🏡 Nude Finance Acquisition, Deep Mines, Creative EDGE, Alba Bank Reshuffle
Plus lots of events including one all about the wonders of EMI schemes!
Here's your Campfire for the 12th of February, 2024.
💼 Thinking about EMI schemes or share incentives? On 12 March, Shepherd and Wedderburn and Deloitte are hosting a breakfast panel discussion titled "Share Incentives: What I wish I had known!" Find out more and register here.
🌊 Updates
🤝 Edinburgh-based Nude Finance (saving pots for mortgage down payments) has been acquired by London-based digital mortgage brokerage company Tembo Money. DGT
💰 Scottish EDGE is back with a new category. Up to £100,000 will be available for creative businesses in Scotland as part of a new funding award in conjunction with Creative UK. TS DGT ACS
⚓ Heriot-Watt University’s DeepTech LaunchPad has announced its first cohort. They include ScrubMarine (robot-scrubbing hulls of large ships), Borobo (power management and electircal board design), GI Healthcare Industries (cooking robots for industrial food prep), Infinity DPM (advanced upper-limb prosthetics). The LaunchPad is a pilot programme which is helping entrepreneurs working in robotics, AI, and advanced engineering to commercialise their innovative ideas. NEN IN
🧾 Glasgow-based startup challenger bank Alba Bank has announced that Rod Ashley is stepping down from his role as a chief executive, after six years in the post. Jonathan Thompson will assume the role to lead the business during its launch phase. IN
🧲 Edinburgh-based Gravitricity will turn one of Europe’s deepest mines into the continent’s first-ever gravity energy storage system. TNW
✈️ Not fully Scottish, however as there’s a product office based here, TravelPerk (travel management for SMEs) raised $104 million in a round led by Softbank with participation from Kinnevik and Felix Capital. TC
💭 Opinion: Founder David Hughes of Novosound shares his opinion about why Scottish firms need to make their presence known at international tech events. TS
📣 Asks & Offers
🍳 Fancy breakfast? We’re considering piloting a monthly founders breakfast in Edinburgh to meet and get to know one another over… breakfast. Interested in joining? get in touch!
👭 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!
Share incentive schemes are a popular and effective way for UK emerging growth companies to recruit, incentivise and reward the key individuals that they need to grow their businesses. However, if not implemented and managed correctly, the existence of share incentive arrangements can significantly increase the complexities involved in delivering an eventual “exit”.
Join Shepherd & Wedderburn and Deloitte for a breakfast panel discussion that centres on the team's experience of dealing with share incentives in corporate transactions.
Key discussion topics:
Practical issues that arise as part of a due diligence or transaction process that could have been avoided by implementing relatively straightforward processes and checks at an early stage in the incentive lifecycle
How to ensure EMI plans deliver their intended benefit
The importance of the right approach to documentation and tax valuation for share acquisitions
A “client’s-eye-view” of managing a recent transaction involving a number of employee option holders, with David Jolliffe, CFO of Novosound
Panel:
David Jolliffe, CFO, Novosound
Arran Simpson, Reward Partner, Deloitte
Stephen Trombala, Corporate Partner, Shepherd and Wedderburn
Rodger Cairns, Employee Share Scheme Partner, Shepherd and Wedderburn
📅 Events
🔌 13/02, 09:30 🗺️ Perth: Unplugged Perth: Open to everyone, CodeBase Unplugged is a networking event for people working in, or interested in, tech startups. MORE INFO
🤝 13/02, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Online Coworking Session - Week 4: Join us for an accountability session and let's get things done in 2024! MORE INFO
🗃️ 13/02, 13:00 🗺️ Perth: Techscaler Office Hours [Perth]: An opportunity to receive personalised guidance on how Techscaler can support you. MORE INFO
🗣️ 13/02, 17:30 🗺️ Stirling: In Conversation With Harper MacLeod: Join us at CodeBase Stirling, where seasoned professionals from Harper Macleod will share their knowledge into the legal startup world. Gain invaluable insights and inspiration as they share their experiences, providing a roadmap for those navigating the dynamic landscape of legal entrepreneurship. MORE INFO
🧭 13/02, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: The Journey of a BIPOC Founder in Scotland: Staying The Course [Edinburgh]: A conversation about how to start and stay the course as a BIPOC entrepreneur with Tynah Matembe founder of Moneymatix. MORE INFO
💼 14/02, 09:30 🗺️ Kilmarnock: Fair Work Workshop: What's the event about? This is a fully funded workshop which will help participating companies to understand the benefits of fair work. MORE INFO
♾️ 14/02, 12:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Neurodiversity Meetup [Edinburgh]: This meetup is for anyone in the tech startup scene who is neurodivergent or interested in learning about neurodiversity. Open to everyone. MORE INFO
🛠️ 14/02, 13:30 🗺️ Dumfries: Demystifying Tech [Dumfries]: Session 2 of our Intro to Tech Series - brought to you by South of Scotland Enterprise, SRUC, Borders College & Techscaler. MORE INFO
🍳 15/02, 09:00 🗺️ Perth: Scottish Enterprise/SMAS Continuous Improvement Workshop Breakfast in Perth: Join this a breakfast event and develop your understanding of Lean Thinking Principles through interactive exercises. MORE INFO
🌟 15/02, 12:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Intro to Tech and Widening Access [Glasgow]: An event for non-technical founders and regional community members to learn about accessibility and opportunities in Scotland's tech sector. MORE INFO
