SMEs

Many SMEs have reinvested their profits just to stay afloat this year

Glasgow saw the highest business creation per capita out of all local authorities in Scotland, according to the latest Business Hotspots list from SME lender Iwoca.

Glasgow trumps Edinburgh as most popular place to start a business in Scotland

Top 10 challenges SME owners face

Top 10 challenging things about running your own business

SME owner

Top 10 things SMEs think they should be doing to stay afloat

Barclays is to cut opening hours of hundreds of branches across the UK

Barclays to cut opening hours of hundreds of branches across the UK

'Despite all the challenges, I remain optimistic about what Business Gateway can do to help Scotland’s SMEs achieve in the next few years,' says Hugh Lightbody. Picture: Stewart Attwood.

Interview: Business Gateway chief Hugh Lightbody on catalysing entrepreneurship

Rathbones has found that 44 per cent of business-owners north of the Border have given their employees regular financial help in the last six months. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images.

Cost of living: Scottish business-owners supporting employees financially

Liz McAreavey, CEO at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

Business barriers don’t add up to a growth agenda - Liz McAreavey

Heather Cobb of Tide: 'Meeting our target to onboard 100,000 female-led businesses in the UK by the end of 2023, almost a year early, is a great achievement and one we’re very proud of.'

Half of women setting up in business thwarted by funding hurdle - new research

Many SMEs affected by the rising living costs have said this time has been the ‘...

Justine Muir, Alan Crawley and Chris Foley of Optima Partners. Picture: Duncan McGlynn

Edinburgh-headquartered consultancy on track to double UK workforce to 100

From left: Nicola Campbell, Xanthe Tremain, and Greig McKnight at Azets' Glasgow office. Picture: Ashley Coombes.

Accountancy firm Azets promotes SME specialist to partner in Scotland

Lloyds says SMEs can, by investing in transitioning their business, create long-term cost savings, such as by becoming more energy efficient and reducing energy bills. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto.

Cost cited as largest obstacle for UK SMEs on journey to net zero

Many employees will get an extra 2.5 days of annual leave at Christmas - equatin...

Many employees will be able to spend a couple more days jetting off to the sun thanks to additional holiday allowances.

Festive cheer: SMEs to reward employees with 120 million extra days off

Leesman believes Scotland’s SMEs would if they adopted hybrid working only need physical workspace for 768,000 people - out of a total workforce of 1.2m - at any time. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto.

Hybrid working 'could save Scotland’s SMEs £6.5bn a year in office rent'
Scotland’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could save around £6.5 billion a year on office rent by embracing hybrid working, according to exclusive new data.

The new agreement was celebrated during a visit to the MDMC by Business Minister Ivan McKee. Picture: contributed.

New Heriot-Watt and Technology Scotland tie-up sets out to advance patient care

NatWest chief executive Alison Rose: 'We recognise that there are instances where customers would benefit from speaking with an independent advisor, particularly where debts are spread across multiple lenders.'

Struggling SMEs to get 'independent debt advice' as RBS seals charity tie-up

SMEs struggle to maintain business due to the rise in living costs – as many are...

Businesses are looking to cut costs even more, expert warns

UK SMEs brace for steep rise in redundancies, employment expert warns

Liz McAreavey, CEO at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

Speedy recovery demands support for business - Liz MacAreavey

Businesses and households are being hit with soaring utility bills heading into winter.

Energy price crisis: Quarter of SMEs say power bills unsustainable

From left: Professor Marc Desmulliez, manager of the MDMC at Heriot-Watt, and Graham Watson, executive chair of InnoScot Health. Picture: contributed.

Heriot-Watt inks 'landmark' partnership to accelerate medtech innovation

Nearly half of all SMEs have already switched to a domestic supplier due to sustainability concerns, NatWest has found. Picture: Niklas Halle'n/AFP via Getty Images.

'Encouraging' signs that UK firms making supply chains more eco-friendly

These are the top 20 ways small businesses are reducing outgoings

Small businesses are in need of help

New report: Government must spend more with small businesses to unlock growth

The MDMC 'is accelerating life-changing medical devices from concept into commercial products', Dr Murray says. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

The Big Interview: Dr Gillian Murray of Heriot-Watt University
Dr Gillian Murray is deputy principal (enterprise and business) at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, having in 2016 taken on what was a newly created position.

Mike Randall and William Devine at the opening of the new Simply Scottish operation, based at Eurocentral.

SME-focused asset finance lender opens first office in Scotland

The lab will be based in TSB’s Edinburgh George Street headquarters, Henry Duncan House.

TSB joins forces with FinTech Scotland to launch Edinburgh 'innovation lab'

Emma and Fergus MacDonald, owners of the Edinburgh-based Tartan Blanket Co, who secured capital from last year’s fund to support expansion. Picture: contributed.

