You can play a vital role in building Scotland's entrepreneurial future.
The Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation nurtures the entrepreneurial leaders and talent who will, in turn, shape Scotland's future.
As a charity, to deliver on this bold ambition, we rely on the generosity of remarkable people like you especially our donors, sponsors, hosts and speakers. You can play a vital role in building Scotland's entrepreneurial future.
We are an independent, non-political, OSCR regulated (SC038858), Scottish charity. We are led by active Trustees and a committed team. We are supported by a charitable foundation in the United States and a community of Fellows representing the finest Scottish entrepreneurial leaders. We exist to take action and make an impact. Our impact is directly aligned to the UN Sustainability Goals and Scotland's National Outcomes.
Becoming a partner means that you can align your organisation with the entrepreneurial mission of the Foundation and specific programmes. It is an opportunity to make a real difference and showcase your commitment to clients, staff, shareholders and other stakeholders.
Becoming a donor means that you will unlock the potential of those who can make the biggest impact on Scotland's future. You can target support to the Foundation, programmes or individuals including those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
As a charity we rely on the generosity of visionary individuals, trusts and organisations like you.
Becoming a speaker or mentor means that you can share your ideas and expertise with those who not only need it but can put it into action.
The Saltire Scholars Internship Programme provides transformative opportunities for Scottish undergraduates to intern with global and entrepreneurial firms like yours.
Sponsoring a Scholar is a unique opportunity to support a Saltire Scholar throughout their time with the programme. Our scholars are the leaders of tomorrow and many come from a disadvantaged background. By offering new challenges, opportunities and connections, we give them a once in a lifetime start in their entrepreneurial future.
Eleanore Irvine took part in the programme from 2014-2015. Biogelx Ltd spun out from the University of Strathclyde on 2012 and, from the very beginning, Eleanore has played a crucial role in the organisation. Through the RSE Fellowship and a Scottish EDGE award, and the support of an excellent executive team, Eleanore started a biotech company with the potential of revolutionizing cell research. To fulfil her leadership ambitions in the Life Science sector, Eleanore embarked on the Saltire Fellowship journey in 2014. During her time at Babson and her intense networking activities in Boston and New York, Eleanore laid the foundations for an US-based office for Biogelx. From a team of 5, Biogelex has now grown to a team of 8, 2 research labs and 2 offices (one in Glasgow and one in New York).
Eleanore was also heavily involved in securing a £630K investment from a London based investor and she has sole responsibility for Biogelex`s sales targets, that, in 2015, reached £250K. Eleanore is also being groomed for an even greater leadership role within the company as part of its succession planning.
“Without the Saltire Fellowship I wouldn’t have gained the confidence, skills and network necessary to make the transition from academic science, to commercial development of innovative research science”
Eleanore has pitched and spoken at several events, including EIE, Pitch at the Palace and Aluminate and she has become a role model for women in STEM
Nadeem Sarwar took part in the programme from 2014-2015. Before joining the Fellowship, Nadeem was a commercial banker at HSBC.
He knew that he wanted to run his own business, he was just unsure of what that looked like. During his time at Babson, he spotted an opportunity in Digital Health. He returned to Scotland to formulate his business plan and work out how he could acquire a business platform to launch his business. According to Nadeem, the Fellowship gave him two things: the confidence to go out and do something himself and the access to an invaluable network of talent and mentors on whom he can rely on.
He knew he had to be investable, bankable and credible. In February last year, after securing a £500k loan, he acquired a business and launched Organised Health Technologies, now Phlo, a robotic online pharmacy. Headquartered in Scotland, he now has 22 staff (Including Saltire alumni), a valuation of 1.5M and a monthly profit of £15k. His 5-year vision is to deliver £10-£20M of annual turnover and an employee headcount of 200.
Rachel Gwyon took part in the programme from 2013-2014. After graduating with a degree in physics from Oxford, and following a brief stint working in commercial lending, Rachel moved to the public sector, where she spent 23 years in a variety of roles related to Scottish interests, including within the UK and European Union. Rachel knew several alumni who had attended the Saltire programme and had observed the enhanced competencies, increased confidence and broader perspective the Fellows had demonstrated upon their return. She applied to the programme with the expectation of leveraging its learnings both to improve the government’s internal dynamics and to enhance its ability to understand and work with the corporate sector.
A major benefit of the Fellowship for Rachel was the opportunity to spend time in a different environment with a diverse group of people focused on exploring new ideas.
“If you’ve been doing the same thing for 20 years, it’s difficult to make a significant change unless you change your environment. The Fellowship took me outside my comfort zone and thrust me into a world of people with a diverse range of ages, backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and ambitions. I relished the dynamic pace of ideas and networking. The experience was like a massive recharge of the battery.”
Being in such a new environment with a diverse cohort enabled Rachel to “recalibrate” her sense of her own abilities and leadership style and better understand her strengths and how to use them effectively.
Following completion of the Fellowship in April 2014, Rachel held three interim posts in the run-up to the referendum, drawing on the flexibility and resilience which the entrepreneurial mindset approach encourages. Following the vote, in September 2014 she was put in charge of leading the establishment of a business development bank focused on financing SMEs. The work has drawn heavily on one of her Saltire projects in Boston which involved connecting with a range of public and private sector banking and finance leaders in the USA and learning from their priorities, business models and approaches. Confirming Rachel’s own perception that the Saltire Fellowship enhanced her leadership effectiveness, an objective occupational psychological assessment, conducted in February 2015, demonstrated a marked change to a more people-oriented leadership style, with increased emphasis on engagement and relationship building adding to her conventional policy development skills, identified in Spring 2013.