💰 VC rebound in Scotland, 4 fast-growth tech companies, Sue-dog
Following a brief coup last week, all scientists from the previous board of Campfire have been replaced, and, with Satya's blessing, we look forward to Larry Summers joining our governance team. He apparently knows as much about the Scottish startup ecosystem as he does AI, so needless to say, safe hands.
Here's your Campfire for the 27th of November, 2023.
💼 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 & Opinions
💵 According to KPMG’s latest Venture Pulse report, the value of VC investment into Scotland’s startups is projected to rebound significantly in the third quarter of 2023, with 28 deals worth a combined £202m taking place. This is expected to be the highest-value quarter in Scotland since Q2 2022 when £325m was recorded over 45 deals. DGT TS
🍺 Edinburgh-based Jump Ship Brewing has filed a lawsuit against BrewDog over a naming conflict regarding their beers, alleging financial harm and confusion caused by BrewDog's use of the name "Shore Leave." IN TS
🏅 4 companies from Scotland were named as part of Deloitte’s 50 fastest-growing UK tech companies. They were Glasgow-based The Original Fit Factory and Utopi (which also one the CleanTech award), Edinburgh-based Amiqus, and Aberdeen-based Deep Casing Tools. Edinburgh and London-based Good Loop came 3rd in the Women in Leadership category. Full list here. DGT TS
🏦 Glasgow-based ALBA Bank has signed a deal with nCino (US fintech firm) aimed at speeding up the lending process. TH SBN
💻 Applications open: Six technology entrepreneurs will be given access to Heriot-Watt University and National Robotarium experts and facilities to develop "deeptech prototypes ready for investment". DGT
🩺 Glasgow-based Novosound (new applications for ultrasound) has signed a collaboration deal with Texas-based Baylor College of Medicine School. DGT
🚀 SaxaVord Spaceport, Shetland-based Scottish spaceport, is teaming up with HyImpulse Technologies, a German rocket launch provider, for orbital launch in late 2025. DGT
💼 New launch: Tomoro, an AI-powered firm led by Scottish entrepreneur Ed Broussard, aims to shorten the work-week to three days within five years by utilising customised autonomous agents to enhance existing roles in large corporations. IN
📣 Asks & Offers
✍️ Want to sponsor Campfire? We're planning some new initiatives in 2024, so say hello and let's chat!
🤨 Campfire is looking into something: know any foreign founders based in Scotland who are or were on the UK Innovator visa and who used a for-profit organisation to help secure or sponsor it (e.g. not a University)? If so, we'd love to speak with them.
👭 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!
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"Given the infancy and nature of our business, it's critical that we work with legal counsel that gives due consideration to the nuances of our specific business and offers creative and practical solutions for our particular challenges. Shepherd and Wedderburn has provided high-quality, practical and business-minded guidance that has helped contribute to our early successes.
While the entirety of the firm has been a great partner for us, Hannah Bruce in particular has done an excellent job guiding us through a myriad of legal challenges by taking the care and time to understand our business and operations to ensure we are provided the best and most pointed counsel possible. I would strongly recommend Shepherd and Wedderburn as a trusted partner for providing expert advice and support on a wide range of legal and compliance matters." - Kevin Kreuser, Head of Legal, BetDEX Labs, Inc.
Shepherd & Wedderburn's innovative and personable approach helps companies from first incorporation onwards (including through to an exit – if that’s the goal). Their global reach means they can scale and grow with you, like they have with clients like Epic Games, FanDuel, Parsleybox, and TVSquared.
👉 To learn more, send an email starttoscale@shepwedd.co.uk & set up a chat.