🌱 15/02, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Greentech Futures Creative Hackathon - Part 2: Join the Edinburgh Greentech Futures community for the second creative problem solving session with Visit Scotland. MORE INFO
🤝 20/02, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Online Coworking Session - Week 5: Join us for an accountability session and let's get things done in 2024! MORE INFO
⚤ 20/02, 12:00 🗺️ Online: Closing the Gender Pay Divide: Strategies for Success: This online session is for employers who want to understand the root causes of the gender pay gap and how they can relate to their business. MORE INFO
🛠️ 20/02, 13:30 🗺️ Galashiels: Demystifying Tech [Galashiels]: Session 2 of our Intro to Tech Series - brought to you by South of Scotland Enterprise, SRUC, Borders College & Techscaler. MORE INFO
👩🏻💼 20/02, 17:30 🗺️ Dundee: Female Founder Meet Up - Elevator, Techscaler and AccelerateHER [Dundee]: You are personally invited to an exclusive evening for female and non-binary founders to network, learn and share your business experiences. MORE INFO
👩🏼💻 20/02, 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
🔌 21/02, 11:30 🗺️ Eyemouth: Unplugged @ Hometown Hub [Eyemouth]: Open to everyone, CodeBase Unplugged is a networking event for professionals working in, or interested in, tech startups. MORE INFO
📅 21/02, 18:30 🗺️ Striling: Techmeetup Stirling February 21st: We meet in Codebase Stirling every month on the third Wednesday from 18:30. TM Stirling is about meeting other people involved in tech, learning something and chatting. MORE INFO
📈 22/02, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Scaling your business: what you need to know?: Join Burges Salmon and YCF for a half day seminar which explores the key things to consider when scaling your business. MORE INFO
💼 22/02, 12:00 🗺️ Online: Selling your business masterclass: Do you have a business succession plan in place? Have you considered selling your business to an Employee Ownership Trust? MORE INFO
🎬 22/02, 12:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Future Ready Digital Programme: Join this five week programme and gain the insights and tools to help your business harness the full potential of emerging technologies. MORE INFO
🎯 22/02, 14:00 🗺️ Online: Startup Next Steps Explainer Webinar [Online]: Join us for this informal online explainer event where we'll unpack what our upcoming course is and if it's right for you! MORE INFO
💡 22/02, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: ProductTank Edinburgh February Social: Join ProductTank Edinburgh for an exciting evening of networking and camaraderie at our first casual pub meetup of 2024! MORE INFO
💬 22/02, 18:00 🗺️ Dundee: Dundee Founders Social: Join our first Founders social of the year on 22nd February. Try some great cheeses from Dundee's Cheesery and network with other founders. MORE INFO
💡 22/02, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: CES Unveiled: Inside stories from 'the most powerful tech event in the world' (Startup Grind): This February once the dust has settled we're going beyond the hype and bringing you exclusive inside stories from those that were there. MORE INFO
🏆 22/02, 19:00 🗺️ Stirling: Stirling Business Awards 2024: Techscaler is proud to sponsor the Stirling Business Awards 2024. MORE INFO
🔗 26/02, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Monthly Scottish Blockchain Meetup: Welcome to the Monthly Scottish Blockchain Meetup at the Bayes Centre in Edinburgh. The event takes place at the ground floor in G.03. MORE INFO
⚡ 27/02, 09:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Professionals Networking: We wanted to bring together our local network, here in Edinburgh, as a way of introducing them to each other. MORE INFO
🤝 27/02, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Online Coworking Session - Week 6: Join us for an accountability session and let's get things done in 2024! MORE INFO
✍ 27/02, 12:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Getting Ready to Scale: Join us for a workshop, with Prof. Stelios Kavadias, Cambridge Judge Bus. School, discussing key areas of success on the growth journey. MORE INFO
⚤ 27/02, 12:00 🗺️ Online: Closing the Gender Pay Gap: Steps You Can Take: Identify inequalities in your business and learn practical steps from experienced practitioners that can help you tackle the issue. MORE INFO
⚡ 27/02, 13:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Energy Transition Tech Bridge Programme - Information Event [Aberdeen]: Unlocking Digital Innovation to Support the Transition to Green Energy at ONE Tech Hub, Aberdeen. MORE INFO
👥 27/02, 18:00 🗺️ Dundee: Dundee Data Meetup: Join us every last Tuesday of the month. MORE INFO
📌 27/02, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Startup Founders Meetup - February 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
💼 12/03, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Share Incentives: What I Wish I Had Known! Join Shepherd and Wedderburn and Deloitte for a breakfast panel discussion that centres on the team's experience of dealing with share incentives in corporate transactions. MORE INFO
🎯 Deadlines
📐 The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Fellowships: A twelve-month accelerator programme designed to support talented university graduates to transform breakthrough engineering innovations into disruptive engineering and tech spinouts. Grants of up to £75k. Applications close 26 February 2024.
🇬🇧 Upcoming Innovate UK deadlines:
UK and South Korea data driven urban innovation Bi-Lateral Applications close 21 February 2024
Creative Catalyst 2024 Applications close 6 March
Eureka collaborative R&D: Eurostars 3 Call 6 Applications close 14 March
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