- Partnership aims to drive entrepreneurial activity in the region
- Launch event is being held at the Hometown Hub in Stow on 24 January
Scottish Borders, 18 January 2024 - Techscaler, the Scottish Government’s tech startup support programme, has partnered with Hometown Hub, a leading provider of collaborative workspaces in the South of Scotland to help drive entrepreneurial activity in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the Techscaler programme and the development of a burgeoning tech ecosystem in South Scotland, combining dynamic workspaces with a commitment to fostering tech innovation and entrepreneurship.
Hometown Hub is known for creating vibrant, collaborative environments where businesses, professionals, freelancers and students come together to work, learn and thrive. With a presence across the Borders, and hubs in Jedburgh, Eyemouth, St Boswells, Lauder, and Stow, Hometown Hub has become a cornerstone of the local business community, offering flexible workspaces and community-driven events. Techscaler, operated by CodeBase, shares a similar vision, aiming to support, educate and mentor tech entrepreneurs, making tech entrepreneurship accessible to all.
Through this innovative partnership, Hometown Hub and Techscaler will work hand in hand to establish a community of hubs, bringing together the strengths of both organisations. This collaboration will provide a comprehensive ecosystem for tech startups, students and professionals, allowing them to access state of the art workspaces and a wealth of resources and support to help them succeed in their endeavours.
Launch event
To kick off the partnership, a launch event is being held at the Station House in Stow on 24 January. Techscaler Head of Regional Engagement for the South of Scotland, Sarah-Jane Burns, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership and its potential to foster a thriving tech community, highlighting the importance of such collaborations in achieving the Scottish Government’s tech innovation and economic development goals:
“I’m thrilled that we’re launching this partnership and starting our engagement across The Borders. Techscaler is here to support the skills development of people, whatever their sector or background, to build and develop tech products and companies. Working with Hometown Hub means we have amazing spaces from which to build a tech community, deliver our education programmes and create connections across The Borders, and for Techscaler members to have spaces to work from, connect, interact with others and feel part of a welcoming community. Setting up a business, freelancing or exploring new avenues like technology for your work can be daunting, isolating and scary and we want people to know that there’s a community and spaces out there to help, support and welcome you to ask questions and be curious.”
Highlights of the partnership
- Access to dynamic workspaces: Members of the Hometown Hub community will benefit from Techscaler’s education courses, mentorship and networking opportunities, while Techscaler members will gain access to Hometown Hub’s workspaces, fostering a creative and collaborative environment for tech entrepreneurs.
- Community building: The partnership seeks to further strengthen the tech community by providing a platform for professionals, startups and students to connect, collaborate and innovate together.
- Geographical reach: Through Hometown Hubs, Techscaler is delivering events and opportunities to people across the Borders.
Commenting on the partnership, Andrew Earnshaw, Founder of Hometown Hub said: “This is an exciting partnership for Hometown Hub and it ties in perfectly with our commitment to supporting local businesses, promoting growth and encouraging entrepreneurship across The Borders. With 5 hubs across the region, we’re able to provide office, coworking and meeting spaces in towns across the region, and we can’t wait to see what interesting innovations and ideas come through our doors with the support of the Techscaler programme.”
About Hometown Hub
Hometown Hub is a network of hubs across The Scottish Borders helping businesses, public sector and third sector by offering a range of flexible workspaces for meetings, events, coworking and individual office work. Providing space and connections across 5 hubs with flexible access through hourly, daily rates or monthly leases.
About Techscaler
Techscaler is the Scottish Government's tech startup support program, 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). Operated by CodeBase, Techscaler offers education, mentorship, workspaces, and community support across a network of hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, and the South of Scotland. Its core components include Education, Mentorship, Community, and Place, with a focus on making tech entrepreneurship accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
