Great technology starts companies. Great leadership scales them.
The UK has exceptional talent commercialising disruptive technologies. But growing a startup into a scaling SME requires a distinct skillset, one that most founders have not been given the space or support to develop. We exist to close that gap.
If you are a founder or C-suite leader preparing to scale a UK-based deep tech SME, Shott Scale Up Accelerator aims to support you to reach your full potential and to promote excellence in engineering as a result.
Our impact
Entrepreneurs Supported
Follow-on Funding
Jobs Created
Companies Acquired
What makes us different?
No fees, no equity, no IP
We take nothing from you. Our programme is delivered entirely in the public interest. Your ownership, your technology, and your upside, stay yours.
Leadership as the lever for scale
We focus on individual leadership behavioural change as the driver of growth. Most programmes change your slide deck
Backed by the Royal Academy of Engineering
Participants gain lifetime access to the Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Hub — one of the UK's most respected engineering and innovation networks.
As a result of our accelerator we will see a new generation of entrepreneurial engineers achieving excellence.
What does this programme offer?
We support leaders with a unique package of funding and training over nine months:
- Peer Learning: A small cohort of deep tech leaders
- Growth training: Practical and tailored in-person workshops and 1:1s with experts
- Leadership support: Personalised journey and 1:1 coaching
- Strategy: Business mentor carefully matched, from our unrivalled network of the UK’s leading engineers in industry who have scaled deep tech ventures
- £10,000 grant: Use for leadership courses anywhere in the world
- Network: Expanded investor & industry access
- Lifetime access: Access to Enterprise network, spaces, opportunities & perks across our hubs in London, Belfast, Swansea, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield.
Who is the programme for?
Ambitious senior leaders
- Founders and C-suite leaders of deep tech or engineering UK SMEs
- Ambition to build a £100 million+ company in the UK
High-growth potential companies
- At least 10 employees
- Raised £1m+ funding or equivalent traction
- Evidence of product - market fit
- UK registered
Shott Scale Up Accelerator Programme structure
01 Onboarding and Kick-off
Needs diagnostics and onboarding. We identify your specific development priorities and set a personalised plan for the programme, as well as tailor our growth training programme to the needs of the cohort. Meet and bond with your peers during our induction event in October 2026.
02 Develop and Apply
Structured expert-led workshops and peer learning sessions covering strategic, operational, and personal leadership capabilities.
Growth training modules will cover:
1.People, culture and adaptive leadership
2.Good governance
3.Customer acquisition
4.Product portfolio management
5.International markets access
6.Growth funding
7.Restructuring and exit
1:1 mentoring, leadership coaching and advisory sessions with experts to embed learning into live business challenges, from board restructuring, to negotiating challenging contracts to closing a funding round.
03 Scale and Hub Membership
Graduation and celebration event in July 2027 and transition to Enterprise Hub membership. Ongoing peer network and access to the Royal Academy of Engineering community.
Our partners
Testimonials
![Chri Besenbruch Headshot[1]](/media/j5qpx5hl/chri_besenbruch-_headshot-1.png?width=500&height=450&v=1da54fa4c7df010)
Shott Scale Up Accelerator is officially endorsed by the ScaleUp Institute. This programme is made possible by funding from Ian Shott CBE FREng and the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology:
