Qikserve, Traveltek acquisitions, Novosound new blood-pressure monitor, YES news, Revive Eco Crowdfund
Plus what you need to know about the new budget changes.
Here's your Campfire for the 4th of November, 2024.
💼 Johnston Carmichael, accountants and business advisers who sponsor Campfire, have the lowdown on all the changes that the UK Government has announced as part of the new Budget, and are running a webinar about it tomorrow (Nov 5). Check out the key takeaways below 👇
Seek Discomfort
By Robert Gelb
Mark Logan stepped down from the government's chief entrepreneurial adviser position a few weeks ago, and the government is considering a replacement. When thinking about who to bring on, here's some unsolicited advice that absolutely no one in the government has asked for, but I'd be remiss if I didn't share: don't pick someone who agrees with you.
The best advisers are those who want you to succeed and believe the best way to do so is by offering different and opposing perspectives. The Scottish ecosystem has a big problem with noise, echo chambers, chasing vanity metrics, and lacking in a real willingness to have open debate about what kind of an approach to entrepreneurship the country should be taking, as Mark has written about on more than one occasion.
So if ministers want to dig into issues, and see the value in personifying 'the entrepreneur' in a single individual, make them someone who doesn't think the status quo works well. Pick someone who won't make you feel comfortable. Pick someone who understands nuance, but who's mission is to test you and challenge fundamental assumptions. The best entrepreneurs pick advisers because they want to level up, to be put through the forge and come out stronger.
You don't get stronger by going for comfortable. I hope whoever is making the decision isn't just limiting their search to those who agree with them, makes them feel good, or is just the loudest in the room. You have an opportunity to bring a critical voice into the conversation who comes from outside your echo chamber, and you should seek that discomfort out if you're serious about growth and development.
🌊 Updates
💰 Edinburgh-based Qikserve (mobile ordering for hospitality) has been acquired by business management software provider, The Access Group. QikServe will become part of the group’s hospitality division, which provides IT solutions for all aspects of the hospitality business. QS
🛳️ Glasgow-based cruise and dynamic packaging tech firm Traveltek has been acquired by Juniper Group (which is part of Vela Software and Constellation Software) for an undisclosed sum. IN
🥽 Edinburgh has been selected to host the UK’s first £4.5M Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, using VR to train in lab skills and support the NHS's net-zero goal. Known as Resilience, this two-year initiative, funded by the UK government and delivered in part by Heriot-Watt University, aims to address the UK’s shortage of skilled workers in medicine manufacturing. DGT
🎉 Young Enterprise Scotland (a registered charity that has been supporting young people in Scotland for over 40 years) will stay open this year, thanks to funding confirmed by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes. The charity, which recently lost its main government grant covering most of its income, had warned of potential closure, risking 31 jobs and student access to SCQF Level 6 entrepreneurship courses. DGT IN SBN
⌚ Scottish ultrasound pioneer Novosound has developed a wristwatch-style blood pressure monitor, marking a world first in wearable health tech. Built on their Slanj platform, the device offers accuracy comparable to traditional arm cuffs and may soon appear in smartwatches and rings. FS DGT
🚀 Climate tech specialist Sustainable Ventures is expanding into Scotland, partnering with the Techscaler startup program to launch a new hub in Glasgow. The partnership will give around 100 Scottish climate tech companies access to Sustainable Ventures' programs and resources. IN DGT FS
🌴 Glasgow-based startup Revive Eco has secured a contract with France’s SAS Pivert to scale its eco-friendly palm oil alternative, made from upcycled coffee grounds, for global use in cosmetics, cleaning, and food sectors. Currently in a second crowdfunding round, Revive has raised £200,000 of its £300,000 goal, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of palm oil production. Crowdfunding campaign here. TS
🔎 Who do you know: Glasgow-based startup Buildstash, specialising in build-to-release management for apps and games, has joined Techstars in New York. Currently in discovery mode, they’re looking to connect with teams working on desktop apps, games, XR, and game tech to ensure their product aligns with industry needs. Reach out here.
✈️ Offsite in Vienna? Austrian Airlines will launch direct flights between Edinburgh and Vienna from next summer. TH
📣 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.
