Entrepreneurs, growth & investment solicitors
Entrepreneurs and growing businesses face specific challenges which require specialist advice. We understand these obstacles and opportunities, working in partnership to help our clients build and grow successful businesses from sound legal foundations.
Overview
Leading legal advisers to the entrepreneurial community
The entrepreneurial, high-growth arena in Scotland is thriving and our specialist team is recognised as leading legal advisers to this business community.
Along with advising many individuals and businesses, we work closely with the organisations and investors who have helped to drive this growth.
We also work closely with many entrepreneurial support organisations including Scotland’s network of angel investors and venture capitalists. In addition we have strong relationships with the public sector and banking institutions which support entrepreneurs and high-growth companies.
From our offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Thurso and Inverness, we deliver legal advice in a clear way, focused on business rather than the law. As a full service commercial law firm we can also provide a number of additional services which may be crucial to you and your business. Moreover, we can be with you for your entire journey – you will not outgrow us.
Key contacts
Watch our video with Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE as she talks about the support they provide to a growing number of early stage Scottish businesses, the importance of professional advisors and Scottish EDGE’s partnership with Harper Macleod.
THE TEAM
Our lawyers work closely with businesses at every stage of their life-cycle, from inception right through to a successful exit. We have extensive experience of helping young, innovative companies secure the necessary investment to fuel their growth into strong, successful businesses.
Services
Our services
We have teams within our firm regularly dealing with high value transactions so we can secure your needs at every stage of your business’ life cycle. We also like to open doors and facilitate introductions to other larger, blue chip clients which are often highly beneficial to early stage businesses.
Investment
Overview
Our team are experts in helping scale ups raise multiple equity investment rounds from seed to Series A to Series B completing deals on a weekly basis. We also act for a large number of local and international investors. We have completed more than 180 equity deals in the last 3 year making us one of the pre-eminent firms in the UK for equity investments.
Alternative Finance
Overview
We are specialists in lending and equity alternative finance. On the equity side, we have been at the forefront of developments in crowdfunding in Scotland, helping clients carry out some of the country’s most successful and ground-breaking equity crowdfunding campaigns and on the lending side, we have acted for many of the key lenders as they enter the Scottish market and worked on excess of 200 alternative finance deals last financial year.
Share options
Overview
We work with companies to help them grow their team and as part of that routinely putting in place share option arrangements, including non-tax favoured options and enterprise management options (EMIs). With our extensive share option experience, we tailor share options to each business so to maximise benefit.
Brand protection and trademarks
Overview
We are specialists in brand protection and management, helping you to look after your brand, maximise its potential and react effectively to threats at all levels, both offline and online.
Our team manages more brand rights than any other Scottish-based legal firm and offers a holistic, contentious and non-contentious brand management service.
Commercial contracts
Overview
Our commercial and corporate solicitors work with scale ups across Scotland, the UK and internationally to draft, review and finalise all manner of commercial contracts and terms and conditions.
Whether you’re a small business employing one or two people or a large company, our solicitors can draft legal documents to suit all types of commercial agreements.
Employment contracts
Overview
Our employment lawyers help businesses on every aspect of employment law. From ensuring suitable contracts and policies are in place through to exits by way of settlement agreements we can help at all stages on the employment journey.
Work
Working in partnership
We have worked closely with some of the leading organisations in the Scottish entrepreneurial ecosystem, from business accelerators to investors, and publicly funded organisations to networking communities. These include:
ScottishEDGE
Overview
Harper Macleod has been working closely as a partner of ScottishEDGE, the funding competition aimed at Scotland’s top early stage and high-growth businesses. Our involvement has seen us work with a number of the finalists and winners of ScottishEDGE helping them on their way to success.
As legal advisers to Scottish EDGE, we’ve put together special offers on our legal services.
Entrepreneurial Spark
Overview
We have worked with Entrepreneurial Spark since its inception more than 10 years ago and in that time Entrepreneurial Spark has supported more than 5,000 entrepreneurs in 27 accelerators. In addition to advising Entrepreneurial Spark, we have worked with many of the entrepreneurs on its programmes on a host of areas such as corporate structure, intellectual property, commercial contracts and investment. Currently, we are partnering with Entrepreneurial Spark on its Fusion:Connect to Capital programme, a six-month investment completion programme that accelerates early-stage space industry startups to raise investment from angels and stage-appropriate funds.
Case studies
Formedix
Formedix is a clinical trials software company created by Glasgow-based Mark Wheeldon in 1998. Following a pharmacy degree at the University of Strathclyde, and a stint conducting clinical trials in a pharmaceutical company, Mark was struck by how long it took to set up clinical trials, so set out to use software to make it quicker and more cost effective. In 2023, Formedix was acquired by the US-listed Certara, in one of the year’s standout exits for a Scottish company.
