We are
Entrepreneurial Scotland.


An independent charity with 20+ years of experience in helping people to build the belief, mindset and connections they need to accelerate growth and make an impact.


OUR VISION & MISSION


Our vision is to build the most entrepreneurial society in the world.


To achieve this, our mission is to transform the belief and connections that the entrepreneurially-minded leaders of today and tomorrow need to accelerate their growth and Scotland's growth.

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DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP


"Someone who recognises a good idea and executes it"


We believe that entrepreneurship thrives in all types of organisations. It goes beyond the traditional notion of a sole founder and extends to individuals within corporate organisations, the public sector, and leadership teams. Entrepreneurs are simply people who recognise a good idea and execute it.

It comes down to a specific mindset - entrepreneurs are people who embody resilience, confidence, ambition, humility, empathy and curiosity. They are focused on growth and play a crucial role in driving organisations forward, no matter their position.

We recognise and nurture this entrepreneurial mindset in individuals at all levels, empowering them to drive growth and change.

Why an entrepreneurial society matters to us all


Scotland's challenge

An entrepreneurial society is not just a lofty ambition; it's an urgent necessity for Scotland's future. With a staggering £20bn deficit each year and an economy that struggles to grow, we face critical challenges that demand entrepreneurially-minded leaders at the helm. Without more scaling businesses, Scotland loses. The scarcity of growth hinders job creation and tax generation, impeding our ability to fund the changes our society needs.


Addressing the gap

Our research has revealed a significant gap: investors cannot find the right leadership teams to invest in, hindering our economy, and subsequently, our society as a whole. To tackle this challenge, we focus on nurturing and empowering entrepreneurially minded leaders who can drive businesses forward and propel Scotland's growth.

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Our theory of change


We believe that the key to overcoming these obstacles lies in identifying and nurturing these entrepreneurial leaders – instilling the belief and connections needed to drive their growth, and subsequently, Scotland's growth.

Identifying Potential

It all begins with people. If we want to transform Scotland and our society, we need to build a movement of entrepreneurially-minded leaders with the potential and ambition to make that happen.

Belief and Mindset

Once we identify these leaders, our focus shifts to empowering them with the belief and mindset necessary to think, act and lead entrepreneurially.

Meaningful Connections

For entrepreneurial leaders to thrive, they need robust support networks and connections. To drive change, we emphasise building meaningful connections between leaders to propel their growth even further.

Our History

Founded and nurtured by the GlobalScot network in 2007, The Saltire Foundation and the Saltire Scholar Programme were created to find and grow the next generation of leaders in Scotland. This visionary group wanted the programme to deliver internships that would provide students with:

  • increased confidence and ambition
  • a global perspective
  • the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals
  • awareness of transferable skills
  • an entrepreneurial mindset

In April 2014, the Saltire Foundation, alongside the Entrepreneurial Exchange, an organisation focussed on bringing together like-minded entrepreneurial leaders, joined to become founding partners in the creation of Entrepreneurial Scotland. The Saltire Scholar Programme now forms an integral part of the organisation's mission to inspire, develop and connect Scotland's current and future leaders to build the most entrepreneurial society in the world.

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