Together, we go further

We have a strong network of industry partners who lend their invaluable expertise and knowledge to help guide the young businesses we support on their journey to success.

Meet our strategic partners

We’ve joined forces with business leaders, disrupters, movers and shakers across Scotland to achieve more impact for our participants past and present. Our strategic partners have missions which align closely with ours, with wide-ranging influence and impact.

Cisco

Cisco helps seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the unconnected. An integral part of our DNA is creating long-lasting customer partnerships, working together to identify our customers' needs and provide solutions that fuel their success.

Nearly every Internet connection in the UK touches Cisco technology and we're investing in projects across Scotland to support innovation, from smart cities to transport, healthcare and manufacturing, to cyber-security and digital skills.

 

Royal Bank of Scotland

The Royal Bank of Scotland is a UK-based banking and financial services company, headquartered in Edinburgh. Royal Bank of Scotland has paved the way in banking since it was established nearly 300 years ago. From the world’s first overdraft, and the first house purchase loan by a UK bank, to the first fully-fledged internet banking service, the bank has a history of using innovation to make banking easier for our customers.

Royal Bank launched its first mobile bank in 1946 and now has 20 mobile banks serving nearly 400 communities across Scotland. Royal Bank of Scotland has over two million customers in Scotland today, with over 120,000 business customers. These relationships are now enhanced by our Enterprise team who offer face to face support to customers the length and breadth of the country.

 

SIS Ventures

SIS Ventures, Scotland’s leading impact investor, works with entrepreneurs committed to bringing positive change for the people and planet.

SIS Ventures is part of the Social Investment Scotland group, which has been providing impact-aligned investment and support for over two decades and deployed over £120m in 500+ social enterprises and mission-led businesses across the UK.

SIS Ventures is Converge’s strategic partner for Impact, helping us and the companies coming through the programme to embed environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in their operating standards.  By focussing on diversity and profit with purpose, together we will shape a more vibrant and cohesive economy and support greater social change.

 

SSE

We are a leading generator of renewable electricity and one of the largest electricity network companies in the UK.

We develop, own and operate low carbon infrastructure to support the zero-carbon transition.  This includes onshore and offshore wind, hydro power, electricity transmission and distribution grids, and efficient gas-fired generation, alongside providing energy products and services for businesses, and we have interests across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Japan, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Poland.

Our twin focus of practicality and inspiration is a strategy that has seen us through more than 70 years.

We are UK listed, employing 10,000 talented and skilled people and are real Living Wage and Fair Tax Mark accredited.

Because we’re SSE, and we’re for a better world of energy – for everyone.

 

Meet our professional partners

Our professional partners - all leaders in their fields - play a vital role in providing invaluable, expert advice to our cohort of aspiring academic entrepreneurs.

 

BeyondHR

BeyondHR is a progressive, independently-owned HR consultancy firm that helps organisations recruit, manage and safeguard their staff. We work for a range of start-ups, SMEs and larger corporates across Northern Ireland, Scotland and England, and our HR consultancy team boasts some of the most experienced consultants in the HR industry.

We are proud to be the chosen HR partner for over 400 start-ups and SMEs across Scotland and Northern Ireland providing a full range of HR support services.

We work across all industries and are respected for our pragmatic stance to problem solving and ensuring that we make the lives of our clients pain free by taking the stress out of HR issues while ensuring the best outcomes for their businesses.

 

CT

The team at CT has an unrivalled knowledge of the Scottish investment and startup market. Our collaborative approach has a direct, positive impact on our clients – our award-winning team has a genuine interest in their growth ambitions.

From our market leading Entrepreneurial Tax team that offer advice on Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS), Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEIS), Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) share schemes and Research & Development (R&D) Tax Relief, through to our digital solutions focused accounts team, we are here every step of the way to provide clients with honest advice and tech-savvy solutions.

 

CPI

Enterprises is the private investor engagement and ventures arm of CPI, a leading independent technology innovation centre and a founding member of the UK Government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult.

Enterprises stimulates impactful investment into early-stage deep tech companies, leveraging our world-class technical expertise, facilities and innovation network to benefit both investors and companies alike.

 

Firefinch Software

At Firefinch Software we create custom software and data science solutions, specialising in the Life Sciences sector.

The work we do varies from small proof-of-concept data analyses and prototype applications up to large systems which companies run their core business on every day.

Our clients are diverse and include instrument manufacturers, academic start-ups & spinoffs, and contract research & manufacturing organisations

 

Haseltine Lake Kempner

Haseltine Lake Kempner LLP is one of the largest independent IP firms in Europe providing global services which span the whole spectrum of the IPR life span, from strategy through to filing and all the way through to litigation. 

