Scotland launches free investment platform to connect startups with global capital
Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has taken a major step forward with the launch of the Scottish Ecosystem Platform, the first comprehensive, open access platform to provide detailed information on startups, scale-ups and established private companies. By delivering actionable insights, it enables users to identify investment opportunities, understand competitive landscapes, and track industry sector health.
Developed through a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, Scottish government, and Techscaler, the platform provides essential features for private market decision-making, including funding round tracking, investor profiles, and market trends. The platform is powered by leading data intelligence firm Dealroom.
The platform functions as Scotland’s entrepreneurial compass, giving startups the data and connections they need to thrive. It provides detailed company profiles, funding information, and market trends that help founders understand where they stand and spot new opportunities. Most importantly, it bridges the gap between startups seeking investment and investors looking for promising ventures, while making Scottish companies more visible to potential partners. The platform also strengthens the entire ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs with each other and providing live market intelligence on funding trends, company valuations, and sector performance.
The platform aims to address Scotland’s scale-up challenge head-on. While the country excels at creating startups, the transition to larger enterprises has historically proved difficult. By making it easier for international investors and talent to discover opportunities, it also gives policymakers and business leaders the data they need to make smarter decisions about where to focus resources and support.
The platform, which was unveiled at the Invest2Scale conference in Edinburgh, offers global audiences their first comprehensive view of an ecosystem that has produced companies including BrewDog, FanDuel, and Skyscanner, and continues to demonstrate exceptional resilience and growth potential.
Dr Duncan Martin, director of entrepreneurship at the University of Edinburgh’s Bayes Centre, emphasised the platform’s transformative potential: “In our digital age, data is more than a resource; it’s the foundation of strategic growth. The Scottish Ecosystem Platform has been designed to transform how we access and utilise data, offering unparalleled insights into our entrepreneurial landscape. This platform is more than a tool; it’s a catalyst for unlocking Scotland’s potential in the global innovation economy.
“Access to real-time data and analysis means decisions can now be grounded in current, robust evidence rather than speculation. For entrepreneurs, this means better understanding of market gaps, enabling them to tailor innovations to meet real-world demands.”
The platform’s collaborative maintenance model allows participants to register, update, and enrich their profiles, ensuring the ecosystem data remains current and comprehensive. Startups and scaling companies are now encouraged to become active users.
Aoife Morrin, head of ecosystem growth at Dealroom.co said: “Over the past decade, the Scottish ecosystem has grown tenfold, with more than 1,000 funding rounds since 2020 and over 350 university spinouts driving innovation. By bringing together real-time insights on startups, investors, universities and funding—both public and private—this platform gives the Scottish ecosystem the visibility it needs to connect, collaborate, and accelerate growth. Scotland’s world-class universities, talented founders, and vibrant clusters are now even more visible on the global stage, and Dealroom is proud to support the next chapter of this journey.”
The Scottish government’s commitment to entrepreneurship continues to yield impressive results. Companies supported by the Scottish government’s Techscaler programme attracted over £66m in public and private investment according to figures released earlier this year, while the broader ecosystem has benefitted from sustained policy support including substantial investment in university research and innovation infrastructure.
Ana Stewart, the Scottish government’s chief entrepreneur said: “The Scottish Ecosystem Platform represents what we need more of – the opportunity to highlight our business talent and solutions to the world. The platform will unify our scaleup activity, making Scottish companies visible to global investors while providing the data and insights we need to support them effectively. It will also align with the Scottish government’s InvestScotland portal, which will be launched later this year to showcase investment opportunities to global investors.
“The platform also shows what we can achieve when public and private sectors, academia and government work together with shared purpose, will become ever-more powerful as we continue to digitise the way we gather data and analysis to work out how we can support Scotland’s entrepreneurs. I look forward to us refining, embedding and harnessing the platform over the coming months, making it a place where anyone, anywhere in the world, can discover opportunities to invest in Scottish innovation.”
James Trotman, VP Growth at CodeBase, the delivery partner for TechScaler, highlighted the platform’s game-changing potential: “Scotland’s founders are building world-class companies, but their success too often goes unseen. The Scottish Ecosystem Platform changes that—showcasing growth, traction and ambition on a global stage. It connects startups here with the same investors and networks as London, Berlin or San Francisco. That visibility can be the difference between chasing your first cheque and securing the backing to scale. Techscaler is proud to help power this platform.”
By highlighting diverse and ethical business practices, the platform also supports inclusivity and sustainability within the tech sector, encouraging investments that align with Scotland’s broader social and environmental goals.
The Scottish Ecosystem Platform is a free, open-access digital platform providing comprehensive data and up-to-date information on startups, scaleups, corporates, investors, accelerators, universities and more.