A survey will seek to address the perception that there are ‘too few’ investment opportunities in Scotland’s tech sector.
The annual EIE investor showcase in Edinburgh will canvass views of Scotland-based tech startups and founders – to dispel investor concerns about the market north of the Border.
The EIE research will try to establish clarity around the state of the investment landscape in Scotland, and provide investors with a better-informed guide to the Scottish tech ecosystem.
The concerns were raised at the Invest2Scale conference in the city in October, and the survey will assess if the perceived aversion to risk in the investment community is real.
Duncan Martin, EIE24 lead executive and director of entrepreneurship at the Bayes Centre, at the University of Edinburgh, said: “I attended a big event recently that included an investor panel discussing the problem of there being too few opportunities in Scotland. A company CEO responded to the panel saying this was wrong, there are lots of companies out there looking for investment. It became clear to me that there is clearly a disconnect between the two sides in this discussion.
“Our Investment Landscape Survey is an opportunity to help shape investors’ and ecosystem builders’ understanding of founders and an opportunity for founders to highlight the challenges they’re facing.
“The more voices we hear from, the better able we will be to line up the needs and expectations of businesses and potential investment partners, and support the development and success of the ecosystem as a whole. That’s why I’d urge everyone in the tech ecosystem, founders and investors alike, to join the conversation and complete our brief survey.”
EIE24, which returns as an in-person event in Edinburgh this year, hopes the survey will reveal the views of the founders of early and mid-stage companies.
The questionnaire takes no more than 15 minutes to complete and seeks answers to questions around job creation, the support available for start-ups and companies looking to scale, political uncertainty, and the impact of global events.
Established in 2008, EIE connects global investors with Scotland’s thriving tech ecosystem and the country’s most promising globally relevant tech companies. Past events have supported over 540 companies, helping them go on to raise more than $1.5 billion in downstream funding.
EIE24, which will follow an evolved format from previous years, will bring together investors from around the world for two days of networking, discovery, and fuelling the deal-making pipeline with some of Scotland’s most innovative companies from partners from right across the ecosystem.
BBC Scotland’s Innovation Correspondent, Laura Goodwin, will host EIE24 which will take place at iconic Edinburgh locations, including Edinburgh Castle, The John McIntyre Conference Centre, and Dynamic Earth on 30th April and 1st May 2024.
Anyone interested in taking part in the survey should follow this link – Investment Landscape Survey 2024. The closing date for responses is March 7th.