BrewDog co-founder toasts Edinburgh start-up conference

The co-founder of craft beer maker BrewDog has been revealed as a headline speaker at a start-up event that returns to Edinburgh in November.

BrewDog's James Watt will be speaking at the Startup Summit in November. Picture: Contributed

James Watt, who set up the brewer in 2007 along with Martin Dickie, is to attend the Startup Summit, organised by global entrepreneurship organisation WeAreTheFuture.

• READ MORE: BrewDog eyes Asia brewery as annual sales near £72m

The event is expected to attract more than 1,000 people to the city’s Assembly Rooms on 1 November.

Now in its sixth year, the Startup Summit has also secured the backing of banking giant Barclays and angel investment association Linc Scotland as organisers aim for the conference to become the “premier event” for entrepreneurs across the country.

• READ MORE: Barclays throws weight behind Edinburgh start-up event

Bruce Walker, founder of WeAreTheFuture, said: “Every major start-up hub on the planet has a start-up festival and it’s about time Scotland does as well. We’re excited to sign a major partnership with Barclays and Linc Scotland who are throwing their weight behind the summit.”

Linc Scotland executive director David Graeme said the event “gives entrepreneurs access to many of the resources they need to succeed”.

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Stuart Brown, head of SME at Barclays, added: “The Startup Summit offers invaluable insight and connections and should be a prerequisite for any entrepreneur on the first stage of their journey.

“Scotland has a long history of innovation and Barclays is backing Scotland’s entrepreneurs to continue this world-beating legacy.”

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