🔥 Ember raise, AdviceTech catwalk, loveelectric partners with OVO
Plus news from Novosound, MySmashMedia, Imrandd and more
Here's your Campfire for the 1st of April, 2024.
💼 This issue of Campfire is sponsored by Shepherd and Wedderburn's initiative to supercharge start-ups and scale-ups. Be sure to follow the Start to Scale LinkedIn page for useful videos and posts designed to help founders.
🌊 Updates
💰 Edinburgh-based Ember (building one of the UK’s first all-electric intercity bus networks) has raised $14 million (£11 million) in a Series A round led by Inven Capital, 2150, and AENU, along with participation from some of Ember's existing backers. TC TS
📢 Building in FinTech? The Lang Cat (Edinburgh-based financial services consultancy) is hosting the AdviceTech Catwalk in June 2024 where five finalists will pitch to 150 advice professionals and senior financial industry figures. Sign up before 23 April. DGT TS
💰 Startups supported by the Scottish Government’s Techscaler programme attracted investment of more than £52 million in 2023, according to the project’s first Annual Report as it helped 517 companies in its first year, and now has nearly 2,500 members. SS FS DGT IN
📣 Applications for the annual Geovation Scotland 12-month accelerator programme are officially open until 6 May 2024. DGT
⚕ Glasgow-based Novosound (the sensor tech company creating wearable ultrasound system) has secured its 21st patent award for its ultrasonic instrumentation system. DGT
📈 Aberdeen-based Imrandd (industrial data and engineering consultancy) has developed ‘Alert software’, an asset management solution which uses AI to reduce inspection time and costs for offshore operators, following a £1m funding round. SS
🌱 My Smash Media, an AI matchmaking platform for the creative industries, has secured over £370,000 from the Equity Gap, Scottish Enterprise and a Future Economy Innovate UK grant. ACS
📝 A new global report by professional services firm KPMG has revealed that 115 Scottish firms received over £359 million worth of Venture Capital investment after being identified as the most promising throughout 2023. Companies include Glasgow-based ENOUGH, Edinburgh-based DirectID and others. KPMG
⚡️Edinburgh-based loveelectric now offers all new EV drivers 5,000 free miles, thanks to a partnership with OVO. More information here.
⭐ Edinburgh-based Equity Gap has been named as the most frequent backer of women-owned businesses in Scotland, according to a new report by Young Company Finance (YSF). They backed 12 equity investment rounds in female-led businesses between 2018 and 2023 which is 30% of the total reported rounds during this period. TS SBN
🚺 Women angel group Mint Ventures in collaboration with UKBAA hosted the ‘Women Backing Women Investment Summit Scotland’ event last week. The event aims to encourage more female angel investors to support women-led startups, and offers a six-month online training programme available for aspiring investors. SBN
🇸🇬🇮🇩 The Glasgow Chamber of Commerce is leading a trade mission to Singapore and Indonesia from 27 April to 4 May. The trip will include B2B meetings, site visits, market briefings, trade body/in-market agency meetings, networking reception dinners, and more. More information can be found here, and anyone interested can email this address. Currently their usual admin fee is being waived.
📣 Asks & Offers
⚙️Do you dream about prototyping? The University of St Andrews has just opened its Rapid Prototyping Centre with facilities like HD 3D Printing Studio with premium materials, a 3D design office suite, electromechanical engineering equipment and machinery, and an electronics design studio (clean room environment). They offer services like high quality 3D scanning, stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modelling and much much more. Campfire readers get a 10% discount (just quote CAMP10). Email them here, and find out more here.
👭 Interested in connecting with possible co-founders? Fill in your listing on Cofounder Curious today! Connect with others for possible cofounder matching here.
✍️ Want to write something for Campfire? Have an opinion you'd like to share? get in touch!
📅 Events
📍 02/04, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meetup Edinburgh - April 2024: The Tech Meetup is a monthly excuse for the tech community around Scotland to network, learn and share new ideas! Come along to enjoy informative presentations from your peers, listen to exciting projects in the community and make some new connections. MORE INFO
☕ Series: Unfiltered: An in-person and informal catch-up with the Scottish Codebase community! Come join us for a coffee!