🔎 Ansearch is looking for beta testers for their new open-source "feature as a service" aimed at making app development faster and easier to maintain. They’re starting with full-text search for RAG and a unified API for CRMs. More information here.
🥃 Are you a problem-solver driven by curiosity and a passion for your work? Do you thrive on deep, meaningful conversations and value fostering long-lasting relationships? Do you love whisky? If so, we invite you to become a founding member of Dram & Discourse. Learn more here
🦅 Barclays Eagle Labs launched their new Eagle Labs Academy, funded by the UK Government. The Academy provides access to free learning content and entrepreneurship training from different sources. Aiming for those starting their journey to those wanting to scale. Aside from the content, Eagle Labs has partnerships and access opportunities with the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, and their Demo Directory. 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.
👷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!
Johnston Carmichael has briefing information and videos about all the changes announced in the new budget, and are running a webinar tomorrow, November 5th at 1200 to go over the changes in detail. Register here!
Here are the high-level takeaways that will likely matter most to Entrepreneurs:
Exiting your business: Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) (limiting tax on takings of up to £1m to 10%) has been kept, however it's changing from 10% to 14% on your first £1m of exit cash. After April 2026, it rises to 18%. Capital gains tax (CGT) for shares will rise from 20% to 24%.
Carried Interest CGT changes: CGT on carried interest rises from 28% to 32%. This will affect PE, VC funds, and investors who benefit from 'carry' on investments
Employer National Insurance: NI for employers will increase from 13.8% to 15% on earnings above £175 per week. The threshold for when employers will start paying NI will come down from £9,100 to £5,000. Employment allowance however increases from £5,000 to £10,500 (relevant for small businesses with NI liabilities less than £100k)
What's not changing: EIS, Corporation tax at 25%, the filing extension regime, and R&D tax credits. The increases in CGT may also mean that schemes like EIS and SEIS are more attractive to earlier stage investors.
Check out Johnston Carmichael's videos on these topics and join tomorrow's webinar at 1200 by registering here.
The above was written by us at Campfire in partnership with Johnston Carmichael.
📅 Events
💰 5/11, 12:00 🗺️ Online: Autumn Budget 2024 Webinar - What you need to know: Join us to hear our insight and analysis of the Budget and what the announcements mean for you, your business, and the economy as a whole. MORE INFO
🔗 05/11, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Blockchain Scotland Meetup: Guy Fawkes Special: Welcome to the Monthly Blockchain Scotland Meetup at the Bayes Centre in Edinburgh. The event takes place at the ground floor in G.03. MORE INFO
✏️ 05/11, 17:15 🗺️ Edinburgh: Barclays Eagle Labs and CodeBase monthly Quiz - Edinburgh: Join us for this month's pub quiz - bringing together the CodeBase and Edinburgh community for a bit of fun! MORE INFO
🍻 05/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meetup Edinburgh - November 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
🤝 05/11, 18:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Aberdeen Data Meetup: Discover the latest in privacy-aware AI, blockchain technology, smart contracts, and privacy-enhancing technologies to secure and govern data in our interconnected world. Gain a deeper understanding of the ethical, legal, and technological challenges shaping trustworthy digital systems. MORE INFO
🥂 05/11, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Amplifying Voices IS BACK – Collab with Startup Grind x The Social Hub: Bringing together an incredible line up of individuals who are making waves in technology. Prepare to be inspired as we delve into the diverse journeys of founders and leading voices in the tech sphere, discovering firsthand how they carved their path into the world of technology. Don't miss this chance to network with fellow tech enthusiasts, learn from the best, and be part of an empowering community driving technological advancement forward! MORE INFO
☕ Series: Unfiltered: An in-person and informal catch-up and coffee with colleagues and the Scottish tech community!