Learn more on page 6 of Dealmakers MagazineEdinburgh games developer provides the perfect Incentive
In 2013, John Gordon was a chemical engineer, living and working in Trinidad and Tobago. Today, he is CEO of Incentive Games, one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies.
Learn more about our work with Incentive Games in our case studyPhox Water
Phox Water is a Glasgow-based water filtration company driven by a mission to be truly sustainable. The brainchild of founder Scott Dickson, Phox provides environmentally-friendly and reusable water filtration products, overcoming the problems associated with the millions of single-use plastic water filter cartridges which end up in landfill each year.
Read the case studyTriyit
Triyit secures major investment. Triyit is a marketing technology platform that connects consumers and brands like never before. Consumers discover new favourite products at home for free, whilst brands win loyal new customers – at scale! There has been incredible support from Scottish EDGE, providing Triyit with support and resources to grow the business into a profitable organisation and connect with some of the biggest brands in the world. At Harper Macleod, we have been able to work with Triyit to see their business flourish. Triyit has just closed a seven-figure investment with Maven Capital Partners.
Learn moreKingdom technologies
Robotic lawn mower developer goes from seed to scale with £2m investment. A Glasgow-based innovator in autonomous robotic lawn mowers, has secured a £2m investment to scale its operations. Their eco-friendly robots, already popular with golf courses and local authorities, can cover areas ten times larger than traditional mowers thanks to smart navigation technologies. After successful two-year pilots, the company is ready to meet growing demand and expand internationally, with nearly 400 pre-orders from the UK, Europe, and the US. This investment, supported by Scottish Enterprise and backed by Metaplanet, Ironwolf, Superangel, and Specialist VC, will help Kingdom Technologies take its innovative solutions to new heights.
Learn more on page 11 of Dealmakers MagazineIOLLA
We’ve advised IOLLA since incorporation on all areas such as fundraising, commercial contracts, intellectual property aspects and most recently their new joint venture for high street eyewear brand. IOLLA offers its customers high quality eyewear at affordable prices. IOLLA is embarking on a new journey by launching their joint venture partnerships. They want likeminded individuals to join the partnership and be part of their growing success. Harper Macleod are dedicated to working with IOLLA every step of the way.
Read moreRaven Controls Limited
Raven specialises in event and venue management making responding to incidents more efficient. Raven Controls is an innovative live-time event logging and incident management tool providing shared integrated situation awareness like never before. We’ve worked with Raven Controls on all areas of their business from investment raising to intellectual property to share options to internationalisation working with key partners in other jurisdictions.
Connect EV Charging
Connekt EV Charging is a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. In October 2024 it reached a significant milestone with a £220,000 investment from two private individuals. This strategic investment will bolster Connekt’s expansion plans and enhance its position as a key player in the UK’s rapidly growing EV market. It follows on from an earlier £250,000 investment from IFS (Investment Fund for Scotland) which allowed Connekt to install its first fully-funded Rapid charging hub on the grounds of Cameron House. The investment comes from Craig Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Giglets, and Keith Campbell. Both investors bring a wealth of experience and a shared vision for sustainable transportation. This funding will enable Connekt to scale its operations, enhance its management team, and drive innovation in the EV charging sector.
Read moreGiglets Education
Kilmarnock-based Giglets Education was founded in 2007 by Craig Johnstone and fellow students from the University of Strathclyde. It was originally conceived as a way to make classic stories available to children, in the fear they might be lost in an increasingly digital age. With initial sales performing well, Giglets secured new contracts and awards which allowed Craig to transform the business in 2011, alongside Dr Karsten Karcher, in an edtech service provider. In March 2022, Giglets by acquired by Sweden’s ILT Education in a seven-figure deal backed by social impact private equity investor Trill Impact.
Learn more on page 11 of Dealmakers MagazineReath Technology Limited
Reath are using cutting-edge technology to eliminate single-use packaging. Their goal is to create a circular economy where packaging is tracked, reused, and repurposed. Harper Macloed have assisted Reath on various rounds of funding and right through to the exit of one of its founders. Showcasing the team’s dedication to growing their client’s businesses.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Harper Macleod at all stages of our business journey from inception through growth with our experience at Entrepreneurial Spark, supported by Paula Skinner, and ultimately to a successful exit. Throughout the years, our relationship has felt like nothing short of a partnership with the advice and services provided of the highest quality and always with our best interests in mind. It has been a pleasure to work with the team at Harper Macleod.”
“The reality is that the Scottish EDGE team is relatively small, but tight-knit and with chosen partners who are a true extension of our efforts. Harper Macleod has been with us right from the very beginning, helping us in our formation, and also in our strategic approach to help young Scottish businesses to grow and flourish.”
