protect and commercialise your IP, our experts can support you.
Financial Readiness Support - Our financial readiness experts can offer support and advice and can help you access a range of funding, including bank funding, equity funding, loan funding and grants.
Innovation Support - Need help refining your new product or service concepts to be more competitive and profitable? From designing your innovation strategy to launching your creations to market - we’ve got it covered.
EFRS – Enquiry & Research Service
Domestic and International, Source new customers and suppliers
Independent market insights & Investor information
Workplace Innovation Support - Taking a new approach to your staff and their workspace can drive employee engagement, helping your business adapt and grow. Our workplace innovation service can guide you towards support and helpful digital resources.
Export preparedness & Ecommerce - Whether you’re completely new to exporting, have plans in their early stages or have been exporting for some time, we’re here to help you put everything in place.
Productivity improvements & Sustainability - developing sustainable business practices will minimise the environmental impacts of your business, protect your business from risks and help you build business resilience.
Digital Transformation –we provide support in cyber security planning, data analytics, Industry 4.0 solutions and more.
Entrepreneurial Support – we provide access to a range of programmes and events to support the development of skills to develop and scale your business. We can also signpost to other relevant resources and support organisations.
Contact (Phone): 0300 013 3385
Website: scottish-enterprise.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/scottish-enterprise
Twitter: twitter.com/scotent
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland and has a range of responsibilities that include: the economy, education, health, justice, rural affairs, housing, environment, equal opportunities, consumer advocacy and advice, transport and taxation.
Special Award Partners
Creative UK
We believe in the power of creativity and the creative industries to change lives, placing creativity at the heart of the UK’s culture, economy and education system. Our goal is simple: to cultivate a world where creativity is championed, valued, and fundamentally nurtured.
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We connect, we invest, we support and we champion brilliance – fighting for the opportunity for all to thrive creatively
We unite the creative industries and generate opportunities for innovation to thrive by investing in creative people and businesses. We’re here to harness the power of the creative sector to build a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous future.
Our values
The core values behind our founding organisations remain constant. The key to our success is through these values and they are woven into the fabric of our culture.
Everything we do is rooted in this people-centric, future-forward philosophy. Our values steer the way we work; how we do things is just as important as what we do.
Contact: info@wearecreative.uk
Website: www.wearecreative.uk
STV
Welcome to STV. We provide marketing and advertising solutions that help you reach Scottish consumers and grow your business. Last year 4.5 million people in Scotland watched STV and 2.2 million used the STV Player.
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We are proud to support the business and the entrepreneurial communities in Scotland and are committed to supporting businesses of all shapes and sizes.
At STV we are open for Scottish business. Since our successful Growth Fund launched two years ago, we have worked with over 250 Scottish businesses. We have provided over £10m of funding to make TV advertising more accessible for businesses of all sizes.
From retailers and home improvements services, to leisure and ecommerce businesses, our members have achieved success. A massive 91% of members saw an increase in awareness after their campaign, over half have already seen an increase in profit and 75% of those saw a minimum increase of 20%.
More information on joining the STV Growth Fund, including a handy overview pack, is available at www.stvgrowthfund.tv. You will find information on how match funding works, case studies and feedback from our Growth Fund Members on their experiences.
Our solutions are bespoke, just like your objectives. Our team are delighted to chat and explore how we can support your business in reaching your goals. We work with you to connect your business with Scottish consumers delivering return on investment and results.
Sources: Growth Fund consumer research via ScotPulse, July 2019, 1,151 respondents. STV reach, Barb, Jan-Dec 2019, adults, 09.30 – 23.59. Ofcom research, trusted source 27th March – 19th April combined, TV channels only.
Contact: jules.mckim@stv.tv
Website: www.stvgrowthfund.tv
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stv-group-plc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stvcommercial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STVCommercial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stvcommercial
Postcode Innovation Trust
Postcode Innovation Trust operates its own society lottery and receives all of its funding from the players of People's Postcode Lottery.
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Awarding funds thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery
Postcode Innovation Trust was established to support charities working in the following areas:
The advancement of health
The advancement of environmental protection, improvement and sustainability
The prevention or relief of poverty
The advancement of education
The advancement of citizenship or community development
The advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
The advancement of public participation in sport
The promotion of equality and diversity
The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill -health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.
