CodeBase and The Ventures Lab unite to deliver joined-up support for tech ventures with social and environmental impact at their core - blending innovation with purpose.
Scotland's startup landscape is evolving, and at the centre of this shift is a new partnership between two leading organisations committed to driving purpose-led innovation. The Ventures Lab, part of The Challenges Group, and CodeBase, delivery partner for Techscaler, are joining forces to offer a new kind of support for founders who want to combine ambition with impact.
This partnership was formed to tackle a specific problem: too many purpose-driven founders struggle to access the right blend of business support, technical expertise, and impact-focused guidance they need to scale sustainably.
Building Bridges Between Impact and Innovation
This collaboration brings together deep expertise in social enterprise, startup scaling, and founder support, creating a powerful bridge between the tech ecosystem and the growing demand for ventures that prioritise people, planet, and profit. Ventures will gain access to a blend of tailored business support, finance, community, and educational resources, designed to help them grow sustainably and with integrity.
"By combining The Ventures Lab's strengths in impact business support with Techscaler's leading role in the startup space, we're creating something far greater than the sum of its parts," explains Angie Lee, Director of Venture Services at The Ventures Lab
"It's about building ventures that are investment-ready and impact-aligned - and showing that values and viability go hand in hand."
The Scottish Ambition
This new collaboration aligns with The Ventures Lab's broader national ambition to engage all 19 Scottish universities and key ecosystem partners in building a pipeline of over 150 early-stage ventures. In 2025/26, the programme aims to support 40 high-growth ventures to commercialise ideas, build resilient business models, and scale sustainable solutions to Scotland's most pressing challenges.
For Techscaler, it represents an evolution in how we support founders. We're not just helping companies scale anymore – we're helping them scale with purpose.
"We're excited to work closely with The Ventures Lab to give tech founders greater access to tools and support that help them understand, measure and communicate the impact of their work," says Jennifer McInroy, Head of Partnerships at CodeBase.
"Embedding this thinking early - alongside core startup development - can help create a mindset shift across the tech sector, where impact becomes a meaningful part of how innovation is defined and valued."
Beyond Just Capital
The Ventures Lab also supports early-stage ventures through their growth services model across legal, finance, business development and marketing - helping founders strengthen operations, reduce failure risk, and focus on long-term impact.
The financial support is significant too. Pending approval from the Scottish Government, the programme plans to unlock £2 million in loan investment via the Firstport Catalyst Fund, with further detail on investment support to be confirmed soon.
"Scotland has always been a nation of innovators - and increasingly, we are a nation of impact-makers," notes Steven Cullum, Social Enterprise Policy Manager at the Scottish Government.
"This partnership between The Ventures Lab and Techscaler reflects the type of collaboration we need to see more of: focused, practical, and committed to supporting ventures that deliver positive change."
Real Support, For Real Impact
One company already benefiting from this joined-up approach is ProfessorME, a female-founded, award-winning startup developing innovative education technology. With support from both organisations, ProfessorME has accelerated its product development, combining access to Techscaler’s monthly mentoring and accelerator programme with impact-led guidance from The Ventures Lab.
“Our AI professors can teach tens of thousands of students simultaneously, in almost any language, making high-quality university education more accessible and affordable,” explains Dr Kate Smith, CEO and Co-founder. “Thanks to the combined support of Techscaler and The Ventures Lab, we’ve been able to sharpen our technical roadmap and move faster toward our mission.”
“As a world-positive business, our goal is to reach learners regardless of background or location. Research shows that when a woman gains access to higher education, the ripple effects extend across five generations. We’re proud to be part of an ecosystem that shares our belief that innovation should leave no one behind.”
Looking Ahead
For founders already building with purpose – or those curious about how to integrate impact into their business from the outset – this partnership offers a powerful new route to support. Whether you're at the idea stage or preparing to scale, The Ventures Lab and Techscaler are here to help you align innovation with integrity, and grow ventures that make a difference. Now is the time to explore the support on offer, and become part of a movement shaping the future of tech for good.
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