👶 Nuuri raise, Adarma administration, new Civtech challenges, Fintech Scotland innovation call
Here's your Campfire for the 28th of July, 2025.
💼 Coming this week: HR & Employment Law for Startup Founders: Whether you're at the beginning of your start-up journey or up and running, having an understanding of employment law and your business' HR needs is crucial. Olivia Greener, solicitor in Shepherd & Wedderburn’s employment team, and Scott Baxter, founder and director of Emploi HR Consultancy will be covering what you need to know to make sure you're set up for success as your business grows. 30 July, 18:30, Edinburgh. RSVP here.
🌊 Updates
📈 Recent reports from Beauhurst and Dealroom show increasing international investment in Scottish startups, particularly from the US, Europe, and Asia. The data suggests “growing external confidence in Scotland’s early-stage ecosystem”, with startups like Amphista Therapeutics and InGame attracting notable funding. UKTN DGT
🔒 Edinburgh-based cybersecurity firm Adarma has gone into administration, resulting in hundreds of job losses. The company had worked with major clients across the UK, but sources suggest financial and operational pressures contributed to its closure. SS
💸 Fintech Scotland is looking for partners for its new Financial Resilience Innovation Call, which focuses on tech improving financial wellbeing. The programme includes support and potential collaboration opportunities. DGT
👶 Edinburgh-based Nuuri raised £275K in pre-seed funding to make nursery searches and enrolment easier for families. The platform aims to simplify what’s often a fragmented process for UK parents. TEU IN
🚀 CivTech Scotland has launched eight new Challenges with £5.5 million available for businesses working on digital, sustainability, and public sector innovation. This round includes funding for digital health solutions (£650K), Gaelic language technology (£650K), marine sustainability and litter reduction (£650K each), reducing teacher workload (£1M), improving government policy impact tools (£350K), festival infrastructure (£350K), and cyber security and robotics (£1.2M). Application link here. DGT FS
📣 Asks & Offers
🚨 Start to Scale by Shepherd and Wedderburn is offering eligible subscribers of Campfire exclusive access to their ‘Start to Scale Hub’ which helps companies create template legal agreements in minutes for free. To learn more and request access click here.
🎮 Cat Burton, founder of Goth Boss Studios, provides consultancy and coaching for games and creative industry founders. With 17+ years’ experience (founder, CTO, CPO), she supports studios and start-ups with business strategy, product, and technical direction. She also works 1:1 with founders navigating burnout, impostor syndrome, and leadership challenges. Learn more at GothBoss.co.uk.
🏡 Greenflip, a climate-tech startup helping make homes cheaper to run and better for the planet, is looking for a Machine Learning / AI Engineer. You'll work with satellite imagery, property data, and energy consumption data to build models that spot homes with strong potential for energy upgrades. It's a chance to apply AI to real-world climate impact. Apply here
🦾 Makerspace, Coworking, Hardware lab: thebeyond, a thriving hub of innovation: Whether you’re a founder, builder, creative, or part of a growing team - there’s a membership option that fits the way you work. 🌟 Big ideas need the right space. Come see what’s possible in thebeyond. If you'd like to find out more, please email katie.woods@stac.ac
💼 Work with TopHatch: Senior Frontend Engineer (Remote, UK/Finland) Looking for a place where you can bring your whole self to work and make a real impact? TopHatch, a remote-first company behind the award-winning app Concepts, is hiring a Senior Frontend Engineer (Contract, £60–£70/hr) based in the UK or Finland to work with modern web technologies in a supportive, people-first environment. Apply here.
✈️ TravelPerk, a hyper-growth SaaS company revolutionising business travel, is hiring a Senior Software Engineer in Edinburgh. You'll work with modern tech (Python/Django, React), shape product architecture, and join a fast-paced, award-winning team trusted by brands like Wise and Red Bull. Apply here.
🤖 Amir Panahi, an AI Consultant has launched a service designed for consultants from all sectors, to address potentially falling behind in this AI revolution we find ourselves in. If you or someone you know is up all night wondering how to get ahead of competitors, then 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.
👷Are you hiring? Send us a blurb and we’ll include it in the next newsletter!
✍️ Want to write something for Campfire? Have an opinion you'd like to share? get in touch!
Not knowing the best practices and changes in employment law won’t help
The past few years have seen significant changes in UK employment law, and we are set for more changes coming into force next year.
“Mishandling flexible working requests is a common one,” says Scott Baxter, Founder and Director of Emploi HR Consultancy, “There’s a statutory process there, everyone has a day one right to that now, and there’s only a set number of reasons that a company can give for declining a request.”
According to Olivia Greener, Employment Solicitor at Shepherd and Wedderburn, founders need to understand best practice, “If you have an issue with an employee, telling them to ‘not come back the next day’ isn’t the right way to go about issues of performance or dismissal. Often founders who aren’t familiar with the best practices of employment law miss things they shouldn’t.”
