Farnborough: 25th July 2024
Partnerships aim to position Scotland as a global leader in space innovation, providing comprehensive support across legal, financial, IP and technical domains.
New founding partners include Burness Paull, Eureka!Europe, Johnston Carmichael and Marks & Clerk
More founding partners to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Scottish Space Network is pleased to announce the appointment of its first wave of Founding Partners, a crucial step in the company’s mission to support the burgeoning space sector in Scotland. The new partners include commercial lawyers Burness Paull, innovation experts Eureka!Europe, accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael and international intellectual property (IP) specialists Marks & Clerk.
Collectively the Founding Partners bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, support and resources that will be instrumental in driving innovation, developing entrepreneurial companies and delivering commercial success for the Scottish space industry. This strategic collaboration aims to strengthen Scotland's position in the global space market, driving forward the national ambition to become a leading location for the full ‘end to end’ of space technology and services. A programme of support activity and resources is to be developed and rolled out over the next 12 months.
Burness Paull is a full-service independent commercial law firm advising clients across the UK and internationally.
Callum Sinclair, Partner and Head of Technology and Commercial at Burness Paull,
stated: "With Scotland at the heart of the UK’s space industry, we’re very excited to join the Scottish Space Network as a founding partner and play our part in helping the sector realise its ambitions. From advising growing businesses creating world-class tech to being involved in the development of the Sutherland Spaceport project, we’ve long been part of the ecosystem providing legal advice across a range of business areas including funding & investment, employment & immigration, and cyber & data privacy. The Scottish Space Network is a driving force behind the sector and we look forward to adding value to members and other partners alike."
Eureka!Europe provides crucial innovation consulting and coaching support, further strengthening the network’s capabilities to drive bold ideas and sustainable growth within the space sector.
Philip Pozzo di Borgo-Oliver, Partner at Eureka!Europe commented: “Having worked closely with organisations in the UK aerospace and defence sectors, the Eureka!Europe team knows how these businesses need to innovate and test disruptive ideas quickly within a dynamic business environment. It’s about agile problem-solving while driving down the risk of trying new things. Eureka!Europe is proud to help realise Dr Andy Campbell’s vision for the Scottish Space Network as a Founding Partner, and we look forward to helping organisations leverage and scale the extraordinary opportunity that is the UK and Europe’s multi-billion dollar space economy.”
Johnston Carmichael, an independent chartered accountancy and business advisory firm with a strong focus on its people and clients, brings almost 90 years of expertise to the network.
Jim Lockhart, Business Advisory Partner at Johnston Carmichael commented: "The Space Sector in Scotland is a hugely exciting one, and it feels like a natural evolution for us as a country to be so heavily involved. As a firm, we are looking forward to working with the Scottish Space Network and doing our bit to support the ecosystem. We have significant experience of supporting entrepreneurs and innovative businesses, and working with dynamic partners like Andy is key to delivering success."
Marks & Clerk is a leading international IP firm with offices in the UK, North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. With patent attorneys, trademark attorneys, commercial lawyers, and IP litigators, the firm offers comprehensive IP expertise to clients ranging from multinational corporations to start-ups.
Dr. Phil Merchant, Principal Chartered (UK) and European Patent Attorney, stated: "As a firm with a rich history of supporting technological innovation, Marks & Clerk is thrilled to join the Scottish Space Network as a Founding Partner. The space sector in Scotland is rapidly advancing, and we are eager to contribute our expertise in intellectual property to help safeguard and promote the groundbreaking developments emerging from this dynamic industry. We look forward to collaborating with the network and its partners to drive forward the vision of Scotland as a global leader in space technology."
Established in 2023, the Scottish Space Network is dedicated to supporting the sector by promoting the achievements of Scottish SpaceTech companies, attracting investment, nurturing talent pipelines and developing commercial opportunities. In June 2024, the Scottish Space Network announced its partnership with New York-based Sustainable Alpha. This partnership will open up investment opportunities for the Scottish, UK and international space sectors, focusing on developing a comprehensive investment strategy and securing funding for early-stage and scaling space tech businesses.
The Scottish Space sector is expected to grow substantially, with revenue projected to reach £4bn within the next six years and the creation of over 12,000 new jobs by 2030.
Speaking from the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, Dr. Andy Campbell, Founder of the Scottish Space Network, expressed his enthusiasm for the new partnerships: "We are delighted to welcome Burness Paull, Eureka!Europe, Johnston Carmichael and Marks & Clerk as Founding Partners of the Scottish Space Network. Collectively, their expertise and commitment will be invaluable as we work together to support and elevate Scotland's space sector on the global stage. This collaboration marks a significant step towards achieving our mission of fostering innovation, attracting investment and nurturing talent within the space industry. We look forward to rolling out our activity, announcing more partners in the coming weeks and continuing to build a strong, supportive ecosystem with all space and sectoral support companies in Scotland."
This news comes after the announcement that Scotland’s Space Sector is set to receive a £10.9 million boost from the UK Government, announced on Monday 22nd July 2024 by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray. This funding is part of a larger £33 million pledge under the UK Space Agency’s national space innovation programme. Key Scottish projects include a sub-orbital rocket test by HyImpulse at the SaxaVord Spaceport UK and Spire’s development of advanced weather forecasting technology. Additionally, three smaller projects will receive £2.4 million for early-stage development, including lunar exploration feasibility studies.
Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, Ian Murray said: “The burgeoning industry plays a vital role in our economy and employs thousands of people across the country.”
Further announcements of additional partners are expected in the coming weeks.
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For further information, please contact:
Scottish Space Network
Dr Andy Campbell
+44 (0)7973 286 432
About Scottish Space Network
Established in 2023, the Scottish Space Network is dedicated to connecting and supporting entrepreneurs and companies within the Scottish space sector. It aims to promote the sector globally, develop successful businesses through support, attract and develop talent and deliver funding and investment solutions to drive scientific and economic prosperity.
About Burness Paull
Burness Paull is an independent commercial law firm that works with leading organisations across the UK and internationally. The firm employs more than 700 people, including 90 partners, across its offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
About Eureka!Europe
Eureka!Europe supports leaders and teams from ambitious organisations to build their internal innovation capability, helping them bring profitable big & bold ideas to market, faster and with less risk. We are licensed to train and coach the world's only proven, fully documented approach to innovation and business improvement, called Innovation Engineering. Leaders turn to us when: they need to embed a reliable method for innovation that everyone can learn; when they need a 6-10x increase in the speed of ideas and projects through the innovation pipeline; and, when they need to deliver innovative products and services with 30-80% less risk.
About Johnston Carmichael
Johnston Carmichael is an independent Chartered Accountancy and Business Advisory Firm with over 90 years of expertise. They support clients across various sectors, including tech & life sciences, engineering & manufacturing, and energy, infrastructure & sustainability.
About Marks & Clerk
Founded in 1887, Marks & Clerk has long been recognised as one of the world’s leading IP firms. Its patent and trade mark attorneys and solicitors offer a full range of intellectual property services – covering patents, trade marks, designs, copyright and litigation – for clients ranging from SMEs and spinouts to universities and multinationals. With a network of 15 offices across the UK (eight locations including three in Scotland), continental Europe, North America and Asia, and long-established relationships with other leading IP firms worldwide, the firm is able to assist innovators to protect and maximise the value of their intellectual assets on a local and global basis.