All of the firm’s resources and expertise are exclusively dedicated to IP protection: safeguarding the inventions, creative designs, brand identities and other innovations of their clients, using patents, trademarks, registered and unregistered designs and copyright. Haseltine Lake Kempner is privileged to work with some of the most exciting and forward-looking businesses in the world which are at the forefront of innovation and product development in their various spheres. The firm currently has clients in over 50 countries, including the UK, US, China, Japan and all major European countries.

The firm’s clients include large corporate entities, universities, research institutes, SMEs and early stage businesses across all sectors, all serviced from our offices in Glasgow, London, Munich, Bristol, Leeds, the Netherlands and Guangzhou (China).

 

i4 Product Design

i4 Product Design is an employee-owned company with a 20 year track record of working with start-ups and multinationals to deliver commercially successful products. 


Clients utilise the i4PD team to accelerate challenging roadmaps and/or innovate a way past technical challenges. The i4PD team achieve this by augmenting the size and capabilities of a client’s internal team.


Our experienced engineers and creative design team work in partnership with clients throughout the product design and development process to ensure their products aren’t just beautiful, they’re brilliant too.

 

MBM Commercial

MBM Commercial is an award-winning commercial law firm that helps entrepreneurial businesses.

Many of our clients are going through significant growth, either by investment, acquisition or by international expansion. We are committed to helping our clients succeed and always aim to help make connections and add value wherever possible. The work that we do spans all sectors, and we are proud to represent many exciting businesses, ranging from small start-ups to large companies. 

The firm provides a full range of commercial legal services, including corporate finance, commercial contracts, insolvency/restructuring, commercial property, dispute resolution, employment/HR and company administration.

 

Better, connected

We’re proud to collaborate with a network of leading organisations across industry sectors in Scotland who help our alumni businesses go further, grow bigger and achieve more.

Knowledge share

Through our business masterclasses, workshops and resources, we bring partners, our current cohort and Converge alumni together. They share knowledge, impart advice, make connections and form long lasting business relationships.

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Working together

We partner with organisations at the forefront of their respective industries – from IP and tax through to product design, human resources, technology and investment. Their financial contribution allows us to raise our ambition and deliver an exceptional programme to hundreds of aspiring academic entrepreneurs.

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Why become a partner?

Success is best when it’s shared. Partnering with us demonstrates your commitment to supporting the next generation of innovators, growing and scaling together to help Scotland thrive. It’s also the perfect platform to showcase your business and area of professional expertise while forging long-lasting connections with some of Scotland’s most promising new businesses.

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Network

  • Meet Scotland’s most exciting entrepreneurs
  • Build new business relationships
  • Network with thought leaders
  • Connect with our dynamic alumni community

Grow

  • Showcase your expertise 
  • Raise your profile
  • Amplify your news and successes via our national platform

Make an impact

  • Play an active role in shaping and growing Scotland’s economic future

MBM Commercial has always placed itself at the heart of the entrepreneurial ecosystem so it seemed like a natural alignment when we came across Converge and were asked if we wanted to support it.  The decision has been validated every day we’ve been involved.

Alexander Lamley - Director
MBM Commercial LLP

As an independent technology innovation centre looking to engage with and invest in the best and brightest early-stage companies that Scotland has to offer, partnering with Converge was the natural choice. 

Alfredo Ramos - Managing Director
CPI Enterprises

We wanted to become a partner for two reasons: we wanted to develop our network of start-ups and spin outs across Scotland and we wanted to use our experience to help small businesses with their HR issues as they start to employ people.

Neil McLeese - Managing Director
BeyondHR

We are incredibly excited to partner with Converge, to help the next generation of innovators turn their ideas into commercially viable businesses that help Scotland thrive.

Shane Heraty - Regional Director
Cisco Ireland and Scotland

We always had the desire to do something like Converge and this partnership offers us the perfect platform to support the burgeoning entrepreneur environment in Scotland.  When the opportunity for us to collaborate again came up, it was an easy decision.

Tristan Elliott - Business Development Director
i4 Product Design

We are delighted to continue our long standing partnership with Converge.  At the Royal Bank we champion potential, helping people, families and businesses to thrive and understand the importance of collaborating to support innovative idea generation and  productivity.  Working together to provide a wide range of wrap-around Enterprise support and services. As the largest supporter of UK businesses, the Royal Bank continues to look forward to walking on this journey with you.

Mandy Bailey - Regional Ecosystem Manager, Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland

We are delighted to join forces with Converge as their strategic partner for Impact. As Scotland's leading impact investor, we are excited to support inspiring entrepreneurs who have created innovative products and services that will change lives for the better and provide solutions to some of society’s greatest social and environmental challenges.

Arran Dewar - Executive Director
SIS Ventures

We're thrilled to be partnering with Converge to help innovators get the software they need to take their businesses to the next level. We can't wait to see what amazing ideas their participants have.

Ruaidhri Primrose - Director
Firefinch Software

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Join our partner network

Engage with Scotland’s brightest innovators and guide them as they invent our future.

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