♻️ ReVentas Series A, ZOEX raise, Tomoro expansion, William Cullen Prize
Here's your Campfire for the 2nd of June, 2025.
💼 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
💰 Livingston-based startup ReVentas (plastic recycling technology) raised a series A round for an undisclosed sum from Orlen VC, Beiersdorf, LG Chem, and Scottish Enterprise. Their chemical dissolution process “transforms polyethylene and polypropylene into high-quality, like-new plastic, cutting carbon emissions by 80% compared to virgin plastic”. They plan to launch a 10,000-tonne commercial plant by 2027, aiming to help meet EU recycling targets and make circular plastic use economically viable. TS SFN DGT IN PG
🌊 Aberdeen-based ZOEX raised £531K to scale its wave energy tech. Founded by Ash Penley, ZOEX aims to “replace diesel generators with clean, scalable wave power across marine sectors”. Backed by Equity Gap, Scottish Enterprise, and others, the funding will support a year-long sea trial of ZOEX’s 100kW wave energy converter in Ordu, Turkey. DGT
🌎 Edinburgh-based Tomoro opened an Asia-Pacific HQ in Singapore, marking its first international expansion. The move follows a 10x jump in monthly revenue over the past year. The firm plans to hire 30+ roles locally and collaborate with universities to support Singapore’s National AI Strategy. FS DGT
🏆 Glasgow-based Red Star AI has won the William Cullen Prize for its work with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde on transforming fracture care. Their Red Star FLS dashboard “slashed the time to identify fragility fractures from 15 months to just 3 days, enabling faster treatment and dramatically improving outcomes”. FS
🚀 Glasgow-based novosound is spearheading the creation of a new Special Interest Group (SIG) to position Scotland as a leader in wearable ultrasound technology. The group brings together industry, academia, and government to drive innovation, policy, and commercialisation in the £150 billion global wearables market. DGT
🍀 Clean energy startup Remedium has won the £50K Climate Impact Prize at the Net Zero Technology Centre’s TechX Demo Day in Aberdeen. Their Limeloop system “captures CO₂ from heavy industry at a much lower cost, cutting over 90% of emissions”. The award caps an 18-week accelerator programme for 12 startups tackling the energy transition. SS IN
📊 According to the latest annual data from Angel Capital Scotland, Angel investors committed £106.4 million to 91 high-growth Scottish SMEs in 2024–25, up from £100.6 million the previous year despite economic uncertainty, with public co-investment adding £25.6 million. Tech sectors like life sciences, software, and photonics dominated, and Edinburgh remained the main hotspot. Beauhurst data shows Scotland raised £211 million in Q1 2025, driven by strong venture-stage activity, though gender diversity worsened, with only 3.7% of deals going to all-female teams. DGT IM
🎯 The Interceltic Startup Challenge 2025 is inviting applications from startups in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man, aiming to foster innovation and cross-border collaboration in sectors like AI, renewables, blue economy, and creative industries. One startup from each region will receive “tailored support” and the chance to showcase at the Interceltic Business Forum in Lorient, France, this August, with benefits including funded travel, legal advice, branding and investment coaching, and access to networks. Applications close on 21 June. TC
📣 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.
⚙️ Registers of Scotland is hiring a Startup Community Engagement Manager (Grade: Higher Executive Officer) for Geovation Scotland, with a £38,114–£43,364 salary, generous 28.97% pension, and up to 42 days annual leave. The permanent hybrid role is based in Edinburgh or Glasgow, supporting tech startups and managing community engagement, events, and partnerships in the Scottish innovation ecosystem. More info here.
🖥️ Geovation Scotland is also hiring a Programme & Delivery Lead (maternity cover, 12–15 months) to run its startup accelerator supporting land, property, and geotech startups. Based in Edinburgh or Glasgow (hybrid), £46.6k–£55k + excellent pension and 38 days leave. Apply by 1 June 2025. More info here.
💼 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.
💻 Looking for an early-stage fractional CTO? Carlos Fontana is an Edinburgh-based experienced tech leader with over a decade of success guiding teams and defining architecture. He is the kind of technical leader who thrives where vision meets execution. He specialises in defining architecture from the ground up, building systems that are both scalable and secure, and organising technical priorities that set teams up for long-term success. If you’re looking for technical leadership support, connect and reach out to Carlos—let’s build something that matters.
👭 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!
📅 Events
💻 03/06, 09:30 🗺️ Glasgow: Female Founders Co-Working Club - June: Stay inspired, motivated and connected throughout 2025 with the Female Founder Co-Working Club at Glasgow Eagle Labs! MORE INFO
🌐 03/06, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meetup Edinburgh - June 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
☕ Series: Unfiltered: An in-person, informal catch-up with the Scottish tech community! Come join us for a coffee!
