Scaleup programmes
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Scale Up Scotland Leadership Programme
Leadership Capacity
Impact for scaleups
219
scaleups supported across all programmes
6,300+
new jobs created
38%
Year on year turnover increase in the core programme
34%
female participation
Key sectors
Scale Up Scotland, delivered by the Hunter Foundation, operates four distinct programmes designed to support ambitious entrepreneurs at different stages of their growth journey. Each programme combines experiential, business, and peer-to-peer learning, providing participants with the critical skills and insights needed to scale successfully.
Pre-scaler is open to entrepreneurs with a strong ambition to scale, requiring participants to have achieved some customer traction, typically £100k+ in annual revenues. The programme consists of five development events over six months, covering key topics such as fundraising, people planning, leadership, sales and marketing, and effective communication, delivered in collaboration with established Scale Up programme partners. 49 founders have completed Pre-Scaler with a further 13 participating in 2025.
The Core Programme is aimed at high-potential firms headquartered in Scotland, with a minimum turnover of £1m+ (or £500k if the business has raised £2m or more in equity finance) and a strong track record of year-on-year growth. Designed to support businesses in scaling internationally, the programme offers a blend of experiential learning, business development, and peer-to-peer support, with a strong focus on leadership development. 76 scaleups and 85 scaleup leaders have completed the Core Programme with 12 scaleups and 13 leaders currently taking part in the sixth cohort.
Scale Up 2.0 supports founders and executive teams of businesses generating £10m+ in revenue or holding a market valuation of £20m+, with a track record of strong year-on-year growth and ambitions to scale significantly within the next five years. The programme is cohort-based and emphasises peer-to-peer learning, with a structured process that includes a deep business assessment to identify key challenges and opportunities. CEOs participate in quarterly residential retreats over 12 months, engaging in masterclasses, focused discussions, and collaboration with global business leaders, including Sir Tom Hunter and other experienced entrepreneurs. Each executive team and their CEO also take part in two residential retreats. 22 founders have completed Scale Up 2.0, with 11 currently participating in the 2025 cohort.
Scotland’s Changemakers is designed to support and establish a network of change leaders across the social enterprise and social impact sectors that have an ambition and track record in making Scotland a better place for those who have least. The programme provides a vehicle to nurture, grow, and scale change as well as creating powerful alliances and opportunities to collaborate. The focus of the network is impact. 11 social entrepreneurs have completed the Changemakers Programmer with 25 participating across 2 cohorts in 2025.
Scale Up Scotland continues to deliver significant impact across all its programmes. 49 founders have completed the Pre-scaler programme, with 13 currently participating in the 2025 cohort; 76 scaleups and 85 scaleup leaders have completed the Core programme, with 12 scaleups and 13 leaders currently taking part in the sixth cohort; and 22 founders have completed the ScaleUp 2.0 programme, with 11 currently participating in the 2025 cohort.
As of December 2024, businesses that have participated in the Core programme have increased their revenues by 38% year-on-year. In 2024 alone, they raised £50.5m in new funding. Scale Up 2.0 has also shown strong results, with participating businesses increasing revenues by 27% year on year and raising £29.3m. Cumulatively across the programmes revenues now exceed £1bn with over 6,000 jobs created.
International activity continues to expand across all current cohorts and alumni, particularly in the US market, as supported scaleups continue to establish a global presence.
The Scaling Up Scotland Founder’s Conference at Gleneagles established in November 2023 is now an annual sell out event. Scale up Scotland was a sponsor of the 2025 Female Founders Growth Summit.
“Participating in the Scale-Up Scotland programme was far more than just receiving strategic support to grow the business. It was a unique chance to learn directly from the trailblazers behind some of the UK’s most innovative and successful companies — gaining invaluable insights into not only what they achieved, but how and why.
Equally important, the programme pushed me to scrutinize every decision at a micro-level — from how to prioritise limited financial and human resources to maximise impact, to navigating the critical challenges that define the start-up growth journey. This experience has been instrumental in helping me shape a path forward for Brose, inspiring me to grow with focus, resilience, and purpose.”
Josh Barton (Pre-scaler) – Brose Oats
"A colleague's recommendation led me to the Scale Up Scotland Core Programme. For 26 years, our business had been running fast just to stay still. We had the history, but not the right foundation for growth. The Programme gave us the language to describe our state: a '26-year-old start-up.' Scale Up Scotland delivered three critical things for Pixel and for me: Fundamental Clarity: It gave us a roadmap, showing us exactly what basic grounding elements we needed to get in place to enable true scale. Peer Validation: It was immensely helpful to learn that every business, regardless of size or sector, suffers from the same issues. We are not alone. Renewed Confidence: Ultimately, it helped me regain the certainty that our business is viable and scalable. The Programme is the essential intervention that turns years of hard work into a definitive strategy for exponential growth. If you’re serious about moving beyond the plateau, the Scale Up Scotland Core Programme is the answer."
