The Summary: week ending 22 March 2024

Author

Mike Watson
March 22, 2024

It’s early Friday afternoon and time for your favourite summary of this week’s best Scottish business news stories.

Let’s go…..

SE funding to help add 80 jobs to recruitment firm Staffscanner

Staffscanner, a Glasgow-based recruitment firm, is set to add 80 jobs to its team following a £960,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise. This funding will support a £5 million project aimed at developing a platform for care homes and NHS Trusts, increasing its team size to 120. Staffscanner's tool, accessible online or via an app, allows care workers to manage their work patterns and employers to book staff efficiently. The platform already hosts over 40,000 healthcare professionals and 1,000 care services, with plans to expand into the English market.

Aberdeen’s NCIMB wins Innovate UK funding ro support development

NCIMB Ltd has partnered with GitLife Biotech on a 12-month project funded by Innovate UK to explore therapeutic solutions using gut microbes. This venture aims to develop therapeutics based on living bacteria to enhance human health. The project focuses on leveraging the gut microbiome's potential, employing specific bacterial species known to promote gut health, and utilizing innovative biosecurity platforms to ensure microbial strain integrity.

Fierce Beer set for UK expansion after securing six-figure funding package

Fierce Beer, an independent Aberdeen brewery, has received a significant funding package from HSBC UK, supplemented by crowdfunding, to expand UK-wide. The investment will enhance brewing efficiency and output, aiming for broader supermarket distribution and new product launches.

Dave Grant, founder and MD at Fierce Beer

Fife businesses to list on Alibaba after HQ visit

A delegation from Fife has become the first group of British companies invited to Alibaba's European headquarters in Amsterdam. This visit, funded by Fife Council's economic development department, was aimed at exploring opportunities on the e-commerce platform for six local businesses. Nicole Spittle from Growers Gardens plans to list on Alibaba.com, citing the trip as crucial for understanding the platform and initiating key staffing decisions. Neil McIntosh of CluisTROM also found the visit valuable for assessing Alibaba's fit for his developing product range.

X3 Summit postponed without explanation

The X3 Summit, aimed at showcasing Scotland's dynamic tech scene and scheduled for Edinburgh at the end of May, has been postponed. The event, backed by the Department for Business and Trade, Scottish Enterprise, and the Scottish Business Network, did not provide a reason for its cancellation or a new date. Organizers aimed to connect scaling companies with growth investors, and the postponement is part of refining the event's vision based on community feedback. Over 20 investors had shown interest in the event, which also spurred industry-led fringe events.

Carruthers Gemmill merges with BTO

Carruthers Gemmill will merge with BTO Solicitors as of April 2nd. The merger incorporates over 150 years of advising families, small businesses, and corporate clients by Carruthers Gemmill into BTO. Senior partner Tommy Gemmill and his partner Stephen Watt, along with their team of nine specialising in wills, estates, succession planning, and residential conveyancing, will join BTO as consultants in Glasgow.

  • Tommy Gemmill, Senior Partner, Carruthers Gemmill.

  • Stephen Watt, Partner, Carruthers Gemmill.

  • David Gibson, Chair, BTO Solicitors.

Read full article here.

£2.5m investment in poineering tourette’s technology


Eos Advisory has led a £2.5 million investment into Neupulse, a startup developing a pioneering wearable device for Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) and other tic disorders. This device, which stimulates the median nerve in the wrist to reduce tic frequency, showed a significant reduction in tics during 2023 clinical trials. The investment aims to bring the device to commercialization, moving towards regulatory approval in the UK, Europe, and the USA.

  • Ana Stewart -Eos Advisory partner

  • Peter Forbes - clinical trial participant with Tourette's Syndrome

  • Paul Cable - CEO of Neupulse

QEM Solutions acquired by Yorkshire’s Adler and Allan

QEM Solutions, an engineering management company based in the South of Scotland, has been acquired by Yorkshire's Adler and Allan. This marks Adler and Allan's fifth acquisition in the utilities sector and eighth overall in the last three years. The acquisition is aimed at expanding QEM's client reach, enhancing the company's market position by offering a wider range of capabilities, expertise, and equipment.

  • Rob Graham, CEO of QEM Solutions

  • Henrik Pedersen CEO of Adler and Allan

FirstGroup wins £60m London Cable Cars contract

Aberdeen-based FirstGroup, has won a £60 million contract from Transport for London to operate the iconic London Cable Cars. This contract, set for a five-year period with an option to extend for three more, marks a significant step for FirstGroup in enhancing and diversifying their transport service offerings in the UK.

Tech firms upbeat on growth prospects

Scotland's technology sector is optimistic about growth prospects this year despite challenging economic conditions, as reported by ScotlandIS. The industry plans to increase trade and employment, with 78% of firms optimistic for the year, and 90% expecting revenue growth. Many firms aim to hire recent graduates to address skills shortages, with a potential £1 billion boost to the economy if all tech jobs are filled.

Three new appointments at Par Equity

Par Equity has expanded its Edinburgh team with three new hires: Patricia El-Jichi as Investment Manager, and Clara Baltay and Oliver Johnston-Watt as Investment Analysts. This move is part of Par Equity's strategy to support high-growth potential technology companies in underserved UK regions.

  • Patricia El-Jichi: Investment Manager, Par Equity, formerly with SIS Ventures and Ada Ventures

  • Clara Baltay: Investment Analyst, Par Equity, formerly with Hive Energy

  • Oliver Johnston-Watt: Investment Analyst, Par Equity, co-founder & advisor at BTP and OneCommerce

  • Paul Munn: Managing Partner, Par Equity

Accelerator helps Glasgow see surge in global investment

The Glasgow City Region is experiencing a significant increase in private investment in its local innovation economy due to the Innovation Accelerator programme led by Innovate UK. The programme aims to support regional economic growth and private R&D investment in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing and precision medicine. Glasgow received a third of £100 million funding, contributing to 11 ambitious projects. One highlight is Chemify, which, after receiving £7.5 million from the accelerator, raised an additional £28 million and is working on groundbreaking chemistry AI-robotics.

  • Susan Aitken: Chair, Glasgow City Region Cabinet; Leader, Glasgow City Council

  • Dean Cook: Director of Place and Levelling Up, Innovate UK

  • Prof Lee Cronin: University of Glasgow Regius Chair of Chemistry; CEO, Chemify

London marketing agency expands into Glasgow

Climb Online, a digital marketing agency headquartered in London and acquired by xDNA in October 2022, has expanded its operations to Glasgow. This move aims to grow the agency's Scottish client base and leverage local talent to support its long-term growth ambitions. Climb Online specializes in search engine optimisation, paid media, paid social, and email marketing.

PE firm KKR secures Smart Metering Systems deal

KKR, a US private equity firm, has successfully acquired Glasgow-based Smart Metering Systems (SMS) in a deal valued at £1.3 billion. The takeover received approval from 62.78% of SMS shareholders, making it unconditional.

Read full article here.

Computing science innovation lab launched by University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow has inaugurated the Glasgow Computing Science Innovation Lab (GLACSIL) to enhance collaboration between academia and industry. This initiative seeks to integrate researchers from the School of Computing Science with industry representatives through joint research projects. Founding partners include Bell Nokia Labs, BT Research, and Thales, among others. The lab will focus on sharing research culture, organizing seminars, workshops, and networking events to address key research questions beneficial for both sectors.

Read full article here.