Scale Space

• New artificial intelligence (AI) Accelerator Programme sees Scale Space and the University of Edinburgh partner for the first time
• Partnership allows Scottish start-ups to benefit from expertise from the University of Edinburgh, Scale Space and its community of tech companies
• Companies interested in taking part should apply at: https://connectingideas.typeform.com/to/NSarIYrQ  
• 20 companies will be selected for the 6-month Accelerator Programme
• Programme participants will receive grants
• The Accelerator runs from 18 February to 15 July 

Scale Space, the UK’s new community for scaling businesses, has joined forces with the University of Edinburgh to help unlock the innovation potential of start-ups working in the AI sector through a new Post-Covid AI Accelerator Programme.   

The programme is designed to accelerate the best AI start-ups in the UK/Scotland, Europe and beyond to scale globally within a short timeframe and aims to attract disruptive scale-ups that apply AI with high-growth potential while helping them grow into world-leading companies. The University of Edinburgh is home to the largest centres for computing science and informatics in Europe.

Scale Space is backed by Blenheim Chalcot, the UK’s leading digital venture builder and has partnered with Imperial College London to launch the first physical site in White City, London. Scale Space’s partnership with the University of Edinburgh will provide start-up businesses on the Accelerator Programme with access to the wide range of expertise, mentoring and knowledge at Scale Space, to help them grow faster and stronger. 

The 20 companies selected will each receive a £7,500 grant from the Scottish Funding Council through the Data Driven Innovation (DDI) scheme. The 6-month programme will be delivered online from the University of Edinburgh’s Bayes Centre and Scale Space in London’s White City Innovation District. 

Mark Sanders, Executive Chairman, Scale Space, said: “Scale Space exists to help entrepreneurial businesses overcome the challenges of scaling up. Participants in the Post-Covid AI Accelerator will benefit from the combined expertise of the University of Edinburgh and Scale Space. The insight we provide will help these companies grow stronger together – all of which is part of Scale Space’s mission to help UK innovation flourish.”

Charlotte Waugh, Enterprise and Innovation Programme Lead, Edinburgh Innovations, said: “The University of Edinburgh is delighted to have Scale Space as a Partner on our Post Covid AI Accelerator Programme, working with us to support the next generation of AI solutions. Scale Space’s experience in the scale up sector, its new digital platform and links across the UK and London is a great match for the University’s Data Driven expertise, providing those on the Programme with additional benefits and further developing the online delivery of this exciting and successful AI Accelerator Programme.”

Accelerator participants will benefit from specific and tailored advice as well as group working sessions and conferences to help their businesses grow. Examples include:

• Mentoring on business fundamentals such as securing investment, business modelling and financing, talent management and sales and marketing.
• Expert advice from industry leaders. 
• The opportunity to work at Scale Space for the London residential element. This will include the opportunity to meet Scale Space businesses and benefit from networking and insight events in Scale Space White City.
• Access to Scale Space Connect, the Scale Space digital community, for the duration of the programme. This will provide participants with access to knowledge banks and business growth servicesas well as the opportunity to exchange ideas with other participants in community forums. 

 

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Notes

AI-focused businesses from anywhere in the UK and beyond can apply to the 6-month Post-Covid Accelerator, running from February to July 2021. 

AI technology has the potential to transform industries delivering positive impacts for humans through a wider range of innovation areas, including Financial Services, Health Tech, Clean Tech, Legal Tech and AI for Good.  As part of our mission to support entrepreneurship, the programme seeks to work with new AI start-ups with high growth potential who:

• Offer next-generation solutions using AI technologies that are better, safer and cheaper than existing products.
• Are using innovative techniques to solve a known problem.
• Can make a difference now - ready to Scale within the next 6 months.
• Open to all – local and international companies.

 Successful applicants will have access to:

• A £7.5k grant
• Membership to the state-of-the-art Bayes Centre and Data Driven community
• A dedicated Accelerator Manager and 1-2-1 support
• Access to the University’s top academic and commercial expertise
• Links to investors, partners, mentors and business coaches through partnership with Scale Space - including in London
• A place in Edinburgh’s community of like-minded entrepreneurs
• Pipeline into Engage Invest Exploit 2021 - Scotland’s premier investment showcase event
• A tailored programme for AI scale-ups - access to open-source data platforms
• Access to recruit Edinburgh’s top data science talent

 

Data-Driven Entrepreneurship | Post-Covid AI Accelerator (edinburghconnectingideas.co.uk)