The Agenda

Our team is currently liaising with a number of scale-up businesses, inviting only the best to attend a full day of showcases, networking and discussions at Greyfriars Hall, Virgin Hotel, Edinburgh on 30th September.

Timings.

Investors and scale ups will be given the chance to connect during networking sessions throughout the day, and further discussions can continue at our drinks reception after the formal proceedings.

Agenda - 30 September, 2025

08:45 – 09:45

Registration, Coffee & Networking

Welcome and Introduction

09:45 – 10:00

Ana Stewart

Chief Entrepreneur, Scottish Government

10:00 – 10:30

Doing the deal: What are the stats for scale-up investments and exits?

This session takes a data-driven look at the current economic landscape before we dive into the state of scale-up investment in the UK over the past year. We’ll explore the volume, size, sector focus and structure of deals, as well as patterns in exits — from M&A activity to IPOs. With a particular focus on the Scottish market, the analysis will ask whether there's a growing gap in late-stage funding, and what this means for ambitious founders and active investors alike. Are Scotland’s high-growth companies getting the capital they need to scale — or are they hitting a ceiling? Join us to unpack the trends, pressure points, and opportunities shaping the current deal landscape

Elizabeth (Liz) Martins

Senior UK Economist, HSBC

Joel Murphy

Venture & Growth - Fintech, HSBC

10:30 -11:00

The Scale Up Journey

Federico Charosky is the Founder & CEO of Quorum Cyber. Founded in Edinburgh in 2016, Quorum began as a boutique cybersecurity services firm focused on Microsoft-based managed detection and response. In 2020, Livingbridge made an investment, providing growth capital to scale capabilities in sales, marketing, and service delivery. Quorum quadrupled both its ARR and headcount, and made key hires (e.g., Chairman, Finance Director) and began expansion into the U.S. market. In June 2024, U.S. private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners invested as a growth partner, joining Livingbridge and Golding Capital.

Today the firm has over 300 employees across the UK, Canada, and U.S., serving 150–160 recurring clients globally. The firm was recently named Microsoft Security Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) of the Year.

Aiming for Unicorn status, we’ll hear from Federico about the journey so far, and what’s next.

Bob Hair

Head of Scotland, Cazenove Capital

Federico Charosky

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Quorum Cyber

Networking Session

11:00 - 11:45

11:45 - 12:30

Scale up Showcase - AI

According to UK government statistics released in January, an average of £200 million in private sector investment has been funnelled into the UK’s world leading AI sector every day since summer 2024. Scotland is due to be home to the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, thanks to a £750 million investment.

In this showcase, we’ll meet some of the leading scale ups in the space and discuss how AI is impacting the flow of investment monies and how Scotland can take advantage of AI opportunities and how it might impact the economy going forward

Amy Kelly

Founder, AK Marketing, Host of The Braw Tech Podcast

Gregor Hofer

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Speech Graphics & Rapport

Ross McNairn

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Wordsmith

Carlos Gemmell

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Malted.AI

12:30 - 13:45

Lunch

13:45 - 14:15

Acquiring for Scale

As businesses mature and markets evolve, acquisition becomes a critical lever for scaling fast and efficiently. We’ll bring together experienced investors and founders to explore how strategic M&A can unlock growth, expand capabilities, and create long-term value.

  • When to Buy vs. Build: Key indicators that signal acquisition is the right path to scale.

  • Investor Perspective: How investors evaluate acquisition strategies in portfolio companies.

  • Integration Playbooks: Lessons learned from successful (and failed) post-acquisition integrations.

  • Cultural Fit & Leadership Continuity: Navigating people dynamics during acquisitions.

Nick Dunn

Chief Executive Officer - Score Group

Funding our Scale Ups

In this candid, investor-only panel, leading VCs and growth equity partners share how they evaluate and support companies at the scale-up stage — when capital efficiency, sustainable growth, and strategic clarity matter most. Hear what top investors are looking for now, how they think about follow-on capital, and what it really takes to raise in a market that demands both discipline and ambition.

  • What Justifies the Next Round?: Metrics, milestones, and signals that a company is ready to scale.

  • Capital Efficiency vs. Growth at All Costs: The new investor calculus post-2023.

  • How Investors Evaluate Scale-Up Teams: Leadership, depth, and organizational scalability.

  • Fundraising in Today's Market: How capital stacks are changing — from venture to growth equity to alternative financing.

  • Sector Outlooks: Where capital is flowing, and what areas are being deprioritized.

  • Boardroom Dynamics: How investor roles shift as companies mature.

  • Secondaries, Recaps & Extensions: Navigating complex funding scenarios in uncertain markets.

  • Lessons from Downturns: What scale-up investors have learned from market cycles.

14:15 - 15:00

Paul Mason

Partner - Corporate Finance, CT

Andrew J. Davidson

Director, Scottish Equity Partners

Catherine Wright

Director Corporate Finance, HSBC Innovation Bank

Jane Reoch

Executive Director, Investments, Scottish National Investment Bank

Rory McPherson

Investor, BGF

15:00 - 15:30

Networking Session

15:30 - 16:10

Building a successful scale-up board

This session will explore the critical role of a board in scaling a business, and how to build the right board at the right time. Our panelists will share real-world experiences, lessons learned, and practical advice on:

  • Identifying the right board composition for different growth stages

  • Balancing governance with entrepreneurial agility

  • Navigating founder dynamics and investor expectations

  • Leveraging board expertise to unlock strategic growth

Lucinda Bryce- Gardyne

Board Member, Scale Up Institute

Yvette Hopkins

Board Chair, Trustee, Multiple Organisations

Meg Lustman

NED/NXD, Advisor, Mentor

Vikki MacLeod

Chair and Non-Executive Director , (AND Digital, MDDUS, Safehinge Primera &  Libereat)

In conversation with Keith Neilson, Craneware

Founded in May 1999 by CEO Keith Neilson and co-founder Gordon Craig, Craneware launched its first product in October 1999 after signing its first customer contract the previous month. By the end of 2000, Craneware had more than 20 customers, setting the stage for the continuous growth to come, and in September 2007, Craneware listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

16:10 - 16:50

Stuart Hendry

Senior Partner, MBM Commercial

Keith Neilson

Chief Executive Officer, Craneware

Wrap Up

16:50 - 17:00

David Farquhar

Board Leader & Adviser

Drinks Reception

We invite attendees to join your colleagues to relax after a high-octane day with some drinks and nibbles in the Courtyard.

Agenda topics and timing are subject to change