The initiative, now welcoming applications for its second run, is designed to catapult burgeoning businesses to the next level, aiming to evolve companies with a turnover of around £20 million into £100m enterprises within five years.

This intensive, year-long programme commencing in January 2024, offers a blend of masterclasses, focused dinners, and peer-to-peer learning sessions. These quarterly overnight events are set against the inspiring backdrop of Blair Castle, the foundation’s headquarters.

The collaborative environment allows CEOs and leadership teams from 12 selected companies, all headquartered in Scotland, to engage with and learn from each other’s experiences.

A previous participant, Richard Madden of WeConnect Energy, attributed his company’s accelerated growth to the programme, citing the exceptional network of advisors, motivational speakers, and connections with fellow CEOs as invaluable assets. Similarly, the initiative has received substantial backing from renowned entrepreneurs such as Theo Paphitis and Carolyn Jamieson, among others, highlighting the high-calibre support extended to these scaling businesses.

Adding to its repertoire of entrepreneurial support, THF, in partnership with SNIB, is also set to host its inaugural ‘Founders Conference – Scaling Up Scotland’ at Gleneagles Hotel on 3 November. This event, featuring a line-up of speakers like Matthew Moulding of THG plc and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, co-founder of Vaccitech, aims to provide further inspiration and practical insights for scaling businesses in Scotland.

Sir Tom Hunter, founder of The Hunter Foundation, said: “Over the years we’ve seen what a compelling role entrepreneurship plays in driving innovation, powering the nation’s economic growth and facilitating positive change within our communities.

“As many will tire of me saying – it’s scale-ups that move the economic dial and we need far greater focus on supporting them.

“Our Founders’ Conference will, we hope, provide inspiration, insight, motivation and connectivity that will help entrepreneurs scaling businesses to build more quickly and more effectively by learning from those that have been there and done it.”

Willie Watt, chair of the Scottish National Investment Bank, said: “At the Bank, we believe that a healthy scale-up support landscape is critical to enable growing businesses to thrive.

“Ensuring that scaling businesses can access the support and guidance they need to sustain their growth brings productivity gains, enhanced R&D investment, high-value job creation and export growth, having the power to transform our economy.

“We’re delighted to partner with the Hunter Foundation to offer that insight and practical help to Scotland’s scaling businesses.”