With more than 1000 attendees, 9 workshops, 3 stages, 30 speakers and 30 exhibitors at Assembly Rooms on 31st October, Startup Summit was definitely the place to be!
Nick Freer in The Scotsman - Start-up spirit shines at Edinburgh summit
FutureX knocked it out of the park again at Startup Summit 2018 and the team’s spirit of collaboration – exemplified by Dr Steve Ewing of EIE and Brian Corcoran of TuringFest being given prominent slots in this year’s programme – should also be applauded. - Nick Freer
"Walker and Kantounatou went on to outline Startup Summit’s primary aim: to help build Scotland’s start-up community and ecosystem into the kind of powerhouse it needs to be to compete on the global stage. There was another strong line-up of speakers this year, including former Skyscanner COO Mark Logan, Blackcircles.com founder Mike Welch, SurveyMonkey CMO Leela Srinivasan, Administrate CEO John Peebles, tech entrepreneur Chris van der Kuyl and the co-founders of Scottish accounting software success story FreeAgent."
We need to make sure that people see that this is a fantastic place to come and do business or study. - Kristian Tapaninaho, Ooni
Casting aside personal political views, the panel – which included Turing Fest CEO Brian Corcoran and FutureX co-founder Zoi Kantounatou – underlined the need for Scotland to project an image of inclusivity and an ‘open for business’ atmosphere.
Chris van der Kuyl, the panel host, asserted that this will be a key challenge moving forward as Scotland considers its place in a global tech ecosystem.
“My fellow finalists were fantastic and probably deserved to win just as much as me, so I am overjoyed to be picked. The team will be thrilled that their efforts have been rewarded." - Scott Weir, Pillow Property Partners
“I am very pleased about the tech support we will receive. That will be invaluable to me as, right now, I do all the tech. Having that professional and knowledgeable support is going to be amazing.”
He will now receive substantial business support from IBM, STV, Adopt An Intern and Johnston Carmichael. He will also receive a place on FutureX’s Silicon Valley Accelerator Programme. In total, the prize is worth £200,000.
Kate Primore - Kindaba - Highlights of Startup Summit 2018: How to be driven by the desire for positive impact
The theme of this year’s Startup Summit — “The Power of Company Culture”– aims to highlight the necessity of giving employees a sense of purpose at work while feeling that they’re making an impact. Something this generation is craving more than ever. - Kate Primore, Kindaba
"Both Srinivasan and Joy Lewis, CEO of Adopt An Intern, among others, stressed the importance of Startup Summit’s theme of company culture and its power in cultivating a successful brand. Brand identity and values are reflected within a business and not just projected onto the market. These influence the attitudes, motivations, and behaviour of employees in their day to day work. By having a strong ethos to identify with, people within a company trying to make an impact can thrive and feel like they’re making meaningful change."
Shauna Rafferty - Teviot - Five takeaways from Startup Summit
I think we’re all becoming more socially and environmentally aware, we kind of don’t have a choice, because the way we’re doing things just now isn’t sustainable, and has to change! - Ed Vickers, Managing Partner, Teviot
"There were several important messages I took away from Monique’s interview, but one that stands out is one that’s as old as time; speak to your customers and listen! This doesn’t mean sending out a quarterly newsletter and survey to gain some fairly generic feedback on your product/offering, but instead speaking directly to your customers – picking up the phone (however scary it might be) and listening to their feedback. Not trying to defend your product or do a hard sell, simply just listening is so valuable. You might not hear what you like but it will be what you need to progress and grow your business."
Lisa Wardlaw - Bridge2Business - West Lothian College Students Attend Start Up Summit
I was amazed at how busy it was, and the amount of support organisations that were there. I was really excited to speak to them, and also learn from the speakers. - Sulema Romero
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