Scotland doesn’t just lay claim to arguably being one of the world’s most beautiful countries (regularly topping the charts of travel gurus like Rough Guides) – it also has a proud history of innovation that stretches back centuries.
Canny Scots were responsible for everything from the invention of TV to the discovery of penicillin, while the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18Th Century made Edinburgh one of the world’s intellectual capitals.
Perhaps this go-getting pedigree explains why Scotland still produces some of the most eclectic and exciting new enterprises anywhere and punches above its weight across a range of business fields.
With that in mind, here are five Scottish firms smashing their sectors.
1. Brewdog
The fact that it feels like Scottish craft beer gurus Brewdog have been around for a while is a testament to their rapid ascent to becoming a household name and their robust brand persona – they’ve actually only existed since 2007.
The Aberdeenshire firm is fast becoming a bit of a beer behemoth, with over 1000 employees, 46 bars around the world and 343,000 barrels brewed annually.
2. Current Health
Current Health is based in Edinburgh and it’s pioneering wearable devices for medical patients – specifically, a clever AI armband which allows doctors to remotely monitor discharged patients and track vitals like breathing rate and oxygen saturation.
Current has secured over $10 million in funding and was named Scottish Startup of 2018 at last year’s Scottish Tech Startup Awards.
3. TravelNest
If you’re in the European vacation accommodation business and want to be sure that your property is booked all year round, Caledonian holiday rental site TravelNest can do all of the hard marketing work for you.
The handy multi-channel platform works with over 30 top booking sites, including giants like Airbnb and Expedia, to ensure that you can maximise the web presence and availability of your holiday let in diverse markets.
4. With Jack
Freelancer insurance firm With Jack was founded by Glaswegian Ashley Baxter and aims to provide peace of mind for workers with the moxie to strike out on their own and use their talent and tenacity to make a living.
The smart and straightforward service offers affordable prices on professional indemnity, public liability and contents insurance – very useful indeed.
5. SNS Group
When some of the biggest and best Scottish brands want to make an impact with large-scale graphic displays, professional photography and video, they turn to Scots visual design specialists SNS Group.
This awesome creative agency has helped high-profile clients like the Daily Record, Tesco Bank and Sky Sports achieve lasting resonance with their customers for years and looks set to grow and diversify even more in the future.
With Brexit now on the horizon for January 2020, it’s an uncertain time for any company operating in the UK, but some smaller firms are starting to feel particularly concerned.
However, it’s evident that Scotland’s still a hotbed of enterprising talent – so investors looking for opportunities across the UK in the next few years could do worse that consider extending their portfolios north of the border.
