Top Scottish tech firms make a pitch at Tartan Week celebrations

Some of Scotland’s most innovative tech firms have been pitching to North American venture capital investors as part of Tartan Week celebrations in New York.

Companies covering sectors including data, robotics, health technology, software as a service (SAAS) and clean tech made connections at Scotland’s tech company showcase - an event designed to establish a “valuable platform” in the US for high-growth tech firms. The event, organised by Scottish Development International (SDI), entrepreneurial ecosystem development organisation Foras and the Scottish Government through its Scottish Tech Ecosystem Fund, was one of a series of engagements to mark Tartan Day.

Reuben Aitken, managing director of international operations at Scottish Enterprise, said: “The US and Scotland have a long and proud history of cultural and commercial links which Tartan Week provides a unique platform to celebrate. Showcasing Scottish tech start-up and scale-up talent to global investors demonstrates the expertise, innovation and ambition that firms in Scotland have to offer. The showcase will help secure investment fundamental to accelerating their growth at scale.

“The US continues to be a hugely important market for Scotland, both in terms of attracting investment to our country and offering export opportunities for globally-minded Scottish companies. Our in-market specialists, alongside partners and international networks including our GlobalScots, will continue to bang the drum for Scotland, delivering economic opportunities in the process.”

The tech showcase was part of a wider business mission arranged by Foras. The programme was designed by company founders Dec McLaughlin, Nick Murray, and Carolina Melendez, while the delivery team includes founder and community builder Rob Gelb and Scottish Enterprise’s capital investment team. The one-week trip links to the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review, a report on transforming Scottish tech, written by chief entrepreneur Mark Logan. The US continues to be Scotland’s top inward investor, accounting for 29.5 per cent of foreign direct investment projects into Scotland in 2021.

Murray said: “This is the third founder cohort programme we've delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and SDI, with each trip providing a unique opportunity to explore different entrepreneurial ecosystems, gain insights from world-class businesses, foster relationships among the cohort and engage with international partners and investment opportunities.”