Scottish Enterprise
Works with ambitious companies and industries to support economic growth and develop Scotland's business environment.
Services
Accounts management and bookkeeping
As the business owner, you’re responsible for ensuring your business keeps accurate financial records and accounts.
Agreeing the terms and conditions of funding raised from shares
Information on term sheets and agreeing terms and conditions for money you raise from selling shares.
Borrowing against something you own or plan to buy (assets)
Information on asset finance – where you can raise money for an idea or business by borrowing against something you own or plan to buy.
Borrowing from banks to fund your business
Information on what banks look for if you want to borrow money for an idea or business.
Budgeting
Keep your business and finances on track with a business budget.
Business after Brexit (EU employees and Scottish businesses)
Information on how the UK's possible exit from the European Union (Brexit) may affect businesses in Scotland, and where to get advice.
Business bank accounts
Information on setting up a bank account for your business, including sole trading and online banking.
Buying or renting premises
Information on buying or renting business premises, including government or council property.
Checking your suitability for funding (due diligence)
Information on the different types of due diligence you'll need to prepare for if you want to get funding for an idea or business.
Check whether your products or services are ready to export
Help from Scottish Enterprise to improve at exporting products and services.
Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending
Information on crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending including choosing a platform.
Develop your business skills
Find out what training and information is available to help you develop your business skills.
Employee training
Information on the options and schemes available for training your employees.
Events, training and support for exporters
If you want to learn how to export there is training for businesses of all levels, from beginners to experienced companies.
Export market research
Find out about the help available to businesses looking to research an export market.
Find business events
Find and register for business events, workshops, seminars and conferences in Scotland.
Find new business opportunities
Find out about innovation challenges and opportunities to sell your products or services.
Find office space or facilities
Get help and support to find office space, specialist facilities or technology.
Find research and information on businesses in Scotland
Find research and information on businesses in Scotland.
Find training for businesses
Find help and support to train your staff.
Funding to export products and services (export or trade finance)
Information on finding funding to export products and services, including what support is available from UK Export Finance.
Get advice on communicating with clients and customers abroad
Get advice on working with clients and customers based in other countries, including language training, translation and interpretation.
Get advice on developing new products and services
Get advice from Scottish Enterprise on developing new products and services.
Get advice on manufacturing
Get help to improve your business's manfacturing processes from the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service.
Get advice on trading with Scottish businesses
Find out how Scottish Development International can help you if you're looking to trade with Scotland.
Get exporting help and support
Find the organisations and websites you need to support your exporting journey, from starting out to growing your export business.
Get help to attend trade shows
Get help from Scottish Enterprise to attend a trade show or exhibition abroad.
Get help to employ staff
Get help from Talent Scotland to recruit new staff.
Get help to visit an export market
Get help from Scottish Enterprise to visit an export market.
Get help to work on global aid projects
Get help from Scottish Enterprise to apply for contracts to work on global aid projects.
Grant funding
Information on grant funding with some examples of grants available in Scotland to create jobs and new products or services.
Growing your business
Find out about growing your business - planning, deciding whether to grow, and the challenges of growing.
Help for entrepreneurs
Get help to develop as an entrepreneur.
Help for food and drink businesses
Find information on how Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise can help food and drink businesses.
Help for life science businesses
Find information on how Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise can help life science businesses.
Help for management teams looking to buy their business
Information for management teams looking to buy their business including writing business plans, agreeing terms and conditions and arranging funding.
Help for the creative industries
Find information on how Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise can help creative businesses.
Hiring staff in other countries
What to consider when you are employing staff in other countries.
How a corporate finance advisor could help you get funding
Information on how a corporate finance advisor could help you get funding for an idea or business.
How an accountant could help your business get funding
How an accountant can help you get funding for an idea or business. Includes how to find an accountant.
How corporate governance can help you get funding
Information on what corporate governance is and how it can help you get funding
How incubators or accelerators can help develop ideas or businesses
Information on how business incubator and accelerator programmes can help you develop your idea or business.
Intellectual property
Find out what intellectual property is and how to protect it in the UK and abroad.
IT and running a business online
Information on IT and how to run a business online.
Legal documents you'll need to review if you get funding
Information on the legal documents you'll need to review if you're successful in getting funding for your idea or business.
Make improvements to your business
Get advice from Scottish Enterprise on making improvements to your business.
Making sure your idea works
Information on judging whether an idea is worth developing, including judging costs, customers and competitors.
Managing your cashflow
Managing your cashflow is vital for business survival and growth. Every business needs cash available to pay their bills and expenses on time.
Online and distance selling
Information on the regulations for online selling and how to accept online payments.
Organisations that can help you develop your idea
Information on organisations who can help you develop your idea.
Organisations that can help your business
Information on government organisations that can help businesses in Scotland.
Pitching your business, products or ideas
Information on pitching your ideas for businesses, products or services.
Planning to sell your business (succession planning and exit readiness)
Information on selling your business when you plan to leave or retire.
Planning your finances (financial projections)
Information on creating profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and cash flow statements.
Scottish Growth Scheme
A £500 million package of financial support which aims to help Scottish businesses grow and is backed by the Scottish Government.
Search for business funding or advice
Search for business funding, including grant and loan options available in Scotland.
Selling shares in your business (equity finance)
Information on equity finance – which allows your business to raise money by selling shares.
Setting up a business in Scotland if you live abroad
Find more information on setting up a business in Scotland if you're based overseas.
Setting up a social enterprise
Start a business to help people or communities.
Set up a business in the UK
What you need to do to set up a business - registration, licenses, banking, NI and VAT, employing people.
Starting a business: first steps
For people thinking about starting a business or becoming self-employed.
Using unpaid invoices to raise cash (invoice finance)
Information on invoice finance – which helps your business to raise cash using unpaid invoices.
Writing a business plan
Information on what to include when writing a business plan if you're looking to raise funding or develop an idea.
Writing an export plan
Find out about the help and advice you can get when writing an export plan.