Partnerships
Anderson Strathern
Anderson Strathern has partnered with Edinburgh-based anti-money laundering tech company Amiqus. The partnership will see Amiqus provide the legal firm with identity verification software that will enable Anderson Strathern’s clients to undergo secure, online compliance processes from their own device and in their own time.
Anderson Strathern, which has 52 partners and more than 240 employees across Edinburgh, Glasgow and East Lothian, has invested in Amiqus via the Equity Gap angel syndicate the firm joined earlier this year.
Bruce Farquhar, chair of Anderson Strathern, said: “Amiqus ID verification software will enable us to provide a smoother and more secure client experience. We’ve also chosen to invest in Amiqus and collaborate with them because we recognise the increasing importance of digital and web-based services for the future delivery of legal services.
“The online space offers the prospect of widening access to justice in the future and we’re also keen to support local businesses with great ideas for impact.”
Want to find out more? Read the original article here.
Circle
Scottish charity Circle has partnered with The Data Lab, Scotland’s Innovation Centre for data and artificial intelligence. Circle has made “significant process” in utilising data and demonstrating impact thanks to the partnership. For the first time the charity, which provides support to families on a range of issues, has been able to use data science to quantify the rate of improvement among each family it works with.
Its partnership with the Innovation Centre enabled data scientists to work with Circle and leverage a wide range of indicators measured on a scale of 1-10, such as supporting the reduction of alcohol, better budgeting to manage household finances and access appropriate housing. Additionally, the initiative helped limit activities, which could lead to children’s exclusion from school or improve parents’ education and employment prospects.
Dr Caterina Constantinescu, data scientist at The Data Lab, explained: “We know Circle was doing fantastic work with families across Edinburgh. But due to the nature of the sessions, and highly tailored approach, it was historically difficult for the charity to quantify how much of an impact it was having through data science – instead relying more heavily on anecdotal evidence.
“We worked with the team to determine how effective the sessions were for individual families. Moving forward, the charity is now able to analyse sessions in much greater detail, and leverage data science techniques to inform policies and decisions in the future, providing Circle with key stats to use in future funding applications. It’s a great example of using data as a force for good.”
Want to find out more? Read the original article here.
Funding
Ping Network Solutions
Strathclyde-based Scottish systems integrator and independent Cisco Gold Partner, Ping Network Solutions, is one of the first companies in Scotland to benefit from £335,000 Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant support from Scottish Enterprise, contingent on fair work practices.
The RSA grant from Scottish Enterprise will support the increasing demand on Ping’s managed services business by enhancing capability and office capacity, which will enable them to deliver larger, more complex projects to both UK and international customers.
With a commitment to the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Action Plan, Ping has pledged to safeguard 15 jobs and create an additional 15 by the end of 2021, taking the headcount to approximately 50 employees, all paid above the Scottish Living Wage. The funding boost follows a bumper year for Ping, which has already increased its client base by 25% and employee headcount by 40% over the last 12 months
Michael Cannon, head of Grants at Scottish Enterprise, added: “We are delighted to announce that Ping was one of the first companies we granted RSA to with fair work conditions attached. With our support to safeguard 15 jobs and create an additional 15, Ping will create conditions where employees’ skills, talents, ingenuity and commitment are optimised, transforming their working lives whilst building a high-performing, innovative business. We look forward to working with Ping to deliver their growth ambitions and wish them every success with their relocation later this year.”
PureLiFi
Edinburgh-based PureLiFi has completed a £14 million Series B funding round to provide LiFi components to mass-market mobile device manufacturers. The company said the investment will enable it to take advantage of the “massive” market opportunities that LiFi presents and set a benchmark for its use in consumer devices.
PureLiFi CEO Alistair Banham said: “Device manufacturers are looking for new ways to provide devices with faster, more reliable and secure connectivity. LiFi is the natural next step in the evolution of global wireless communications and pureLiFi is leading the way to provide this technology to the market.
“Our investors believe in our team and our strategy to provide LiFi for every light and every device, and we have the products to support mobile device integration of LiFi.”
The funding round includes cash injections from Temasek, a Singapore-headquartered investment firm, as well as the Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise.
Want to find out more? Read the original article here.
Stampede
Leith-based startup Stampede has launched after securing £1m in seed funding. The investment has come from a range of investors including Techstart Ventures and Galvanise Capital. Previously known as BLACKBX, Stampede provides offline businesses with a range of online tools to help them connect with customers and expand rapidly.
Founded by software developer and tech entrepreneur, Patrick Clober, the company’s aim is to enable physical venues to improve customer engagement and understanding. The company plans to use the investment to expand its team from 32 to 60 employees and to further develop its suite of services.
Techstart Ventures invested £300,000 in the startup, while an additional £200k was pledged by private investors, including angel investor Judy Wilson. The Scottish Government also invested £250k and a second quarter-million-pound R&D grant is also in progress.
Commenting on the funding announcement, Judy Wilson said: “It’s getting increasingly difficult for hospitality and retail businesses to compete for attention with online marketing. Stampede is a clever piece of software that uses the existing WiFi system to engage with potential customers. In our view, it is a game-changer for offline businesses.”
Want to find out more? Read the original article here.
Spktral
Edinburgh-based tech firm Spktral has announced the completion of a seed investment round. Spktral specialises in helping other companies simplify reporting of gender pay gaps and improve workforce diversity.
The funding package, which remains undisclosed, has been provided by a group of investors including Paul Atkinson, non-executive chair of Taranata Group, John Hall and Philip Pritchard.
The company’s cloud-based platform enables firms to prepare their own pay gap reports and see where inequalities lie, with users able to users able to undertake the process in-house or fully outsource it to the company itself.
Commenting on the funding announcement, Spktral CEO Anthony Horrigan said: “As a result of this investment, Spktral is now ideally placed to help its clients address the wider sustainability agenda that’s gathering pace among business leaders globally.
“Diversity, inclusion and equality are part of the global sustainability agenda and are recognised as being key to an organisations’ future success and attractiveness to employees, customers and investors. Spktral’s goal is to help clients quickly and easily understand where they lack diversity – from there we can help them develop a plan and measurement framework to address this complex issue.”
Want to find out more? Read the original article here.