😴 Seluna raises for better childhood sleep, Wordsmith partners with Juro, Verlume partnership, Beastly Brews & M Squared Lasers out of business
Here's your Campfire for the 1st of September, 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
😴 Glasgow-based Seluna raised “nearly £650k” to develop its AI-powered diagnostics for childhood sleep disorders. Backers include STAC Invest and existing investors Gabriel Investment Syndicate, Scottish Enterprise, and the University of Strathclyde. EU DI SBN
💻 Edinburgh-based Wordsmith (AI-powered legal automation) and Juro (AI-powered intelligent contracts) have agreed a partnership to integrate their tools. The move will let Juro’s 550+ clients connect with Wordsmith’s AI for legal task automation, while Wordsmith users can sync contracts into Juro’s system of record. DI
⚡️ Aberdeen-based Verlume has signed a collaboration deal with Kraken Robotics. The partnership integrates Verlume’s Axonn technology with Kraken’s SeaPower batteries to deliver scalable subsea power for offshore energy, renewables, robotics, and oil & gas. OE TH
🥛 Glasgow-based Beastly Brews, the plant-based startup behind oat-milk liqueur Panther M*lk, has ceased trading and appointed liquidators. Despite retail listings and £175k turnover, collapsed supermarket deals left the firm with unsold stock and cashflow issues. TS PB
🔬Glasgow-based M Squared Lasers, founded in 2006, has ceased trading and made 28 staff redundant. The photonics firm built lasers for applications from quantum computing to chemical sensing, serving clients worldwide. UKTN
📣 Asks & Offers, Deadlines
🚨 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.
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📅 Events
📍 02/09, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Tech Meetup Edinburgh Monthly tech community meetup with announcements, a demo, keynote talk, and networking. MORE INFO
☕️ Unfiltered Series: Open to everyone, join CodeBase to connect with members of the local tech community. Come for a coffee, networking, & build connections!
☕ 02/09, 09:00 🗺️ Inverness: MORE INFO
☕ 02/09, 09:00 🗺️ Dumfries: MORE INFO
☕ 02/09, 09:00 🗺️ Stirling: MORE INFO
☕ 03/09, 08:30 🗺️ Aberdeen: MORE INFO
☕ 03/09, 08:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: MORE INFO (few tickets left)
☕ 04/09, 09:00 🗺️ Glasgow: MORE INFO
☕ 04/09, 09:00 🗺️ Dundee: MORE INFO
📍 03/09, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Business & Startup Networking Connect with local entrepreneurs, founders, and small businesses in a relaxed and welcoming environment. MORE INFO
📍 03/09, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: nocode.scot meetup #19, This meetup explores who gets to build software, how new tools are opening access to non-coders, and what it’s like creating without code—over talks, drinks, and pizza. MORE INFO
📍 04/09, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Monthly Blockchain Meetup A casual evening for startup people who want to build, chat, and collaborate. MORE INFO
📍 10/09, 08:20 -16:30 🗺 Glasgow: Scot‑Secure West Summit 2025. Scotland’s biggest annual cybersecurity conference, featuring live keynotes, workshops, and an exhibition at the Hilton. This curated event brings together InfoSec leaders, IT experts, researchers, and law enforcement to explore emerging threats and resilience strategies. MORE INFO
📍 10/09, 9.30 am-12pm 🗺 Edinburgh: Equal Value Thinking - building a truly inclusive and creative workplace. Join Jay Davies, an autistic ADHDer with dyslexia, helps you understand how to create a truly inclusive and creative workplace. MORE INFO
📍10/09, 13:00 🗺 ONLINE: Navigating an AI-First Ecosystem as a Globally-Minded Scottish Founder This webinar asks whether Scottish founders can keep pace as AI reshapes Silicon Valley’s playbook, featuring three Techscaler founders who spent three weeks in the Valley on market research, investor connections, and global growth. MORE INFO
📍 11/09, 17:00 🗺 Glasgow: DATA:Scotland Pre-Event Meetup Databricks Scotland Meetup with Summit recap, AI/BI Genie demo and networking MORE INFO
📍 16/09, 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
📍 18/09, 17:30 🗺️ Edinburgh: Scotland Women in Technology - Bold Moves: Career Change Stories from Inside & Outside FanDuel Panel event exploring career pivots, transferable skills, and lived experiences from FanDuel staff, SWIT award winners, and external speakers. MORE INFO
📍 18/09, 18:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Edinburgh Data Science & AI Meetup Pizza, drinks, networking + talks: Why good code fails to make an impact + AI agents. MORE INFO
📍 23/09, 17:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Good Ideas Class Showcase Meet the next generation of entrepreneurs and changemakers as they launch bold new ideas to create a fairer, greener and more inclusive world, starting right here in Scotland. MORE INFO
📍 23/09 -25/09, 🗺️ Hilton Glasgow: APACT Conference
Organised by CPACT, the APACT conference brings together experts in process analytics and control to share innovations, research, and industry applications. The three-day event offers technical sessions, networking, and insights into the latest developments in process technology. MORE INFO
📍24/09, 09:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: Fintech Summit 2025 brings together Scotland’s financial technology community to discuss innovation, regulation, investment, and the future of financial services. MORE INFO
📍24/09, 19:00 🗺️ Edinburgh: DIGIT’s 5th annual Scottish Financial Technology Awards celebrates achievements across Scotland’s fintech ecosystem, with categories recognising outstanding individuals and organisations. MORE INFO
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That’s all for this week - have a great one!
Team 🔥 Campfire