⛾ 04/06, 08:30 🗺️ Inverness, MORE INFO
⛾ 04/06, 08:30 🗺️ Stirling, MORE INFO
⛾ 04/06, 08:30 🗺️ Glasgow, MORE INFO
⛾ 04/06, 08:30 🗺️ Aberdeen, MORE INFO
⛾ 04/06, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh, MORE INFO
🚀 04/06, 10:00 🗺️ Glasgow: The AI-Powered Business: How Businesses Can 10x Their Productivity: Join this event and discover how you can use AI tools to boost your productivity. MORE INFO
🍺 04/06, 19:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Aberdeen - 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
🎯 05/06, 08:30 🗺️ Glasgow: DIGIT Expo West 2025 - Glasgow: DIGIT Expo West hosts 1300+ attendees, 50+ speakers and 40+ exhibitors. Experience five stages of tech talks on Cyber Security, Data, AI, ML, Analytics, Cloud Services, Networks, Connectivity and much more. Explore Scotland’s biggest tech exhibition to get up close with the new disruptive products and services that are shaping future businesses. MORE INFO
🌍 05/06, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Global Insights: Consumer Industries Exporters: Join Scottish Development International at this exporting event, where you can connect with trade advisors and market specialists. MORE INFO
🤝 05/06, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Tech Meetup Glasgow - June 2025 - CreateFuture Take Over!: Join us at Civic House, Glasgow for our free event featuring two talks on tech with soft drinks and pizza. MORE INFO
🍺 05/06, 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
🍺 05/06, 18:15 🗺️ 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
🥐 06/06, 10:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Aberdeen - Small99's People, Planet, Pastry: Meet others interested in sustainability in your community, share local stories and ideas, and accelerate local climate action. MORE INFO
🤖 06/06, 10:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Unleash the Power of ChatGPT & AI to Drive International Business Growth: Join this interactive event and develop your understanding of AI and its business applications. MORE INFO
💪 10/06, 09:30 🗺️ Online: Unlock the Power of Fair Working Practices: Join us for an engaging and transformative interactive workshop that celebrates fair working practices and empowers organisations to create. MORE INFO
💼 10/06, 09:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: From Risk to Resilience: The Critical Role of Testing & QA in Startups: Join us for a session with Nadia McKay, nexa IQ, who will demystify testing for those working in startups and scaleups. MORE INFO
🔋 10/06, 13:30 🗺️ Duns: Developing a Community Energy Project: Join South of Scotland Enterprise, Local Energy Scotland & Communities about net-zero, renewables & clean heat opportunities. MORE INFO
🤖 11/06, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Data Science & AI Meetup: Data lakehouses + Optimising Fantasy Football with AI and plenty of networking over pizza and drinks. MORE INFO
🚀 12/06, 10:00 🗺️ Dumfries: The Next Big Leap: Scaling Women-Led Enterprises - Dumfries: Women in business: scale with strategy, not burnout. A power-packed morning of growth tools, talks & networking. MORE INFO
☕ 13/06, 10:00 🗺️ Isle of Man: Coffee & Co-working meet-up with Startup Grind Isle of Man: Whether you're new to Startup Grind, a long-time supporter, or just looking to mix up your work routine, everyone is welcome. Come say hi and plug into the local startup community! MORE INFO
🚀 16/06, 10:00 🗺️ Galashiels: The Next Big Leap: Scaling Women-Led Enterprises - Galashiels: Women in business: scale with strategy, not burnout. A power-packed morning of growth tools, talks & networking. MORE INFO
⚡️ 17/06, 14:00 🗺️ Online: Practicing your Pitch: Mentor Feedback: Our Practicing Your Pitch season is focused on supporting early startup founders as they get ready to present their ideas. Through a series of interactive online sessions, we'll be looking at different aspects of pitching and how a good pitch can change the journey of your startup. MORE INFO
👨🏻💻 17/06, 18:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: June Meetup - Geo and JS: Our talks aim to introduce members of the community, fostering networking, mentorship, learning, and collaboration. Everyone is welcome—whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned engineer. MORE INFO
🎤 18/06, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: TestTalks: Edinburgh - Career Development: Join us at TestTalks: Edinburgh for a career themed event: career stories, advice, CV workshop. MORE INFO
🔥 18/06, 18:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Fireside Chat: Becky Lumsden, Founder & CEO PURE Spa: Join us for an unforgettable evening of insight, inspiration, and entrepreneurial grit as we sit down with Becky Lumsden, the powerhouse behind PURE Spa & Beauty, a brand that has redefined wellness in the UK. MORE INFO