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Glasgow , MORE INFO
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Inverness , MORE INFO
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Stirling , MORE INFO
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Dundee , MORE INFO
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh , MORE INFO
⛾ 06/11, 08:30 🗺️ Aberdeen , MORE INFO
🌱 06/11, 09:00 🗺️ London: TURING x SYSTM Growth Summit: Find out what’s working now, from the sharpest practitioners in startup growth, including Sean Ellis and Matt Lerner. This curated gathering of experts for founders and growth leaders is brought to you by the growth experts at SYSTM and Turing Fest. MORE INFO
💡 06/11, 09:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Unlocking Productivity: The Power of Collaborative Robotics: Join this event and discover the business benefit of embedding collaborative bots into your business. MORE INFO
💼 06/11, 11:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Office Hours: Investment with Maven: Our Office Hours are a series of one-to-one sessions with various experts from to support tech startup founders on their journey. In this one, participants will be able to engage directly with and receive personalised advice from Victoria McLaren, Investment Manager, and Jamie Warner, Investment Associate, from Maven. MORE INFO
🎤 06/11, 17:30 🗺️ Glasgow: Let's Talk Product: This event offers a highly informative and interactive session, providing valuable insights into the world of product management. Attendees will leave with practical advice, inspiration, and new connections from across Glasgow’s product community. MORE INFO
🎯 07/11, 13:30 🗺️ Dumfries: Pitch it to me: elevate your pitching skills: This workshop will allow participants to develop and practice their pitching skills in an informal and collaborative setting. You will leave this workshop feeling pitch ready. MORE INFO
🌐 07/11, 17:30 🗺️ Glasgow: Founders Live Glasgow: The ultimate entrepreneurial experience and global pitch competition returns in Glasgow! MORE INFO
👨💼 07/11, 18:00 🗺️ Online: Scaling a B2B SaaS Startup without Hiring a Sales Team: Join us for a roundtable event focused on helping early-stage B2B SaaS startups build scalable sales processes that win and retain cold new business - without relying on a traditional sales team or personal networks. MORE INFO
🍻 07/11, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Tech Meetup Glasgow - November 2024: 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
🤝 08/11, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Online Coworking Session - Week 5: This event is designed to foster accountability and provide a sense of community as participants work together towards their goals. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or remote worker, this virtual coworking session offers a platform to share ideas, seek advice, and celebrate achievements. MORE INFO
🔓 08/11, 09:30 🗺️ Aberdeen: Unlocking AI Potential for Your Business: Product Launch & Networking Event: Join us for a morning of networking, learning, & inspiration at the Unlocking AI Potential for Your Business event hosted by IPGN Solutions. MORE INFO
👨🏻💻 11/11, 09:00 🗺️ Dundee: Continuous Improvement Business Breakfast Workshop: Interested in understanding the basics of business improvement through team-building and practical exercises? Join our event to learn more. MORE INFO
🍻 11/11, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Startup Founders Meetup - November 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
🚀 11/11, 18:30 🗺️ Inverness: Inverness Tech Meetup: Whether you're a seasoned professional or tech curious, whether you've attended meetings before or not, and whether you're looking to make new contacts, learn from others, or share your expertise, please book a ticket as places are limited. MORE INFO
✏️ 12/11, 09:30 🗺️ Glasgow: SMAS engaging in Lean workshop: Join this breakfast workshop & learn about what's needed to make sustainable improvement through engagement, lean and supporting behaviours. MORE INFO
📝 12/11, 12:00 🗺️ Inverness: Highland Island Co-operatives Learning Journey: Join this free event and learn more about co-operatives and hear directly from businesses already using this model. MORE INFO
⚡ 12/11, 12:00 🗺️ Inverness: AccelerateHER + Techscaler Meetup: Inverness: Whether you’re working on a fledgling idea for a startup or already in the thick of scaling your business – technology can offer useful solutions to businesses of all shapes and sizes. As a founder, whether in tech or any other sector, you’ll also know that having a community of people to connect with, share knowledge with, and generally find support amongst is invaluable. MORE INFO
🌍 12/11, 17:00 🗺️ Online: Founders Live Prime Time 2024: Europe: Europe’s 5 top-voted founders compete to appear in the Prime Time Global Finals! MORE INFO
