12 June 2023 - Techscaler, the startup support programme run by CodeBase, and STAC, Scotland’s Internet of Things (IoT) accelerator, have entered a partnership aimed at revolutionising Scotland’s software and Internet of Things startup scene so that the companies scaled from a base here can compete better in global markets.
STAC’s CEO and Co-founder Paul Wilson said: “Since we launched in 2021, STAC’s mission has been to create a centre of excellence, an IoT tech cluster here in Scotland. Techscaler has the resources that will help us achieve that mission more rapidly. We admire the bold approach of CodeBase, and we share the common goal of developing companies for global competition.”
Startup founders participating in Techscaler and STAC will now benefit from an expanded range of support, catering to a broader spectrum of founder needs. Participants will have access to a network of workspace hubs across the country, prototyping lab space, events and meetups, mentorship, education courses, a thriving community of innovators, and specialist expertise in emerging technology.
"I am excited about this partnership, because it signals a moment of maturity for the ecosystem," said Steven Drost, Chief Strategy Officer at CodeBase. "The partnership brings together two different strands of startup building - software and hardware. Combining those strands enables both to learn and build and grow faster - this can only be a good thing for Scottish tech."
Scotland’s Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan, who authored the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review, says it is an important outcome for the Scottish technology scene:
“This exciting collaboration follows the same model as our recently announced Techscaler twinning arrangement with NHS Test Beds. Our goal is to amplify the effectiveness of our key ecosystem assets by forming a series of active partnership arrangements, where knowledge, expertise and resources can be shared for the benefit of participating start-ups. The partnership between Techscaler and STAC also has the potential to have a transformative impact on Scotland’s IoT standing worldwide.”
Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said:
“This partnership between the Techscaler programme and Filament STAC marks more progress towards Scotland becoming one of the world’s leading homes for start up businesses. The Internet of Things, by connecting devices from washing machines to driverless cars to the internet, promises previously unheralded opportunities for tech start up founders in Scotland.
“The £42 million Techscaler programme is supporting tech entrepreneurs and start-ups as they turn innovative ideas into reality, in line with aims in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation. Encouraging and connecting entrepreneurs can help boost our economy, unlocking future growth and generating more and better career prospects.”
About Techscaler
Awarded to CodeBase in 2022, Techscaler is the Scottish Government’s tech startup support programme, established to strengthen the country’s tech sector and encourage entrepreneurship, delivering on key priorities outlined in the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review (STER) report, and in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET). The programme delivers education, mentorship, and community across Scotland, and offers workspace across seven hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Dundee, Aberdeen, Dumfries, and Inverness. Techscaler is delivered by the tech incubator, CodeBase.
About STAC
Industry-led STAC is supported by Scottish Enterprise, CENSIS, (Scotland’s Innovation Centre for sensing, imaging and IoT technologies), and Glasgow-headquartered product design firm Filament. STAC’s local partners in Scotland include Anderson Anderson & Brown, Burness Paull, Jordan Talent Solutions, Murphy Wealth, Scintilla, Arceptive, and Integrated Graphene.
STAC’s international partners are: San Francisco HQ-ed customer engagement platform Twilio; design, global manufacturing, supply chain and aftermarket services specialist Plexus Corp.; Intel Corporation, the semiconductor chip manufacturer who are enabling a more intelligent Internet of Things (IoT); Keysight, the world’s leading test and measurement company for IoT devices, and; Fortune 500, Colorado HQ-ed US electronics group Arrow Electronics.
