The Hunter Foundation (THF) said on Friday it has launched the search for “Scotland’s next round of potential Billion+ companies” to join its second cohort of ScaleUpScotland 2.0 programme.
Developed after extensive analysis of the challenges facing businesses as they scale up, ScaleUpScotland 2.0 “addresses the lack of strategic support available to high growth businesses” and aims to grow the turnover of each business to over £100 million.
THF said participant companies must be headquartered in Scotland with current revenues typically in excess of £10 million, a record of strong year on year growth “and the potential and matching ambition to achieve significant growth revenues within the next five years.”
Biotech and other companies “with high valuations but low or no revenues” will also be considered.
The programme is open to the CEO and executive leadership teams of up to 12 businesses, is cohort based and places a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer learning.
THF said: “On joining the programme a deep dive is undertaken into each business to identify and align the team on the specific challenges and opportunities facing the entrepreneurial leader, the collective executive team, and the individual functional leaders.”
THF founder, entrepreneur Tom Hunter, said: “To date our ScaleUp cohorts have added over £1 billion of turnover and created 5,000 plus new jobs and whilst we play a very small part in that growth we do believe it’s a pivotal role.
“Crucially the peer-to-peer support the programme enables is fundamental to a money can’t buy support network for our entrepreneurs. Combine that with brilliant speakers who have been there and done it and its compelling we
believe and utterly necessary for Scotland’s economic growth.”
Executive leadership teams will participate in quarterly residential retreats at Blair Estate over a 12-month period where they will experience a blend of masterclasses, focused dinners and peer to peer collaboration led by Tom Hunter and “leading entrepreneurs from the global stage.”
To apply, visit www.scaleupscotland.co.uk — applications close October 4, with the programme starting January 2025.