📅 Events
👥 27/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: NoCode Scotland Meetup #8: Whether you're a NoCode enthusiast or just looking to get started learning how you can build software without writing code, you're very welcome to come along! MORE INFO
🤝 27/11, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Startup Founders Meetup: A combination of tactical fireside chats with experienced entrepreneurs and plenty of opportunities to network with other founders, potential cofounders, and investors. This month: Danae Shell from Valla talks B2C marketing, TikTok, and aiming beyond vanity metrics. MORE INFO
🍃 28/11, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: GreenTech Meetup!! (November): Come and enjoy some breakfast and chat with some fantastic people in the GreenTech community - hosted by Barclays Eagle Labs and CodeBase. MORE INFO
💼 28/11, 16:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Hiring to Scale: MBM Commercial, Barclays Wealth and Barclays Eagle Labs have come together to for an exciting series where we dive deep into the world of scaling your team! Whether you're a startup or an established company, finding and hiring the right talent can be a daunting task. But fear not! Our event series is here to guide you through the process, providing valuable insights and practical tips. MORE INFO
🤝 28/11, 18:00 🗺️ Dundee: Dundee Data Meetup: Welcome to the monthly recurring Dundee Data Meetup, a vibrant community-driven event that brings together curious learners, data enthusiasts and professionals to explore the captivating world of data and its applications. We're dedicated to fostering an inclusive community where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to share knowledge, spark ideas, ignite curiosity, foster collaboration, and promote responsible data practices. Each month, we'll be featuring different themes, so check out our updates on our socials and Eventbrite page. MORE INFO
💻 29/11, 09:30 🗺️ Dumfries: Coworking Day [South of Scotland]: We’re excited to invite our tech and business community, and anyone wishing to connect with our local community to our coworking days, taking place at Flourish in Dumfries. We're hosting these coworking days every Wednesday from 25th October - 13th December 2023, where you can join us for startup chat, networking, and to get to know you local tech-curious peers. MORE INFO
💵 29/11, 10:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Innovation Tax Dojo: de-risk your value creation & product development: At the Innovation Tax Dojo, you'll gain valuable insights, practical strategies and open discussions on how R&D tax credits can help you balance innovative developments and cashflow generation. MORE INFO
🏭 29/11, 15:00 🗺️ Stirling: Tech Idea Factory: Idea Fest: This event, hosted in collaboration with the University of Stirling's Enterprise Programme, is a dynamic event designed to inspire innovation and collaborative thinking within the tech community. The event kicks off with an introduction to the programme, setting the stage for focussed participation. MORE INFO
🤝 29/11, 17:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Asian Founders Community Meetup: A dedicated event aimed at supporting and empowering Asian entrepreneurs on their journey to business growth. MORE INFO
📝 29/11, 17:15 🗺️ Edinburgh: Barclays and CodeBase, Edinburgh's monthly quiz!! - November 2023 edition: Join us for this month's pub quiz - bringing together the CodeBase and Edinburgh community for a bit of fun! MORE INFO
🗾 29/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Power Map Workshop: Come to this workshop to understand how Edinburgh works through power mapping and make Community Wealth Building happen- with homemade soup! MORE INFO
🌍 07/12, 19:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Climate Techies Edinburgh Bi-Monthly Member Sustainability Drinks Meetup: Connect & network with fellow Edinburg Climate Techies founders, investors & corporates focused on sustainability and climate change. MORE INFO
☕ Series: Unfiltered: A series of informal catch-ups with the digital tech community in Aberdeen, Stirling, and Inverness. Come for a coffee and stay for the hotdesking!
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Aberdeen: MORE INFO
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Stirling: MORE INFO
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Inverness: MORE INFO
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: MORE INFO
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Dundee: MORE INFO
📆 06/12, 08:30 🗺️ Glasgow: MORE INFO
💻 06/12, 09:30 🗺️ Dumfries: Coworking Day [South of Scotland]: We’re excited to invite our tech and business community, and anyone wishing to connect with our local community to our coworking days, taking place at Flourish in Dumfries. We're hosting these coworking days every Wednesday from 25th October - 13th December 2023, where you can join us for startup chat, networking, and to get to know you local tech-curious peers. MORE INFO
⛓️ 06/12, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Monthly Scottish Blockchain Meetup: Welcome to the Monthly Scottish Blockchain Meetup in CodeBase! MORE INFO
🥂 07/12, 18:00 🗺️ Stirling: Tech the Halls: Central Scotland Festive Social: Join us for a festive social on Thursday 7 December in Stirling to celebrate everything the Central Scotland community has achieved this year. Let your hair down, hang out with others in the community, and join in with the festivities: you deserve it. MORE INFO
🎄 07/12, 20:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Glasgow Tech Christmas Night Out: All are welcome and there is no requirement to have any level of tech knowledge or experience to attend, just a desire to learn. Come along (bring your friends), network and learn something new with us. MORE INFO
💻 13/12, 09:30 🗺️ Dumfries: Coworking Day [South of Scotland]: We’re excited to invite our tech and business community, and anyone wishing to connect with our local community to our coworking days, taking place at Flourish in Dumfries. We're hosting these coworking days every Wednesday from 25th October - 13th December 2023, where you can join us for startup chat, networking, and to get to know you local tech-curious peers. MORE INFO
🥂 15/12, 17:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Tech the Halls: Glasgow & West Festive Social: Join us for a festive social on 15 December in Glasgow to celebrate everything the Glasgow and West community has achieved this year. Let your hair down, hang out with others in the community, and join in with the festivities: you deserve it. MORE INFO
👸 19/12, 17:30 🗺️ Stirling: Digital Skills 4 Girls [Stirling]: From coding and gaming to digital design and video, DS4G is a friendly and supportive environment to learn new skills and meet new friends. MORE INFO
🤝 19/12, 18:00 🗺️ Dundee: Dundee Data Meetup: Welcome to the monthly recurring Dundee Data Meetup, a vibrant community-driven event that brings together curious learners, data enthusiasts and professionals to explore the captivating world of data and its applications. We're dedicated to fostering an inclusive community where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to share knowledge, spark ideas, ignite curiosity, foster collaboration, and promote responsible data practices. Each month, we'll be featuring different themes, so check out our updates on our socials and Eventbrite page. MORE INFO
🎯 Deadlines
🇬🇧 Upcoming Innovate UK deadlines:
Launchpad: bio-based manufacturing in Scotland – R1 MFA and CR&D Applications close December 13
Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators Applications close 8 January 2024
Smart Grants September 2023 Applications close 17 January
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