☁️ 12/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Cloud Native and Kubernetes Edinburgh: November's meetup is graciously sponsored by none other than the fantastic folks at Grafana Labs! We'll do the usual with doors opening at 6pm for food and drink, and then kick off with the first talk at 6:30pm sharp. MORE INFO
📅 12/11, 18:30 🗺️ Glasgow: November Meetup - Demystifying Auth: Our talks are geared towards introducing members of our community, to facilitate networking, mentorship, learning and collaboration. People with all levels of technical expertise are welcome. MORE INFO
💪 13/11, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Supply Chain Readiness for Digital Health Innovators: If you are a Digital Health SME, start-up or entrepreneur looking to sell directly to healthcare providers or thinking about working with a large corporate partner, this event will help you to understand your customers’ needs. MORE INFO
💎 13/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meets Tradition: AI and the Art of the Jewellery Sector: At this event, you can expect to hear from panellists for and against welcoming AI into their day-to-day jeweller practise. MORE INFO
💻 14/11, 08:30 🗺️ Perth: Perth Tech Mornings: Open to everyone, join us in the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre in Perth Creative Exchange to connect with members of the local tech community. Come for a coffee, networking and build connections. MORE INFO
💡 14/11, 10:30 🗺️ Perth: Perth Coworking Day: Join us at the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre in Perth Creative Exchange for a day of free coworking. This is a great opportunity to connect with the regional tech and business community, use the excellent facilities available and get an extra dose of Friday motivation. MORE INFO
👉 14/11, 12:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Tech it up a notch: Scaling Scottish innovation: Discussing the challenges and opportunities for tech startups in Scotland and how to support and grow the Scottish tech industry. MORE INFO
🎯 14/11, 12:00 🗺️ Online: Selling Your Business Masterclass: Do you have a business succession plan? Join our free webinar to learn about selling your business to an employee ownership trust. MORE INFO
💡 15/11, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Good Ideas: Camp: Good Ideas: Camp offers a more detailed dive into Design Thinking Methodology to help turn your good idea into a social business. MORE INFO
✌️ 16/11, 10:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Makers gonna make - Episode 3: Our monthly event puts emphasis on building, hacking and tinkering with other like-minded makers, followed by an opportunity to present what you did in a community where we help each other, we value honest feedback and help hold each other accountable. MORE INFO
🚀 19/11, 12:00 🗺️ Stirling: AccelerateHer + Techscaler Meetup: Stirling: For women and non-binary folk in the startup world community is even more vital - providing a network to turn to as you hit each milestone, and when you want to give back to the next wave of inspiring women and non-binary entrepreneurs. MORE INFO
🚩✨ 19/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Patents 101: Getting your IP Investor-Ready: Your start-up company’s intellectual property is key to investment and, ultimately, a successful exit. So, what steps can you take to protect that all-important intellectual property and get it ‘investor-ready’? Join Shepherd and Wedderburn’s IP specialists along with Reddie and Grose’s patent attorney experts for an insightful session answering that question and more. MORE INFO
📍 20/11, 10:30 🗺️ Inverness: Inverness Pitch Club: A supportive and welcoming environment which gives you the opportunity to practise your pitching skills and gain confidence in talking about your business. We’re here to help from the ground up! MORE INFO
🌐 20/11, 17:00 🗺️ Online: Founders Live Prime Time 2024: Global Finals: The five Prime Time regional winners compete for $10,000 in cash and prizes! MORE INFO
🎪 21/11, 09:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: DIGIT Expo 2024: DIGIT Expo is Scotland’s largest gathering of technology personnel; 2023’s event attracted over 1500 delegates. Join to experience a keynote theatre and 3 seminar rooms with talks on Cyber Security, Data, AI, ML, Analytics, Cloud Services, Networks, Connectivity and much more. MORE INFO
💼 21/11, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: eCommerce and Digital Trade Symposium: Join our symposium, where we’ll highlight opportunities and identify steps that organisations can take to improve in the eCommerce channel. MORE INFO
👔 21/11, 12:00 🗺️ Online: The Employee Ownership Transition: A Deep Dive: Do you want to learn more about the employee ownership trust process? Attend our deep dive interactive workshop to find out more. MORE INFO