“Jo and the Harper Macleod team have been great supporters and advisers. They are patient, supportive and understanding of our ambitions to grow something really special. With their background in supporting early stage and fast growing businesses, they know the challenges and how to work around them.”
“The diligence process is one of the most arduous tasks a founder will ever be put through and without the leadership of my US lawyer of 20 years, the excellent, multi-faceted, burning the candles at both ends skills of Harper Macleod, coupled with some great tax lawyers advice, we would never have closed this deal.”
“The team at Harper Macleod has been excellent to work with. Their background and credentials working with entrepreneurial businesses and advising them when stepping up to the next level was evident from the first time we met.”
“We have used Harper Macleod for many years now, they are our preferred partner whenever reliable legal advice is required. Paula Skinner and her team advised on our most recent requirement. The process was made simple, stress free and completed within our required timeline, including coordinating with our accountants to obtain HMRC clearances for our transaction. Outstanding service delivery, with clear, frequent communication from start to finish. First class!”
“Erin, Gail and Jo are always a great help and we know we can count on them to keep us right. We’ve often asked them for assistance with tight deadlines andand they’ve always pulled through. They’re very easy to deal with which makes speaking to them a pleasure and, of course, their knowledge in these matters is excellent.”
“Having needed legal advice for many years now I can highly recommend Harper Macleod. Especially Paula, Bruce and Sophie, for their phenomenal advice and unwavering support. Their expertise and professionalism were truly exceptional, but what truly touched me was their heartfelt, personal approach and the tailored, personalised service they provided. The additional support from Bruce was invaluable. I felt supported, empowered and guided through every step of the legal process. Their dedication and commitment were unwavering, ultimately leading to a successful outcome. I cannot recommend their services highly enough to anyone seeking first class legal assistance.”
“Jo provided excellent, insightful and prompt advice all the way through the process. This was the first time I had been involved in the sale of a large business asset and she guided me through the whole process with great patience. I would definitely recommend and use her services again.”
“Thoroughly professional service from Harper Macleod throughout the process of selling my business. Paula and Molly were both excellent to deal with and I was delighted not only with the level of service but also with the speed of their response in what was a very fast track process. Thank you both”
“We really appreciate Jo and Erin’s handwork throughout our listing process. They were always available to help answer any questions we had. They were both very easy to communicate with and always took the time to explain everything clearly and were very prompt with all responses.”
“Thank you for everything you have done to help me and to help Triyit in the past year. Your advice, assistance and patience have been so wonderfully appreciated. You have made a huge impact on my business and without the support we have received from Harper Macleod, Triyit would not be in the fantastic position it is in now.”
“We were very impressed by Harper Macleod’s sector-specific expertise and attention to detail throughout the process of completing our recent investment in Sirakoss.”
“They gave us excellent advice based on strong industry experience.” “They’re able to provide guidance on any topic we have come to them with.” “The team is excellent and provides invaluable support at all times.”
“Paula is one of the best I’ve worked with. She’s commercial, responsive and trusted.” “Paula is very strong and a pleasure to work with.”
“She understands our business and our needs.” “Jo clearly knows her stuff and is very responsive!” “Jo is a fantastically commercially aware lawyer and gets to the crux of the issue with focus and efficiency.”
“The HM team come across as a tight-knit team that work closely together to give a first-rate service. Swift to respond/act and practical down to earth legal advice.” “Paula Skinner provides honest, open advice from a bright, experienced individual.”
Work
Examples of our work
Aveni
Incentive Holdings Limited (Incentive Games)
Reath Technology
Estendio Limited
Scottish EDGE
Caribou Property Limited
Aveni
Overview
After advising Scottish fintech company Aveni on it first round of investment, we then advised it on an investment of £1.1 million to launch a ground-breaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform which is leading the way in a new era for speech analytics in business.
Aveni Detect uses the latest advances in AI and natural language processing (NLP) to automate processes direct from the customer voice. This allows companies to achieve greater efficiencies in quality assurance whilst significantly improving client experience, staff training, and the ability to identify vulnerable customers. The investment, led by the TRICAPITAL Angel syndicate, will accelerate Aveni’s growth and see it move beyond financial services into other regulated industries, whilst building a team to support its UK expansion.
Aveni’s team of world leading NLP scientists and engineers have worked with top businesses in the UK to develop Aveni Detect. Whether a business meets customers face-to-face, via video conference or phone, Aveni Detect converts the conversation to text before processing it through its unique NLP pipeline to deliver novel insight and automation.
