Funding the Future of Scotland's Entrepreneurs

Crowdfunding campaign to underpin post-pandemic entrepreneur-led renewal.

A bold, new funding initiative has been launched to create a fresh wave of Scots entrepreneurial leaders.

In the short term it will underpin post-pandemic entrepreneur-led renewal and help reach the long-term goal of building Scotland into the most entrepreneurial society in the world within 10 years.

Entrepreneurial Scotland has launched the #FundTheFuture crowdfunding campaign in its biggest-ever effort to harness the talent, drive and ambition of future entrepreneurial leaders.

Sandy Kennedy and John Watson OBE

It said the crowdfunding campaign - which it hopes will capture significant public support - will deliver a twin boost to its vital work.

Firstly, it will increase the scope of its “Saltire Scholars” internship programme which provides entrepreneurially-minded university students in their penultimate year of study an internship in Scotland or overseas – focusing especially on those from a disadvantaged background.

Secondly, money raised will be used to create a Bursary Scheme – a first for Entrepreneurial Scotland – to help fund its existing “Leadership Programme.” This will have a particular emphasis on “social entrepreneurs” whose vision and leadership benefits society.

The Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, which has charitable status, has set an ambitious target of supporting 2000 Saltire Scholars and 1000 Leaders over the next decade. #FundTheFuture will help achieve that goal.

Entrepreneurial Scotland is a community of current and future entrepreneurial leaders worldwide, who are ambitious, globally minded and have the potential to be the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders who will contribute to Scotland’s success.

As a charity, its mission is to transform those who can, in turn, transform Scotland and the nation’s entrepreneurial culture. Entrepreneurial people create the jobs, generate the wealth to reinvest, and breathe life into the solutions needed. In turn, they create new opportunities and enrich our entrepreneurial culture, laying the foundations for future generations.

Announcing the crowdfunding, Entrepreneurial Scotland Chief Executive Sandy Kennedy said the benefits of entrepreneurship to the economy and the creation of jobs in the future were “colossal.”

He said: “We know more entrepreneurs are out there – we just need to harness their potential and vision and help turn their ideas into a success which will help the economy, create jobs and ensure Scotland is a global leader when it comes to entrepreneurship.

“The #FundTheFuture crowdfunding campaign shines the spotlight on this critically-important work and those who contribute financially between now and April 23 when the funding campaign will end will be investing in Scotland’s future.

“With #FundTheFuture, Entrepreneurial Scotland can create thousands of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to deliver on their potential. And it’s worth remembering we are building on hundreds of years of endeavour as a nation whose story has in so many ways been defined by entrepreneurs.”

A video has been created to explain the #FundTheFuture campaign. It can be found at: http://bit.ly/linktoESFcrowdfu....

The campaign has won the backing of one of Scotland’s foremost entrepreneurs and long-standing Entrepreneurial Scotland supporter John Watson OBE.

The Chairman of renowned printing dynasty John Watson and Company until his retirement in 2015 said: “I applaud this effort to raise money to help not just young people but seasoned entrepreneurs to fulfil their vision. It is about helping our country and building on that traditionally-strong Scottish entrepreneurial flair which is synonymous with our nation. This crowdfunding initiative, as the name suggests, is literally funding the future.”