👌 21/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Pitch It To Me: One Minute Special: A casual evening of pitching to your peers, with the opportunity to receive feedback from an expert judging panel. MORE INFO
🎢 21/11, 17:30 🗺️ Glasgow: Bridging Communities: The Melting Pot in partnership with Glasgow City Innovation District (GCID), the University of Strathclyde’s Social Innovation Cluster and some of the city's most engaged community builders, are offering a chance to gather, connect and lean into the innovative potential of your local communities. MORE INFO
🍺 21/11, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Glasgow- Small99's People, Planet, Pint™: Sustainability Meetup: Pop down to your local People Planet Pint meetup to find more about what's going on locally with sustainability and how you can get involved. MORE INFO
🥂 21/11, 18:00 🗺️ Dumfries: Tech MeetUp - South of Scotland: This event aims to bring together everyone who is interested in tech, those who want to learn more, and want to meet like-minded people. MORE INFO
📝 21/11, 18:00 🗺️ Dundee: How Not to Get Hacked with Declan Doyle: Join us in the Abertay cyberQuarter or online via Zoom for a hybrid discussion with Declan Doyle of the Cyber and Fraud Centre about the importance of cybersecurity for startups and how to make it a primary concern from the very beginning of your business. MORE INFO
🍺 21/11, 18:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Small99's People, Planet, Pint™: Sustainability Meetup: Pop down to your local People Planet Pint meetup to find more about what's going on locally with sustainability and how you can get involved. MORE INFO
💻 22/11, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Online Coworking Session - Week 6: Join our virtual coworking session and experience a productive and collaborative work environment from the comfort of your own space! In this online gathering, participants will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, discuss and decide on a specific task or project to accomplish during the day. MORE INFO
📝 26/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Scottish Notion Meetup: Enjoy excellent chat, with speakers and case studies to develop your Notion knowledge. With free soft drinks and food, this is the perfect post-work hangout. MORE INFO
🥂 26/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Cheers to Change: Navigating the Menopause with Smart Choices: Celebrate World Menopause Day by joining this empowered and inclusive discussion on menopause and HRT, alcohol and wellness. MORE INFO
🥼 26/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Barclays Health Elevate Scotland: Your chance to showcase your business innovations and discover how to navigate commercialisation in life sciences. MORE INFO
🥂 27/11, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Entrepreneurs Social Club (ESC) - Edinburgh Startup Meetup: The social club for founders and aspiring entrepreneurs - skip the talks, presentations and lectures - and go straight to networking! MORE INFO
🌍 28/11, 09:45 🗺️ Edinburgh: Scottish EDGE Round 24 Live Final: Round 24 of the UK's BIGGEST small business funding competition will take place on 28th November at RBS Conference Centre with the latest batch of finalists pitching for up to £100,000 in funding. This year's event promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with a brand-new format designed to enhance your experience. For the first time, the usual two-day schedule will be condensed into a dynamic, single-day event, all while expanding the offering for attendees. MORE INFO
👥 28/11, 17:00 🗺️ Stirling: The Social: Game Night with Ping Creates!: Join us for this month’s exciting social event, where we’re bringing the community together in a relaxed, fun atmosphere! This time, we're teaming up with Ping Creates! to celebrate their rebrand in style—featuring awesome video games that will light up the Stirling hub. MORE INFO
✍🏼 28/11, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Barclays Eagle Labs and CodeBase monthly Quiz - Edinburgh (November): Join us for this month's pub quiz - bringing together the CodeBase and Edinburgh community for a bit of fun! MORE INFO
🎯 Deadlines
📣 Royal Academy of Engineering – Shott ScaleUp Accelerator Now Open:
Are you a senior business leader looking to scale up your engineering or tech SME? Apply now for 12 months of 1-2-1 coaching and leadership training with a grant up to £10k. Apply Here by 19 November
🚀 Nominations for the ScotlandIS 2025 Digital Technology Awards are open: Celebrating innovation and talent in Scotland's digital economy and marking its 15th year, the awards include 10 categories. Nominate here by 9 January 2025.
🇬🇧 Upcoming Innovate UK deadlines:
Eureka Globalstars Japan Round 3 Applications close 4 December
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That’s all for this week - have a great one!
Team 🔥 Campfire