Sir Tom helps Scots entrepreneurs get connected to top business leaders
SCOTTISH entrepreneurs are being given the opportunity to learn from business leaders as part of a new online programme, Scale Up Scotland Digital, aiming to support businesses as they navigate the complexities that come with the scale up journey.
Complementing the existing in-person Scale Up Scotland programme, the new digital offering means more Scottish business leaders can benefit from the exceptional resources available, while still collaborating and accessing peer support through the online forums.
Delivered by The Hunter Foundation, the digital offering further supports the findings of a report published by Oxford Economics which indicated radical change was needed to significantly boost Scotland’s economic growth, including fostering more scale-ups.
The programme will provide entrepreneurs with the chance to access learning modules on all elements of business, from value proposition, to culture, through to direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy and business models.
Each module has been created by either a successful business leader who has mastered this area of business and can not only share their expertise, but also their learnings, or an academic with a wealth of knowledge on the subject.
Completely free of charge, Scale Up Scotland Digital also offers entrepreneurs the chance to learn from their peers. While the entrepreneurial journey can often be seen as a lonely one, this programme aims to break down these barriers and encourage Scottish business owners to learn from each other and share successes and failure, in a bid to grow Scotland’s economy.
Knowledge
BUSINESS leaders who have contributed their knowledge and experiences include: Andrew Veitch, CEO of Machine Labs; Gavin Quirk, head of fulfilment operations Global Creative Production at Netflix; Chris Wilson, partner at Opto Advisory; Gordon Cooper, founder and CEO of VisionWare; and Helen Potter, co-founder of Eureka!Europe. More will be added over time as the platform grows organically in response to entrepreneurial need.
Academics including Professor Ignacio Canales, chair in strategic management at the University of Aberdeen Business School, and high-profile business advisers such as Bob Keiller, will also be lending their expertise to the Scale Up Scotland Digital programme. In addition, through collaboration with the Scottish
Universities Scale Up Consortium, participants will gain access to the consortium’s E Squared programme.
New talent
SIR Tom Hunter, founder of The Hunter Foundation, said: “Scotland has a wealth of entrepreneurial talent, as is evident in the country’s business success stories over recent years. However, it’s not just important to help entrepreneurs start their business, it’s vital to give them the tools they need to grow it.
“Start-ups are good but scale-ups are what move the economic dial and move it must for Scotland’s future.
“If you’re going to grow a big business, you can’t do it yourself. You need to learn from the people around you, from those who have gone before you and from those who have failed and pivoted.
“Scale Up Scotland Digital, delivered by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, will not only provide business owners with the opportunity to learn from leaders in their field who have done this, it will also give them the chance to speak to other entrepreneurs going through similar challenges and share learnings.
“An inclusive programme, we hope that participants will not only see their business grow as a result but that they’ll also support other entrepreneurs to scale and build a strong network of valuable contacts which will help them in the years to come.”
The programme aims to support people to scale quicker, with less risk, and in turn support the growth of Scotland’s economy.”
Digital age
SCALE Up Scotland Digital has been part-funded by the Scottish Government via Scottish Enterprise.
Linda Hanna, interim chief executive, Scottish Enterprise, said: “The Hunter Foundation deserves huge credit for identifying the changing ways in which entrepreneurs share experiences and ideas, and for creating a comprehensive package of support that’s fit for the digital age.
“Scottish Enterprise was delighted to help accelerate the development of the programme. We share The Hunter Foundation’s aim of encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship, recognising the innovators of today as the job creators of the future.”
Chris Wilson, partner at Opto Advisory, who is one of the business leaders involved in the programme, added: “We’ve been lucky enough to support and see first-hand the rapid growth of the companies that have had the benefit of the scale-up programme. We are delighted to have had the chance to provide content for the new digital platform so that as many companies as possible can benefit from these valuable and very practical insights and resources.”
If you’re going to grow a big business, you can’t do it yourself. You need to learn from the people around you
For more information on Scale Up Scotland Digital or to sign up for the programme, visit www.scaleup.scot