“They say it takes a village to raise a child. After 18 months on the Scale-up Scotland Cohort 3 I can testify how the support from the Scale Up Scotland team, and the network of my fellow CEOs of some great Scottish businesses has helped raise the game at all of our companies. In the last 18months Trojan’s workforce has grown from 16 to over 60 and I am grateful for all I’ve learnt, and the lifelong friends made as part of the programme. My thanks again to the Scale Up team especially Ken Whipp and Ewan Hunter and to Sir Tom Hunter for his vision and passion to support Scottish Businesses.”

“Graduation day at Scale up Scotland. A huge thank you to Sir Tom, The Hunter Foundation, Peter, Ewan and of course CLO Ken Whipp. 20 rapidly scaling Scottish businesses and emboldened CEO’s growing together with lifetime relationships built. Our wee business has doubled during our 18 month journey as Cohort 3. Sad to leave the fabulous Blair Castle today yet energised and empowered to march ahead with our galvanised team and strategy. Slainte”

“If you are ever lucky enough to get the chance to go on #scaleupscotland, count your lucky stars, grab the opportunity with both hands and don’t look back. There are few things you could ever do that will challenge and grow you as a leader and entrepreneur. Amazing content and speakers, peer learning, inspiring stories, connections you could only dream of making and a no d*ckhead and no bullsh*t allowed mentality. Ken Whipp you are an inspiration to all of us and so many others, thank you for making this happen, I’m forever grateful for everything you’ve unlocked for me.”

“Thank you Scale up Scotland. It has been the most inspiring experience to have met and spent so much time with Scotland’s fastest growing companies and to see their growth from when we began 18 months ago to where they are now.

This is truly one of the best Scale Up Courses in the world. Thank you, Hunter Foundation, Ken Whipp.”

“What a great couple of days at Scale up Scotland at the exceptional Blair House with an even more exceptional group!

The programme was inspirational and challenged me to think from a different perspective from the minute it started. I learned so much to put into practice Connekt EV Charging and I can’t thank Ken Whipp and the team for the opportunity enough and look forward to meeting with the amazing cohort at the next meeting.”

“Hi Tom, Wanted to drop you a note personally to say thanks for last couple of days and more generally about what you are doing for entrepreneurs in Scotland.  It’s amazing, practical, and making a difference. I am still on a high!

We went into Scale Up in 2018 as a £2m business and by the end of 2.0 will almost have 10x growth. The connections, learning and peer group has absolutely been part of this growth.

I love to see success in others and feel so proud when seeing the cohorts doing well and making big moves, it can be lonely and having people that really understand where you are is powerful. There is also something else – the healthy competition that the programme breeds – which is dynamite.”

“Thank you to all involved, left feeling hugely inspired.”

“We can wholeheartedly recommend the Scale Up Scotland programme as the best business growth programme we have ever participated in across 15 years in business. The growth lessons learned, for example, how to create a strong people culture, strategic 3-5 year planning and export strategy, are all now cornerstones of Safehinge Primera’s growth. In addition to this, the network of cohort members and professional advisors is second to none and we regularly benefit from this network in a fundamentally important way. Superb programme.”

“Scale Up has given us access to industry experts and contacts that we could not have afforded or had access to otherwise. This has resulted in us making positive strategic changes within our business and gaining access to contract opportunities. It is also hugely beneficial to speak regularly with a group of founders and CEOs who are facing the same challenges as you on a daily basis but can offer insight and experience from different industries on how to overcome these challenges.”

“Scale Up Scotland speakers are of a high calibre throughout and the sessions challenge from day one.”

“At Scale-up Scotland you meet inspiring cross sector entrepreneurs and have the opportunity to explore common challenges as a group.”

“Scale-up Scotland gives you time out of business to think and has an actionable take home from each session.”

“Scale-up Scotland events constitute a trusting and respectful space… with no egos! The cohort is made up of focused and driven individuals, working hard to scale their own business, but everyone makes time to both listen and offer council to each other. It is a privilege to be able to share thoughts with such a talented group, all of whom have grown in capability and stature and have totally inspired me over the past year.”

“Scale-Up-Scotland has been a very worthwhile endeavour and experience for both EnteroBiotix and me personally. The quality of the cohort was phenomenal and the guest speakers at each meet up are also world class. I would strongly recommend this course to any Founder or CEO that is leading a fast-growing business with international ambition. Thank you to the Hunter Foundation, Entrepreneurial Scotland and all of the speakers for making it happen.”

“Scale Up Scotland’s session with Bob Keiller on the art of communicating a vision was instrumental in our £8.5m Series A fundraise.”

“The Scale-up Scotland group is both a support mechanism and a springboard. We share challenges and experiences that friends, and family just don’t understand. The session with Mark Beaumont was game-changing for us. We have adopted his philosophy of not just setting high expectations but working to a whole new set of averages.”

“Scale-up Scotland brings together different companies, with different problems, and through challenging and supporting each other there is an immensely positive effect.”

“I’ve aimed to bring at least one new thing back to the business after each two-day block. That could be focus in a specific area, an approach, or a different way of looking at an issue – and so far, I haven’t failed to do this. The programme content is consistently thought provoking and relevant to a company looking to scale.”

“Scale up Scotland puts together the cohort in such a way where everyone has something to contribute. It creates a safe and respectful place to be challenged and share successes. Scale Up Scotland has allowed the time and space to work on the business rather than in it. I have made a positive change following each session; from restructuring the organisation to introducing a new delivery approach.”

“The idea behind Scale up Scotland is great but even more impressive has been the inspiring programme that has been delivered to the first cohort. It does not surprise me that collectively as a group we have seen significant growth within our companies. To be around aspirational, high integrity, like-minded Entrepreneurs and business owners whilst simultaneously being coached by top business leaders is a recipe for success. I feel very lucky to have been selected to be on the first programme and look forward to putting my training into action to help Digitonic scale and exit.”