Scotland allocated £1bn to fuel growth as part of HSBC's latest SME fund

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland are confident of sales rising in the current quarter.

Scottish SMEs buck gloomy backdrop with sales boost prediction

In a 'seamless transition', Jane Wood, pictured, succeeds Nicola Barclay as chief executive of Homes for Scotland (HFS). Picture: Chris Watt

Homes for Scotland unveils high-profile chief exec at critical time for industry

Eight in 10 small business owners want to be greener - but don’t know where to s...

Jenny Britton, head of executive development at University of Edinburgh Business School and James Close, head of climate change at NatWest Group, mark the launch of the tie-up at RBS's Gogarburn headquarters. Picture: Stuart Nicol Photography

RBS staff to tap into £1.5m training to help firms make most of net zero shift

Dame Julia Unwin is to lead the new Edinburgh-led initiative to unlock the power of data to help SMEs.

Finance firms join forces to help tackle SME late payment crisis

Royal Bank of Scotland, part of NatWest Group, is launching new green loans and green asset finance. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA

RBS takes aim at net zero goal after launching green loan support for SMEs

CEO Stuart Lunn with Sir Sandy Crombie, chairman of LendingCrowd.

Edinburgh fintech LendingCrowd pledges £100 million to recovering SMEs

Brian Machray and Nick Smith of Reward Finance Group.

Alternative funder hires experienced specialist to head new Edinburgh operation

AM Bid's David Gray says SMEs have to prepare for changes to public sector contracts.

Scotland's SMEs urged to ready themselves for public procurement changes

Mehrnaz Campbell, founder and CEO of Cheemia ReSet, one of the three firms taking to the #SMEstage next month. Picture: Donna Green Photography.

Three pioneering Scots SMEs secure prestigious slots at Can Do Innovation Summit

International trade consultant Diana Peralta and Heather MacLaurin of Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce launch the trade missions in Greenock. Picture: James Chapelard.

Land of opportunity: Scots firms heading to US on in-person trade missions

The research from a poll of 1,000 SMEs, analysis of more than 100 reports, as well as the results of 50 support programmes, found that just 20 per cent of UK SMEs describe themselves as tech-savvy. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Just a fifth of SMEs 'tech-savvy' despite potential boost to bottom-line

The ACCA said that as the country moves into a new phase of Covid-related restrictions, SMEs across Scotland will need additional support.

Quarter of Scottish SMEs still not returned to pre-Covid levels of productivity

(L to R) Gillian Rushton, business advisory senior manager at AAB; Paul Wilson, chief executive of STAC; Lisa Thomson, CEO of Purpose HR; Marie Macklin CBE, founder and executive chair of the Halo Urban Regeneration Company; Ian Marshall, head of tech strategy at AAB. Picture: Peter Devlin

Accountancy firm AAB offers tech boost with support deals for major projects

Bids expert: David Gray

Strict public sector tender rules stifle innovation says Edinburgh expert

More than four in five smaller firms surveyed in the Scottish capital will take on more staff next year, Google has found. Picture: Ian Georgeson.

Edinburgh SMEs harnessing digital with plans to broaden horizons next year

Global leaders are due to gather at the United Nations summit COP26, being held in Glasgow in under three weeks, to set out plans to limit the worst effects of climate change

Giant leap: eight small steps to help firms cut climate footprint

NatWest Group chief executive Alison Rose: 'Our ambition to play a leading role in the UK’s transition to a net zero economy is why we are targeting £100bn of climate and sustainable funding and financing by the end of 2025.' Picture: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

RBS owner NatWest pledges £100 billion of green funding and SME eco loans

Financial technology, or fintech, has become a key growth area for the digital economy. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

FinTech Scotland reports 50% surge in financial tech firms during pandemic

A digital first to help SMEs: Andrew Morrison

Edinburgh experts launches first digital platform to boost pandemic recovery

Lorna Slater, Green MSP

World leaders must make COP conference work - Lorna Slater

Eoghan Mackie of The Challenges Group (left) and Jack Allan of Today have joined forces to work on projects in Africa. Picture: contributed.

Edinburgh-based media agency launching African offices on back of new tie-up

Edinburgh’s SMEs described their local area as 'optimistic, hard-working and excited'. Picture: Ian Georgeson.

Majority of Edinburgh SMEs 'have shown real resilience in face of pandemic'

Stephanie Barnet, product development and marketing manager for Glasgow-based Shearer Candles.

Scottish small firms selling on Amazon rack up £90 million of export sales

The capital base is headed by Graham Clarke, a licensed business coach with ten years’ experience working with blue-chip global brands and ten years’ experience in the Scottish business community. Picture: Marc Millar

World’s largest business coaching organisation sets up shop in Edinburgh