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Stirling, MORE INFO
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Inverness, MORE INFO
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Glasgow, MORE INFO
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Dundee, MORE INFO
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Aberdeen, MORE INFO
⛾ 03/04, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh, MORE INFO
💼 04/04, 13:30 🗺️ Stromness: TechScaler: Office Hours- Stromness: Are you based in Orkney? Are you working in tech, interested in technology, or have an idea for a startup? Are you part of the business community? If you would like to know more about what we do at CodeBase and how we could support work going on in Orkney through the Techscaler programme, book a slot for a one-to-one conversation with Mark Sutherland, Head of Highlands and Islands Regional Engagement at CodeBase. MORE INFO
🏝️ 04/04, 17:00 🗺️ Stromness: Demystifying and Applying AI to the Islands: We will take you ‘under the hood’ of AI to show you how it works, highlight some areas where it can be used to reach the Islands net zero ambitions and show you some examples of what has been achieved in similar contexts. MORE INFO
🧳 04/04, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Social April Event at Uno Mas: Our first Tech Social event of the year, we will be meeting at Uno Mas for a classic Tech Social event. We are bringing together the Scottish tech community so come along for a drink and get to know others who work in tech! MORE INFO
📍 04/04, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Tech Meetup Glasgow - April 2024: Join us at Civic House, Glasgow on the first Thursday of each month for our free event featuring two talks on tech with soft drinks and pizza. MORE INFO
📌 08/04, 18:30 🗺️ Inverness: Tech Meetup Inverness: Whether you are a seasoned professional or just tech curious. Whether you've been to meetings before or not. Whether you are looking to make new contacts, learn from others or share your expertise. Please book a ticket on Eventbrite as places are limited. MORE INFO
💼 09/04, 09:30 🗺️ Stirling: World of Work: Organisation Culture and Values for Founders: This half-day, in-person, interactive workshop in Codebase Stirling will be co-facilitated by James and Jane from the World of Work Project. Like all of their workshops, this session will be highly interactive and will include relevant theories, practical applications and top-tips. MORE INFO
🤝 09/04, 13:00 🗺️ Stirling: Marketing Meetup with Scunnered Digital [Stirling]: Join us for a six-month event series dedicated to elevate your marketing skills, build connections and exchange ideas with fellow marketers. MORE INFO
🎯 10/04, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Startup Founders Meetup - April 2024: Each month, we'll have a combination of tactical fireside chats with experienced entrepreneurs and plenty of opportunities to network with other founders, potential cofounders, and investors. MORE INFO
📈 11/04, 17:30 🗺️ Stirling: In Conversation with Sales Geek: Join us at CodeBase for an event focused on 'How to Build a Scalable Sales Strategy for Startups'. Dive into the world of sales within a welcoming and supportive ambiance. This unique interactive session led by the Sales Geek team, will shed light on practical insights and provide actionable advice customized specifically for the needs of startups and businesses. MORE INFO
👩🏻💻 16/04, 17:30 🗺️ Stirling: Digital Skills 4 Girls [Stirling]: Digital Skills 4 Girls is a monthly workshop for girls and non-binary people who want to learn new digital skills or develop existing skills. The recommended age for attendance is 10-15. MORE INFO
👩🏻💻 16/04, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Digital Skills 4 Girls: [Edinburgh] Pixel Art: This session is led by Charlotte Pang, and we'll be learning about pixel art and designing characters! MORE INFO
🏳️🌈 18/04, 13:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Lunch & Learn: LGBTQ+ Visibility in the Workplace: Join us for an engaging workshop exploring LGBTQ+ visibility in the workplace, in partnership with Scottish Trans and the Equality Network. Delve into discussions on workplace rights and strategies for enhancing visibility and networking opportunities. MORE INFO
🤝 18/04, 17:00 🗺️ Dundee: Meet the Investors - Raising to Scale in a Challenging Environment: Join us for an evening of community networking and the opportunity to hear directly from investors, lenders and other ecosystem builders. MORE INFO
🤝 25/04, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Bridging Communities - The Extended Edition: A one-day event to bridge communities, spark connections and inspire action. Co-designed discussions, creative workshops, insightful stories, and more. MORE INFO
🎯 Deadlines
🗺️ 6 May 2024: Geovation Scotland Accelerator. Application here.
🇬🇧 Upcoming Innovate UK deadlines:
Unlocking nature positive private investment Applications close 10 April
UK-Switzerland CR&D Round 2 Applications close 1 May
UK - Germany Bilateral: Collaborative R&D Round 3 Applications close 3 June
Are we missing your event or deadline? 👉 Submit it here!
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That’s all for this week - have a great one!
Team 🔥 Campfire