⚡ 19/06, 14:30 🗺️ Douglas: Developing a Community Energy Project: Join South of Scotland Enterprise and communities to hear about net-zero, renewables & clean heat opportunities. MORE INFO
✈️ 19/06, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Traveltech Meet up: Whether you're a startup founder, developer, marketer, or simply working in travel and technology, this is a chance to connect with others in the sector. MORE INFO
📌 19/06, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Product Leadership Unplugged: Join fellow product leaders for a candid evening on building high-performance teams. No fluff, just real talk, shared stories, and practical insights from those who’ve led at scale. If you're leading (or aiming to), this is your space to connect and learn. MORE INFO
🌱 19/06, 18:15 🗺️ Edinburgh: Introducing the Inner Development Goals (IDGs): Inner Growth for Outer Change: This session is for people who are interested in people, team, leadership and organizational development and who want to be share their interest with others. MORE INFO
🔗 23/06, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Blockchain Scotland Meetup: 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
☕ 23/06, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Startup Founders Meetup - June 2025: Tactical fireside chats with experienced entrepreneurs and speed networking with other founders, potential cofounders, and investors! MORE INFO
🔎 24/06, 09:00 🗺️ Hawick: Better Business: Driving Continuous Improvement: Practical ways to improve productivity, reduce emissions, and use AI—designed for South of Scotland businesses. MORE INFO
💡 24/06, 10:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Good Ideas: Catalyst x Edinburgh College: Our Good Ideas: Catalyst is the perfect way to explore the potential of a new idea for social or environmental change. If you’re an early-stage innovator, in need of a change of direction or just passionate about finding a way to address a cause, Good Ideas: Catalyst is an entry point for you to explore the feasibility of a new idea. MORE INFO
💼 24/06, 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
💡 24/06, 11:00 🗺️ Online: Why Great Ideas Fail Without Great Teams — And How to Fix It: Great ideas fail without the right team. Join our webinar to learn what makes innovation teams succeed. MORE INFO
👌 24/06, 11:00 🗺️ Online: Faire: Setting your brand up for success on the marketplace: Discover how Faire helps Scottish brands and retailers grow their wholesale sales and simplify operations through one platform. MORE INFO
☀️ 24/06, 11:00 🗺️ Online: Clean Energy Transition Partnership Research and Innovation Funding Call: Join this webinar and learn about the 2025 Clean Energy Transition Partnership funding call. MORE INFO
👨🏻💻 24/06, 14:00 🗺️ Online: Implementing AI Agents in Your GTM Strategy: A Startups Guide: Join HubSpot for Startups and Codebase for a session on how autonomous AI Agents disrupt GTM strategies for Startups. MORE INFO
💪 24/06, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh CAN B: Join us on Tuesday 24th June to continue working together to support collaboration for an even more sustainable and inclusive Edinburgh. Members of the CAN B Movement and anyone interested in getting involved are warmly welcome to join. MORE INFO
🎓 25/06, 10:00 🗺️ Glasgow: Mastering prompt engineering with ChatGPT for global business success: Learn how to craft AI prompts that will get you more accurate, useful responses that can transform the way you work. MORE INFO
🩺 26/06, 10:00 🗺️ Aberdeen: Barclays Eagle Labs at One Tech Hub Drop in Clinic Jun 2025: Drop in and let’s have a chat about your business goals and ambitions here at One Tech Hub. MORE INFO
🎯 26/06, 11:00 🗺️ Online: Online Office Hours: Power Your Tech Venture with Burges Salmon: Elevate your Legal and Commercial Strategy with Burges Salmon, who ensure startups in growth sectors are investment and IP ready. MORE INFO
🙌 26/06, 18:00 🗺️ Alloa: Techscaler Meetup Alloa: Casual networking in Alloa for creatives, techies & founders. Drinks, food & good chat. Thurs 26 June, 5–8pm. Free—register now! MORE INFO
🤝 27/06, 09:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Founder Friday Coworking: Join us for a day of networking and inspiration! this is your chance to connect with fellow founders, share ideas, and maybe even spark your next big project. MORE INFO
🎯 30/06, 17:30 🗺️ Northfield: Market like a Maverick – Bold moves to boost business: Make bold moves in marketing! Hear from mavericks, connect with peers, and spark fresh ideas in this energising evening session. MORE INFO
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That’s all for this week - have a great one!
Team 🔥 Campfire