Website: www.postcodeinnovationtrust.org.uk/
Zero Waste Scotland
Zero Waste Scotland exists to lead Scotland to use products and resources responsibly, focusing on where we can have the greatest impact on climate change.
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A not-for-profit environmental organisation funded by Scottish Government
We exist to lead Scotland to use products and resources more responsibly, focusing on where we can have the greatest effect on reducing climate change together through responsible consumption, responsible production and maximising value through waste.
Using evidence and insight, our goal is to inform policy and motivate individuals and businesses to embrace the environmental, economic, and social benefits of a circular economy.
Website: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk
Support Partners
Harper Macleod LLP
Harper Macleod is one of Scotland’s leading independent law firms, with offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Lerwick and Thurso. We provide a comprehensive range of legal services to businesses, organisations and individuals throughout Scotland and beyond.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
A different kind of law firm
We believe it’s all about you, not us. We put your needs at the heart of everything we do. Your success determines our success and because no two clients are the same to us, we’ll work harder than anyone else to understand your needs and objectives.
You need problem solvers and advisers, not just lawyers. Our inquisitive nature means you can be sure we’ll get under the skin of your business or personal related matter and provide you with an effective solution.
It’s this drive that sets us apart and delivers a better outcome for you.
As Legal Advisers to Scottish EDGE, we are delighted to play a key role in the competition.
Advising entrepreneurs and businesses
At Harper Macleod, we have vast experience of working with many of the country’s most exciting entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups, and bring a wealth of knowledge to be able to support and advise those businesses taking part in Scottish EDGE and others like them.
We have a specialist team of lawyers dedicated to advising entrepreneurs and businesses at every stage of their life-cycle – from inception right through to realising your ambition, be that exit or global domination. It’s what we do.
Investments – we advised clients on investments totalling almost £300 million over the past two years alone.
Exits – we have advised clients on more than 160 exits over the past two years.
lntroductions – our contacts allow us to open doors and facilitate invaluable introductions.
We also have the benefit of being part of one of Scotland’s leading independent law firms, tapping into all the specialist knowledge you’ll need in your sector.
Contact: scotedge@harpermacleod.co.uk
Website: www.harpermacleod.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/harper-macleod-llp
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HarperMacleod
Facebook: www.facebook.com/harpermacleod
James Hallam
We are one of the UK’s leading independent brokers. We make it a priority to understand every detail of our clients’ businesses and work in partnership with you to provide a complete service. Our risk advice and insurance programmes are designed to protect you.
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A Winning EDGE
Our risk advice and insurance programmes are innovative and intelligent; designed to confidently protect your interests.
We have been providing Insurance Advice/Consultation and Risk Management to all Scottish EDGE finalists since Round 6 and are absolutely delighted to continue working with Scottish EDGE – it is a great privilege for us.
We appreciate that insurance is often the last thing on people’s mind, however, having the correct insurance policy in place can be the difference for businesses surviving or failing. We aim to take as much of the responsibility we can to help you understand how you can protect your business and have cover in place that you can rely on when it is needed. We cover many areas from Assets and Liability Protection to Management Liability, Employer Protection, Cyber and Crime – all of which can have a devastating impact on a business.
Contact: john.dougherty@jameshallam.co.uk
Website: jameshallam.co.uk
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/james-hallam-limited
Twitter: twitter.com/JamesHallamUK
Johnston Carmichael
As Scotland’s go to accountancy firm for the country’s innovators, movers & shakers, the JC team bring a wealth of experience in supporting start-ups and scale-ups at all stages of their growth journey.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
A steady hand for your fast-moving business
At Johnston Carmichael, our experts are more than just accountants.
We immerse ourselves within the ecosystem and help entrepreneurs challenge the status-quo, identify opportunities for improvement, and achieve practical solutions to problems. With over 850 employees across our 14 locations in the UK, our specialist team has extensive experience in advising innovative companies: from helping them make smart business decisions, to efficiently raising finance, expanding globally, or achieving a successful exit. Our exceptional network means we can connect you with the right people at the right time; be that investors, funders, or like-minded entrepreneurs. We serve the UK’s leading businesses across a diverse range of sectors, and in fact many of our clients are alumni of Scottish EDGE.
Through our membership of Moore Global we support interests at home and around the world, with an international reach that allows us to service and advise companies looking to capitalise on opportunities overseas.
