Creating future business leaders- funding to expand entrepreneurship in Scotland

More than £1.9 million has been awarded to create the entrepreneurs of the future and to increase access to business careers.

Pupils will have the opportunity to learn about business from primary one to the end of high school for the first time under a new initiative to boost entrepreneurship in Scotland. This follows more than £829,000 being awarded to seven education organisations.

They include Gen+, which is designing lessons that set high school pupils real-world challenges by established entrepreneurs, focused on running aspects of a business, while the University of Strathclyde will provide activity packs that develop entrepreneurial skills in primary school children.

Adults under-represented in business, including women and ethnic minorities, will benefit from £1.08 million awarded to 13 organisations through the Pathways Fund, helping turn their ideas and fledgling businesses into growing enterprises.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes visited pupils at Braes High School in Falkirk to see some of the entrepreneurial projects they have been working on.

Ms Forbes said:  

“These projects mean that for the first time entrepreneurship will be embedded in Scotland's classrooms, from P1 to S6. By mainstreaming the subject we aim to give every school leaver the skills, confidence and opportunity to set up their own business.

“This is a continuation of the Scottish Government's drive to create one of Europe's leading start-up economies. Existing entrepreneurs are already being supported, including by our successful Techscaler programme. Now, through these two funds, we are developing the next generation.

“I want young people and under-represented groups to be excited by the idea of going into business, to understand it's something they can do.”

CEO of Gen+ Victoria Vardy said:

“At Gen+, we believe education should inspire young people to become adaptable, self-aware, and ready for the future.

“ Our Industry Innovators programme connects classroom learning with insights from real-world business challenges, helping pupils understand and develop the core skills that lead to success across industries.“

By learning directly from industry experts, students gain the confidence and practical skills to turn their ambitions into reality, empowering them to become Scotland's future entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow.”

Background 

The Entrepreneurial Education Pathways Fund totals £829,346.  

Successful recipients of the Entrepreneurial Education Pathways Fund:  

• University of Strathclyde – Meet the RECCO Family (£80,994): To support the development of illustrated digital educational resources for the development of an entrepreneurial mindset in early primary school children (P1-3). 
• Daydream Believers – Dreamers and Doers (£146,200): To develop the Dreamers and Doers playlist creating three entrepreneurial challenges to promote creativity, innovation and problem-solving, integrated into the existing SCQF Creative Thinking qualification.  
• Gen+ – Industry Innovators (£79,834): To equip S1-S3 students with essential entrepreneurial skills, structured around specific skills and aligned with a real-world challenge set by local businesses.  
• Socialudo – Playing the Pathway to Entrepreneurship (£49,861): To co-produce and develop the game ‘Social Deal' to provide a creative training package for use in both primary and secondary school level, introducing the different elements of business planning and business models. 
• Founders4Schools – Role Models for the entrepreneurs of tomorrow (£157,025): To scale their network of role models in Scotland, particularly in under-represented groups and develop their platform to ensure every educator has easy access to a network of entrepreneurs for S1-S6 pupils. 
• Powering Futures – Challenge for Education (£250,000): To deliver three programmes to enhance the understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset and the pathway to embed this work in future generations.  
• High School of Glasgow – START (£65,405): To develop a pilot for an interdisciplinary learning programme for Scottish schools. Teams of S6 pupils will be guided from problem solving to seed investment pitch and the pilot programme will take place in a select group of local authority schools in Glasgow and Edinburgh.  

The Pathways Fund totals £1.08 million.

Successful recipients of the Pathways Fund:

• Business Women Scotland – Programme for Growth (£40,000): Support for women in business, addressing the challenges they face in achieving significant growth through a comprehensive 2-day seminar and personalised guidance from
• GrowBiz - Developing Women's Rural Enterprises (£106,505): Supporting women and other underrepresented groups across rural and island areas of Scotland who are either considering self-employment, seeking to grow a venture, or considering ways of becoming a greener business.
• Orkney Island Council - Entrepreneurial Islands project (£65,350): A coaching and mentoring programme for the Orkney islands to access tailored support, building enthusiasm and encouraging new business start-ups, while assisting business funding applications.
• Investing Women Ltd – AccelerateHER (£200,000): This project delivers educational programmes and networking opportunities across Scotland to tackle the gender gap in accessing investment, by providing female business founders with relevant knowledge, skillsets, connections and opportunities needed to grow and scale their businesses.
• Rebel Business School (Enjoy Training Ltd) - How to Start & Scale a Business for Female Founders (£49,970): Workshop programme will be delivered both virtually and in Glasgow to support women begin their journey.
• Together Reaching Higher - Entrepreneurial Empowerment Pathways Hub (£52,590): This will transform a temporary simple drop-in service into a permanent, sustainable resource Hub for ethnic minorities in Glasgow, focusing on women. This will support aspiring entrepreneurs with mentorship, training, and resources to develop their social enterprises.
• Inspirent Ltd – Women Can Grow! Bootcamp (£129,200): Building on from the success of Women Can! in 2023/24 this programme will provide women with practical support to move their startup beyond the initial planning, or early stage, to implementation within Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire.
• Challenges Catalyst - Ready to RISE (Readiness & Incubation for the Social Economy) (£96,974): This programme, delivered in suburban areas of the central belt and Tayside, is aimed at mothers and others whose work prospects have been impacted by a career break because of caring responsibilities, migration, or health issues.
• Edinburgh Chambers of Commerce - Women in Business: Entrepreneurial Growth Programme (£57,575): A programme to empower female founders with established businesses to expand, grow, and attract investment through training, coaching, and opportunities to connect with fellow female entrepreneurs in the Edinburgh region.
• PeoplePlus – Supporting Women in Enterprise (£74,037): Supporting women within marginalised communities in Glasgow through a 12-week programme where Business Advisers will provide tailored business advice, training, and networking opportunities.
• Robert Gordon University - RGU Women in Business: Starting up (£55,292): A 7-week flexible online enterprise programme offering expert consultancy support, and networking opportunities based in Aberdeenshire, tailored to the needs of mothers and care-givers.
• Business Gateway East Renfrewshire - Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Business Accelerator For East Renfrewshire (£95,850): Seminars, workshops, events and direct 1-2-1 support to businesses within the Black and Asian Minority and Ethnic community in East Renfrewshire.
• West Lothian Council - Women Entrepreneurs Growth Programme (£57,630): Workshops to support women in West Lothian from pre-start to pre-investment, providing networking and commercial pop-up shop opportunities.