Released: Thursday 10th March 2016

 SCOTLAND LAUNCHES WORLD CLASS ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME

Scotland Can Do SCALE

A first of its kind programme is being launched today to help Scottish entrepreneurs with potential to scale-up to grow their businesses with world class training from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School.  

Scotland Can Do SCALE has two strands, an online course which explores putting customers at the heart of a business and a residential summer school. The programme offers something for every entrepreneur in Scotland, with the most promising scale-ups being eligible to attend the summer school delivered by world leading educators in entrepreneurship.  Everyone taking part will be supported by Scotland’s exceptional entrepreneurial ecosystem to develop and grow their business.

Funded and delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council, and sitting under the Scotland Can Do government banner, the programme will involve participants following a free online MIT training course called Entrepreneurship 101 – Who is Your Customer?, which is the first step for securing additional support opportunities including qualifying for the summer school.

The online course has been developed by Bill Aulet, Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT entrepreneurship, and author of 24 Steps to Disciplined Entrepreneurship, who is also a visiting professor in entrepreneurship at Strathclyde University.

The objective of the programme is to build a community of entrepreneurs leading scalable businesses across Scotland, with ongoing support provided to those with ambition and potential for growth.

Luke Johnston, CEO of innovative oil & gas software firm Cognitive Geology, took part in the pilot programme and has achieved great traction since August last year. He said:

“Scotland Can Do SCALE really helped me to step back and shape the future of the business, using Bill Aulet’s 24 steps as a framework. In recent months we have hired two new developers, two geoscientists and are currently recruiting to continue building our team. We have secured £100K in grant funding, been selected for the London Stock Exchange ELITE programme and secured a funded place at the MIT Entrepreneurial Development Program. We’re meeting with some of the world’s largest oil companies this year in Houston and experiencing tremendous growth.”

Michelle Ferguson, managing director of social enterprise St Andrew's First Aid Training and Supplies, attended the course as part of a team, with colleague Stuart Callison, CEO of the parent charity. She commented:

“The SCALE programme was all I hoped it would be and more. The training was world class and I found the cohort to be supportive and often facing the same challenges I do as we work to scale internationally. We are now much more entrepreneurial and ambitious as a team and have a more planned strategic approach to large scale growth. We are exploring new markets and will shortly be announcing some exciting news regarding a major business deal in the Far East.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“This Government has always been focused on helping Scotland become a world leading innovative and entrepreneurial nation – a CAN DO place to do business and never more so than in 2016 – the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.

“Scotland CAN DO Scale is here to take our nation’s entrepreneurial ambition to the next level.  This programme offers businessmen and women in Scotland a world-class opportunity to refine their ideas and develop their skillsets by participating in a course designed by an international leader in entrepreneurship.”

To sign up visit the www.cando.scot/scale website and click sign-up today.

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Twitter @SCALEScotland

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCALEScotland

Media contacts:

Muckle Media for Scotland Can Do SCALE

Email: scale@mucklemedia.co.uk

Telephone: 0131 463 1317

150 words of newsletter copy

SCOTLAND LAUNCHES WORLD CLASS ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME

A first of its kind programme has launched to help Scottish entrepreneurs with potential to scale-up to grow their businesses with world class training from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School.

The programme has two strands, an introductory online course teaching how to put customers at the heart of a business and a residential summer school. Everyone taking part will be supported by Scotland’s exceptional entrepreneurial ecosystem to develop and grow their business.

Funded and delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council, and sitting under the Scotland Can Do government banner, the programme will involve participants following a free online MIT training course called Entrepreneurship 101 – Who is Your Customer?, which is the first step for securing additional support opportunities including qualifying for the summer school.

To sign up visit the www.cando.scot/scale website and click sign-up today.