AI and the Future of Startup Growth in Scotland
How can artificial intelligence become a true driver of economic growth in Scotland and what role should startups play in shaping that future?
These were a few of the questions at the heart of CodeBase’s recent AI Breakfast event: The AI Growth Generator, a gathering of public sector leaders, innovation champions, and tech founders in Edinburgh.
The event was designed not just to explore the theory of AI, but to spark a grounded conversation between those creating policy, those building technology, and those experiencing its impact in real time. It was exactly the kind of platform where Techscaler startups thrive– contributing insight, challenging assumptions, and adding real-world context to emerging technologies.
A Cross-Sector Dialogue That Mattered
Bringing together voices like Paul Lawrence (Chief Executive, City of Edinburgh Council), Lucy Fraser (Head of Innovation, Albyn Group), Stuart Oliver (Urban Foresight), and Rory Buchanan (founder of AskVinny and Techscaler member), the event offered a 360-degree look at how AI is already reshaping core industries and where there’s still untapped potential.
It also underscored a crucial point: effective adoption of AI isn’t just a tech challenge, it’s a human, operational, and policy challenge too.
That’s why these cross-sector spaces matter. And it’s why we’re proud that a founder from the Techscaler community was able to share such grounded, practical examples of AI at work.
Lifting the Lid on AI's Everyday Potential
Rory Buchanan’s contribution went beyond a typical startup showcase. His talk and panel insights helped paint a picture of how AI is transforming frontline operations, offering clarity and context for stakeholders who may not see that side every day.
Representing AskVinny, an AI -powered property management platform that automates day-to-day operations for high productivity, Rory shared real use cases that showed AI’s ability to free up human time, not by replacing people, but by automating time-consuming, repetitive tasks.
From automating tenant onboarding to solving maintenance issues and even helping applicants navigate the complexities of housing benefit claims, Rory illustrated how AI can:
- Significantly reduce turnaround times (e.g., from 29 days to 4 for critical maintenance)
- Help frontline workers focus on meaningful, high-value tasks
- Improve access and inclusion through 24/7 intelligent assistance
These insights sparked meaningful dialogue among attendees, particularly those from the public sector, and helped them envision how similar solutions could be applied within their own systems.
For those wanting to dive deeper into Rory’s work and his journey as a Techscaler member, we have two previous features — a detailed case study on AskVinny and a compelling roundup of insights from Rory as a founder.
Ecosystem Building in Action
Scotland’s tech sector doesn’t grow in isolation. It grows through connection, and the AI Breakfast event demonstrated this effectively.
Public sector leaders brought urgency and long-term vision.
Innovators shared practical, scalable AI applications.
CodeBase provided a platform where those voices could meet.
And Techscaler served as the connective tissue, ensuring that startup founders weren’t just in the room but actively shaping the national conversation.
Set against the backdrop of urban development, economic resilience, and widening skills gaps, the event highlighted AI’s power to address these challenges head-on. Whether it is automating repetitive tasks or supporting faster, better human decision-making, AI is already making an impact.
But impact doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
Founders need the tools, strategic support, expert networks, and the kind of ecosystem that helps them scale responsibly. That’s where Techscaler comes in.
From Urban Foresight’s macroeconomic insights to Lucy Fraser’s perspective from the housing and care sector, the message was clear: AI isn’t a silver bullet. It must be thoughtfully embedded into broader systems to create lasting value.
That’s why voices like Rory Buchanan’s matter. His on-the-ground experience showed how startup agility and human-centred design can help unlock AI’s potential in complex sectors and, in doing so, helped ground the conversation in what is not just possible but already happening.
Building a Smarter Future, Together
The event also offered a valuable snapshot of what it takes to realise AI’s full value across Scotland: collaboration between ecosystem builders like CodeBase, forward-looking stakeholders in industry and government, and initiatives like Techscaler that provide structured support for startups at every stage.
AI is already reshaping how startups operate, scale, and serve. But for these innovations to take root across industries, and to do so in a way that’s ethical, inclusive, and efficient, we need the full ecosystem engaged.
That’s the role Techscaler plays every day: providing the foundation and network to help ambitious startups build responsibly, connect meaningfully, and scale impactfully.
As conversations like this continue across Scotland, we remain committed to helping ensure that the startups leading the charge are not only part of the dialogue, but shaping it.
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