This creates significant opportunities for businesses to greatly reduce the cost to serve, build a better trained workforce and identify opportunities for new products and services. As well as TRICAPITAL, the round was supported by Scottish Enterprise’s Growth Investments, Old College Capital – the University of Edinburgh’s in-house venture investment fund and Wallace Equity.
Incentive Holdings Limited (Incentive Games)
Overview
We work closely with Edinburgh based Incentive Holdings Limited as it expands rapidly. Incentive Holdings (trading as Incentive Games) is a leading B2B games provider working globally with an ever expanding team.
Our most recent work with Incentive includes helping them with a further round of equity investment, assisting with various share transfers, putting together consultancy arrangements and advising on unapproved share option arrangements and an EMI share option scheme.
Testimonial: “Jo and her team have supported us superbly well through some difficult and exciting times. They have helped guide us in a professional and trustworthy manner, always keeping our budget and requirements in sharp focus.” Stewart Gove, Executive Director
Reath Technology
Overview
Our Corporate Team advised Reath Technology on its seed investment from Techstart Ventures and various private investors.
Founded in 2019 by Claire Rampen and Emily Rogers, Reath Technology is on a mission to build the digital infrastructure required for businesses to shift the circular economy. They specialise in the tagging and tracking of circular assets, and building the “digital passport” they need – think Google Analytics for the circular economy.
The investment will allow Reath Technology to carry out a number of expansion plans. Our team advising on the deal included Jo Nisbet.
Harper Macleod have gone on to assist Reath on various rounds of funding and right through to the exit of one of its founders. Showcasing the team’s dedication to growing their client’s businesses
Estendio Limited
Overview
Estendio is an innovative tech business with a mission to cultivate human potential through accessible technology such as its Present Pal product.
The company secured £450,000 funding in the form of a long-term Convertible Loan Note from Scottish Enterprise and a group of private investors. Paula Skinner (Partner, Corporate) worked closely with Chris Hughes and the team at Estendio to bring the deal to a successful close.
Testimonial: “Natalie and Paula, a massive thank you for all your work to get this deal complete and over the line. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you both and I look forward to working with you both again.”
Chris Hughes, founder of Estendio
Scottish EDGE
Overview
We advised Scottish EDGE, a competition for early stage and high growth businesses where they can win grant and loan funding, on its recent fund raise of £1 million from Sir Tom Hunter, Kevin Dorren, Sir Brian Souter, James Watt, Lord and Lady Haughey, Chris van der Kuyl and Paddy Burns. Each of the leading entrepreneurs committed between £100k to £500k, mainly in the form of loans.
The new funding is going to be used in the next four rounds of the competition to help businesses grow. Harper Macleod has been heavily involved with Scottish EDGE from its inception and is delighted to have been able to assist them in securing such a significant funding package. Jo Nisbet (Partner) and Paula Skinner (Partner) advised on the deal.
Testimonial: “We were delighted to work with Harper Macleod on a deal which will help us to support additional winners in the next four rounds of Scottish EDGE and improve our chances of having a positive impact on the Scottish economy. As always, the team were a great source of advice in pulling together the paperwork.” Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE
Caribou Property Limited
Overview
We acted on behalf of Caribou Property Ltd in relation to their £1.5m investment in Macomics Limited, an immuno-oncology company with world-leading expertise in macrophage biology. Macomics is developing precision medicines to modulate macrophages for the treatment of cancer.
Caribou co-invested alongside Scottish Enterprise and Epidarex UK Fund who had previously already invested in the company, bringing the total of the round to £4.24m. We are engaged to act on behalf of Caribou in relation to all of their Scottish investments and have so far assisted with four investments. We work closely with the team to ensure we can carry out the investments within their required timescales.
This transaction was led by Paula Skinner (Partner, Corporate) with intellectual property input from Jamie Watt (Partner, Corporate).
Testimonial: “Thank you very much for all your help with getting Macomics over the line. We really appreciate all the help and support you have provided.” Lucinda O’Dowd, Executive Assistant
Publication
Dealmakers magazine
Our team is among the leading advising in corporate Scotland and our regular bulletin captures some of their recent activity across a wide range of sectors.
Read our Spring 2024 editionInsights
Insights
Scottish EDGE24 Winners
Insights
Our roundup of Glasgow Tech Week 2024
Insights
Glasgow Tech Week – the rise of the technology B-Corp
Insights
Glasgow Tech Week – understanding share options
Insights
Glasgow Tech Week – is it worth the risk for technology businesses to use legal templates?
Insights
Scottish EDGE Round 22 winners
Insights
Growing your business: Top tips for getting ready for investment
Insights
Is it worth the risk using legal templates?
CONTACT US
Call us for free on 0330 159 5555 or complete our online form below to submit your enquiry or arrange a call back.