Learn about upcoming employment law changes announced by the new Labour government, and stay informed about common pitfalls founders often experience: July 30, Edinburgh: Growing your business: HR and employment law for startup founders. Register here.
📅 Events
💡 29/07, 10:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Co-Work Club Edinburgh: Tired of the home office grind but not ready for the daily commute? Say goodbye to crowded coffee shops and the endless search for a quiet Zoom spot. We've got the solution: Welcome to Co-Work Club @ Kimpton Hotel, Edinburgh. MORE INFO
👟 30/07, 16:00 🗺️ Glasgow: July Startup Run Club: Whether you’re a runner, a walker, or just in it for the coffee and conversation - this is a relaxed way to step away from the desk and get outside. We’ll meet for a gentle loop, followed by drinks and chats to unwind from the working day alongside fellow founders and innovators. MORE INFO
💻 30/07, 17:30 🗺️ Aberdeen: Code-Free AI: Building Smarter Agents with Zapier: Discover how to harness AI and automation—no coding required. Learn how founders, creatives, and small teams use Zapier to build intelligent workflows that save time and scale impact. Featuring real-world demos, expert insights, and practical takeaways, this event is perfect for anyone ready to explore AI-powered productivity tools. Don’t miss this opportunity to level up your automation game! MORE INFO
🟢🌱 30/07, 18:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Growing your business: HR and employment law for startup founders: Whether you're at the beginning of your start-up journey or up and running, having an understanding of employment law and your business' HR needs is crucial. MORE INFO
📍 31/07, 10:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Barclays Eagle Labs at One Tech Hub Drop in Clinic Jul 2025: Drop in and let’s have an open discussion about your business goals and ambition and learn more about how your ecosystem manager here at Eagle Labs can support you and your business here at One Tech Hub. MORE INFO
🤝🏼 05/08, 09:30 🗺️ Glasgow: Female Founders Co-Working Club - August: Stay inspired, motivated and connected throughout 2025 with the Female Founder Co-Working Club at Glasgow Eagle Labs! MORE INFO
🤝 05/08, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meetup Edinburgh - August 2025: The Tech Meetup is a monthly excuse for the tech community around Scotland to network, learn and share new ideas! Enjoy informative tech presentations from your peers, hear about exciting community projects and create new connections. MORE INFO
📍 06/08, 09:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Decentralized Finance Summit: Welcome to a celebration of Decentralized Finance, tokenization and digital asset innovation! Blockchain Scotland is proud to announce Scotland's first Decentralized Finance Summit. MORE INFO
📍 13/08, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Vibe Build Evening: AI Builders Hackathon: A 2-hour rapid-fire hackathon hosted at CMS Scotland. Join solo or with a team to brainstorm, build, and pitch in just 120 minutes. No experience needed—just bring your curiosity. Pub after! MORE INFO
🤝 01/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Business & Startup Networking Connect with local entrepreneurs, founders, and small businesses in a relaxed and welcoming environment. MORE INFO
🤝 06/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Business & Startup Networking Another chance to network with Edinburgh’s business community. Ideal for early-stage founders and new connections. MORE INFO
🔐 08/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Network One: Cybersecurity Startups & Professionals Meetup Meet others working in or building cybersecurity startups. A casual chance to swap ideas and stories. MORE INFO
🤖 13/08, 09:30 🏰 Edinburgh: AI for Business Innovation & Impact Explore how businesses are using AI to improve performance and drive growth. Talks, Q&A, and networking. MORE INFO
🥐 14/08, 09:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Professional Breakfast Join us for a relaxed morning of networking with Edinburgh’s professional community. Great vibe, great people. MORE INFO
⚡ 13/08, 18:00 🏙️ Glasgow: Vibe Build Evening: AI Builders Hackathon A 2-hour rapid-fire hackathon. No experience needed, just energy and ideas. Pitches, demos, and post-event pub. MORE INFO
🥐 14/08, 09:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Professional Breakfast Network with Edinburgh’s professional community over breakfast. Great vibe, great people. MORE INFO
📦 15/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: ProductTank: Product Management Meetup Monthly meetup for product people to share insights and stories. MORE INFO
💬 21/08, 18:30 🏰 Edinburgh: TechMeetup Talks and networking for Scotland’s tech community. Developers, founders, and tech-curious all welcome. MORE INFO
🧑💻 22/08, 18:00 🏙️ Glasgow: Open Source Glasgow Meetup A gathering for developers and enthusiasts working on or interested in open source projects. MORE INFO
💡 28/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Good Ideas Catalyst Come connect with like-minded folks interested in making good ideas happen. MORE INFO
🎤 29/08, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Unfiltered Edinburgh Honest conversations, real stories, and connection. A gathering for founders, creatives, and those building something meaningful. MORE INFO
🛠️ 03/09, 18:00 🏰 Edinburgh: Build Night: Startup Founders & Builders A casual evening for startup people who want to build, chat, and collaborate. MORE INFO
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That’s all for this week - have a great one!
Team 🔥 Campfire