Harper Macleod partners Moonshot Academy

Moonshot and Harper Macleod launched their partnership at the law firms Edinburgh office, with (from left) Jo Nisbet, Martin Darroch, Jim Duffy, Al Walker and Sharon Mars. Photograph: Julie Howden

Legal firm Harper Macleod has been unveiled as the first Scottish partner of Moonshot Academy, the growth accelerator for post-seed start-ups.

Created by Entrepreneurial Spark founder Jim Duffy, Moonshot chief executive Al Walker and former Big Partnership director Sharon Mars, the accelerator was set up in an attempt to solve the problem of high-potential start-up and early-stage ventures failing to reach scale after securing initial investment.

Harper Macleod becomes Moonshot’s first corporate partner in Scotland and will add its expertise to the leadership team and the academy’s businesses. The law firm will advise on all legal aspects, from company structures to intellectual property.

Harper Macleod chief executive Martin Darroch said: “We are excited to be part of Moonshot Academy, which could be the ‘missing link’ in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”