Scotland Can Start a Business. Can It Scale One?

A bold new conference launching today sets out to answer the question holding back the Scottish economy and to give the country's businesses the tools to finally grow.

Scotland has always been a nation of starters. The country starts businesses brilliantly, but with a handful of notable exceptions, it has struggled to scale them. The Scotland Means Business Conference intends to change that. Making it’s debut this year, The Exiteers’ full-day conference launches today, with tickets now on sale ahead of the inaugural event at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms 13 October 2026. The Scottish Borders-based business investment and consultancy firm has a single, mission: to give more Scottish businesses the tools to scalein the modern world.  

This is not another day of platitudes and panel small-talk. It brings together the voices and expertise that actually move the needle. Real founders sharing real case studies, alongside the professionals and academics who understand what it takes to scale. From navigating the funding maze to maximising value at exit, from cutting through a crowded market to walking the fine line between scaling fast and scaling too fast, every session tackles a genuine barrier to growth head-on. 

Expect high-profile keynotes, candid panels, live audience Q&As and serious networking. The event is build for a qualified, mature audience – SME owners, founders and the professional advisers who support them, across a variety of industries and actively investing in growth. 

Phil Morris, Co-Founder of The Exiteers, said: “Scotland has never had a shortage of ambition or ideas. Where Scotland has historically struggled is turning promising businesses into ones that truly scale. Scotland Means Business is about closing that gap – bringing together people who’ve done it, and the experts that help them, for a genuinely practical day of learning. To speak and challenge each other to get to the bottom of what it takes. This is the real and tough conversation Scottish business has needed for a long time.” 

The conference will also stage an exhibition of the businesses and partners powering Scotland’s growth, with category-exclusive sponsorship opportunities open to professional services firms.  

Early bird tickets are available now for a limited time from https://scotlandmeansbusiness.co.uk, starting at £75. 

Scotland Means Business takes place on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.