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High Growth Spinout Programme

If you’re a researcher in an academic or research institution, our High Growth Spinout Programme (HGSP) offers early-stage funding and support. Find out how we can help take your ideas and inventions from the lab to the global marketplace.

Our High Growth Spinout Programme (HGSP) helps researchers turn their ideas into commercial possibilities by awarding early-stage funding and support.

About the programme

Watch this video to find out more about HGSP from Leah Pape, Head of High Growth Services, and Nicola McMillan, Team Leader of the High Growth Company Creation team.

Get HGSP support

Many of Scotland’s research and academic institutions have a dedicated Scottish Enterprise relationship manager from our High Growth Company Creation team.

If you’re keen to explore the commercial potential of your research findings, the first step is to speak to colleagues in your organisation with responsibility for technology transfer or enterprise.

Once you’ve discussed your idea with them, if they think it’s appropriate, they’ll put you in touch with one of our relationship managers.

Your relationship manager will then work with you to explore how we can best support your idea.

What happens next?

The support we can offer through HGSP depends on the age and stage of your project’s commercial journey:

Projects at this stage will:

  • Have discussions with colleagues in your organisation with responsibility for technology transfer or enterprise
  • Engage with your Scottish Enterprise relationship manager 
  • Begin one-to-one development of your project idea 
  • Seek approval to proceed to the Opportunity Qualification application stage

Projects at this stage are:

  • Reaching their value inflection point, spinning out and raising investment.
  • Able to apply directly for CC support (if they demonstrate the achievement of OQ milestones)
    • There are three deadlines per year for this, with applications assessed via a panel interview

Projects can receive up to £75,000 for a 12 to 18 month project.

Projects at this stage are:

  • Addressing gaps in the spinout business case, including primary customer engagement, early investor engagement and technology de-risking
  • Submitting regular applications upon endorsement by the Scottish Enterprise relationship manager

Projects can receive up to £200,000 for a 6 to 12 month project.

Projects at this stage are:

  • Converting to shares at a discounted rate to Scottish Enterprise. This is designed to make the company attractive to other investors and provide cashflow for the company before its first fund raise

Projects can receive up to £400,000 loan note for completed spinouts, which is to be used as working capital.

Discover the spinout journey

Take a look at the videos below to learn more about the different aspects of the spinout journey, from working with commercial champions to securing investment.

Watch this video and out how we work with Scotland’s NHS, research institutions and universities to support the journey of academic ideas into commercial viabilities.

All HGSP projects is that they’re supported by an appropriately skilled commercial champion, ideally with experience of the relevant sector, raising investment and exiting a company.  

Take a look at this video to find out how Connicity Genetics' Commercial Champion has supported them:

If you’re interested in becoming a Commercial Champion to one of our projects, use the details below to get in touch.

Through a combined approach of grant funding and one-to-one support, the HGSP has a strong track record for turning aspirational academics into business leaders.

Dxcover is just one of our examples of this, take a look:

The High Growth Spinout Programme represents an impressive pipeline of pre-spinout, early-stage investment opportunities. 

Here's Wobble Genomics talking about how the HGSP has helped them:

Our project teams receive training, support and advice as they pursue their commercial journey, leading to high survival rates and impressive fund raises at the point of incorporation.  

If you’re an investor and would like to find out more about the projects in our pipeline, we’d love to hear from you.

Making an impact

Watch this video and find out what some of our partners have to say about their experiences with the High Growth Spinout Programme.

Learn more about HGSP

Our team are on hand to answer your questions and explain the support we can offer to help your business succeed.

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