We’re also passionate about the communities in which we live and work, and aim to create an enduring impact through Corporate Social Responsibility and engagement in charity fundraising. Johnston Carmichael is recognised as an employer of choice, committed to investing in the next generation of businesses and advisers.
We offer a complimentary support package to all EDGE finalists & winners.
Contact: scottishedge@jcca.co.uk
Website: johnstoncarmichael.com/entrepreneurial-focus-new
LinkedIn: inkedin.com/company/johnston-carmichael-chartered-accountants-and-business-advisers
Twitter: twitter.com/JC_Accountants
Facebook: facebook.com/JohnstonCarmichael
Talent Spark
TalentSpark is a start-up recruitment specialist that supports businesses to grow from an idea in a bedroom to a global unicorn. Chat with our team today and start your journey.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
We are startup recruitment specialists
TalentSpark exists to help your business grow by finding the best people for your team. Our experts know the entrepreneurial landscape like no other.
Our reach, in terms of talented candidates, is global. However, our local networks ensure we have strong relationships with the finest homegrown expertise.
TalentSpark's partnership across the Scottish entrepreneurial landscape, including the country's angel syndicates, ensures we are the partner of choice for advisors across the country.
We have supported Scottish unicorns at every stage of their journey and helped university spin-outs find their first hires. Our specialists also operate at board level, placing Non-Exec Directors and Chairs or making introductions to advisors that can help in those embryonic stages.
We provide the latest research and insight into hiring practices and have teamed up with the best providers on the market to offer a seamless process for our customers.
It starts, as all good journeys do, with a plan. We will map out your hiring
requirements and help you plan and budget to make your team a reality.
Our partnerships are strong, so get in touch, and we will build your business together.
Contact: – ewan.anderson@edenscott.com / TalentSpark@edenscott.com
Website: – www.talentspark.scot
Totalize Media
Totalize Media is a strategy-led creative and design agency based in Glasgow. We work with innovative businesses to build brands worth bragging about.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
We are a strategic branding studio. Designers, Marketers and Strategists who challenge the status quo, champion individuality, and push boundaries.
We take the boring out of branding. We craft communication and design ideas that delight our clients so they can steal attention, blow away their competition, and avoid being one-of-many.
Brands don't stand still - they need to keep evolving. We create and develop brands that help our clients avoid being one of the many.
We work with brands with big ideas to bring them to life and connect them to people who care. We work across any niche, as our experience over a decade across countless industries has allowed us to recognise patterns and discover how to continually connect to people.
We’re a Scottish Agency, and we embrace it. It informs but doesn’t define us. We funnel the tenacity, innovation, straight talking, and friendliness surrounding us into our work. For businesses from or operating in Scotland, we have a sharp understanding of the people, market, and environment that we utilise to make you win.
In the modern age, brands have become homogenous and beige. Everyone is an ‘innovative’, ‘authentic’,‘ family business’. Businesses want to ‘cut through the noise’ and fight for attention but are afraid of the sound of their voice. We’re here to change that. To show there is power in being individual, to break down barriers, and to lift business owners, giving them the confidence to be who they are. Embrace what makes you unique, defeat conformity, carve your path, stand up and scream WE ARE HERE, and make yourself be heard.
Contact: Alan@totalizemedia.co.uk
Website: www.totalizemedia.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alancunninghamtotalizemedia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TotalizeMedia
Instagram: www.instagram.com/totalizemedia/
Scintilla
Scintilla puts you in control of your destiny by organising, optimising and monetising your intellectual property.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
You can protect your IP around the world with the guidance of our experienced patent attorney and trade mark attorney team, and unlock the value of intellectual property with a pragmatic IP strategy which can help you craft a compelling narrative to support investment, achieve a demonstratable return on investment for your IP spend, benefit from IP analytics for product and market intelligence, and defend yourself against competitors and copycats.
We can help you navigate your way through the intellectual property maze, as our flexible fixed fee plans which cover you for the IP registrations you need together with the strategic advice and education to make sure you avoid early pitfalls and steer your IP strategy in the right direction.
Contact: edge@scintilla-ip.com
Website: www.scintilla-ip.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/scintilla-ip
Alternative Funders
DSL Business Finance
DSL Business Finance Ltd is a not-for-profit lender with expertise in financial services supporting new and growing businesses in Scotland.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Bio coming soon…