It is always in season for old men to learn

9Others dinner, Edinburgh 16 July 2014

Startups are a great learning environment

What a great first week back from holiday! Sun shining, lots of Startup activity and some great discussions. Too much to detail everything but I guess I have one key takeaway from the week. Learn, learn, learn. One of the best things about getting involved in the Startup scene in Scotland has been the chance to spend time with people who are brimming with ideas, full of passion and very talented. As a result I am always learning, always being exposed to new ways of doing things and constantly being challenged by fresh perspectives.

Two prime examples this week, both on Wednesday as it happens. I spent the afternoon with two companies, Mallzee and Appointedd.  Both have ambitious and exciting plans for growth over the next few months. I had two separate meetings covering the business strategies, the opportunities and plans for a whole range of activities to make things happen.  Look out for plenty of good news from both sources in the weeks ahead.

In the evening, I attended the first 9Others dinner to be held in Edinburgh, arriving late because I was so engrossed in my earlier discussions. 9Others is a network of entrepreneurs started in London in 2011. The idea is simple, to bring a group together for an informal dinner and give everyone the chance to meet each other and share a personal challenge. The group then shares ideas about responding to that challenge and hopefully each person learns something from the evening.

I can certainly vouch for the effectiveness of the format last week. It was a great opportunity to meet a bunch of people I didn’t know (I had only met one of the attendees before) and the variety of challenges and responses was highly stimulating. Thanks to Tadas Labudis for organising and looking forward to the next one.

All in all a great week and gave me so much to think about. A few other highlights from around Scotland;

Massive congratulations to Lee McGlaughlin and the team at IC Mobile Lab for winning the Glasgow 2014 Digital Sprint competition.Can’t wait to see those augmented reality graphics round the city - bet they look better than the haircut Lee was showing off on Wednesday!

Always good to remember these are real businesses as well. Brewdog held their AGM this week and in keeping with the brand, the video that goes with it is a cracker.

Love the new look of the 360 Strategy website…..

….and also the makeover that Appointedd have given their microsite product

I also think this Open Innovation Masterclass looks like an excellent opportunity for some budding entrepreneurs.

Don’t forget to check OpenTechCalendar for forthcoming events and meet ups

And finally, not exactly Startup but the PopUp Scotland show featuring the best of Scotland’s Art School graduate shows should be a top source of creative inspiration, running until 2 August.