Techscaler Programme 2022-2024: early evaluation - executive summary

Stakeholders and partners views

The stakeholder consultations undertaken as part of the early evaluation revealed a broad consensus that the Techscaler Programme has established itself as a significant intervention in Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, though its role and impact are generally felt by stakeholders to be still evolving.

Awareness of the programme is improving

Stakeholders felt that awareness of the programme is improving, particularly among early-stage founders and those connected to CodeBase hubs, but some stakeholders noted ongoing confusion about the programme’s distinct identity versus CodeBase itself.

Barriers to startup success were considered consistent with wider entrepreneurial challenges such as: access to later-stage funding, skills shortages, limited commercial knowledge, and cultural resistance to failure. Stakeholders noted that Scottish startups excel at product development but can often lack market awareness and customer focus. Within this context, the Techscaler Programme was seen by stakeholders as contributing positively, but they also acknowledged that attribution of outcomes remains difficult given the perceived ‘cluttered’ support landscape and ‘overlapping’ initiatives.

While stakeholders noted that the programme is widely recognised for its strong early-stage support, questions remained for some stakeholders about its reach into growth and scaling companies and its ability to deliver sector-specific expertise.

Varied views among stakeholder groups on what success looks like for the Techscaler Programme

Definitions of success for the Techscaler Programme varied across the different stakeholder groups interviewed as part of the early evaluation.

CodeBase emphasised the creation of investable, sustainable businesses and a cultural shift towards entrepreneurship as a career path. Government stakeholders prioritised growth, investment flows, and diversity in the tech sector, while investors highlighted the need for genuinely scaling companies valued at £100 million+, cautioning against equating fundraising alone with success. Public sector partners emphasised the importance of building a vibrant, supportive ecosystem that positions Scotland as a leading location to start and grow a tech business, including beyond the central belt.

Strategically, the programme is seen by stakeholders as filling a critical gap in infrastructure and support, widening the funnel of potential startups, and responding to drivers such as artificial intelligence (AI), medtech, and productivity challenges.

Physical hubs were valued for fostering community and peer-to-peer interaction, though their sustainability and effectiveness was considered to vary by geography. Some stakeholders suggested hybrid or digital models could complement the current hub approach, particularly in rural areas.

CodeBase a respected and well-connected delivery partner

CodeBase was generally regarded by stakeholders as a respected and well-connected delivery partner, bringing credibility through its founder-led team and private sector agility. However, some concerns were raised by stakeholders about governance, staffing costs, and whether the organisation has the right staffing complement and mentor pool to support growth and scaling companies.

Some stakeholders felt the “coolness” of CodeBase was diluted by the demands of public funding and scrutiny, while others welcomed its independence from traditional enterprise structures.

The programme’s contribution to the ecosystem was acknowledged, particularly in building awareness, engaging founders, and strengthening networks. Yet stakeholders highlighted the need for clearer communication of outcomes, stronger Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and more visible evidence of impact beyond the published annual reports. Soft outcomes such as community building and confidence were noted, alongside harder metrics like business creation, survival rates, investment, and diversity.

Key success, enabling factors, and challenges

Key programme successes mentioned by stakeholders included scaling the team with experienced founders, establishing a national footprint, boosting awareness of entrepreneurship, and delivering inclusive early-stage support. Enabling factors were considered to be strong government backing, financial investment, and the involvement of credible leadership figures.

Challenges reported by stakeholders centred on branding confusion, ecosystem buy-in, and duplication of support.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, some external stakeholders called for greater clarity of the programme’s offer, stronger relationship management, more sector-specific and investment-readiness support, and a sharper focus on growth and demonstrable impact. The programme is seen as having laid important foundations, but stakeholders said its long-term success will depend on its ability to evolve from widening the funnel to enabling genuine scaleups, while balancing inclusivity with a more selective approach to backing high-potential ventures.

The main lessons learned identified by stakeholders were around the importance of collaboration, clearer communication, focus on scaling, and tailoring support to sectoral and regional needs.

Lessons learned from the stakeholder feedback

• Collaboration could be deeper, earlier, and continuous.
• The programme could shift emphasis from widening the funnel to scaling the pipeline.
• Communication and visibility could continue to be improved.
• Physical hubs matter, but the model needs refinement.
• Focus and specialisation are required to deliver real value.
• Governance, management, and internal systems should continue to be strengthened.
• Evaluation and data sharing are essential for credibility.
• The ecosystem is cluttered — coordination is vitally important, and the programme has an important role to play as a connector.