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Firstport The Firstport of call for Social Enterprise

All episodes of our podcast The Catalyst: Inside Social Investment are now available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podc...
20/10/2026

All episodes of our podcast The Catalyst: Inside Social Investment are now available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts — or watch on YouTube.

This series will teach you everything you need to know about social investment.
Start listening now by tapping on this link https://ow.ly/eEk750ZWmC1



20/10/2026

Step Up offers 0% interest loans from £5k to £30k to help social enterprises unlock and sustain growth.



Meet the finalists of the Social Innovation Challenge 2026.From restoring Scotland’s soils to opening up digital careers...
19/10/2026

Meet the finalists of the Social Innovation Challenge 2026.

From restoring Scotland’s soils to opening up digital careers and building better leadership skills, three social enterprises are tackling real challenges in creative ways.

Congratulations to Herd Dynamics CIC, Rhyze and Code Division, selected from 38 full applications.

The finalists are now receiving tailored support to refine their ideas and prepare for the final pitch event on 26 October..

Read more about the finalists and their work: https://ow.ly/IyJZ50ZYVSF

Eat, Sleep, Ride Code Division

If you’ve ever thought about starting a social enterprise but weren’t sure where to begin, this is the perfect place to ...
19/10/2026

If you’ve ever thought about starting a social enterprise but weren’t sure where to begin, this is the perfect place to start.

Ready to RISE (Readiness and Incubation for the Social Economy) is a free 8-week training programme for women and non-binary people across Scotland. Sessions take place online via Zoom on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

Want to learn more? Join us at the The Melting Pot Edinburgh on the 22nd October, lets get started.

Register online at https://ow.ly/XMAn50ZWl5H

All episodes of our podcast The Catalyst: Inside Social Investment are now available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podc...
18/10/2026

All episodes of our podcast The Catalyst: Inside Social Investment are now available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts — or watch on YouTube.

Social investment, explained. Start listening now by tapping on this link https://ow.ly/eEk750ZWmC1



Have you ever thought, “I’d love to start a business that makes a difference… but where do I begin?”Ready to RISE is a ...
17/10/2026

Have you ever thought, “I’d love to start a business that makes a difference… but where do I begin?”

Ready to RISE is a FREE training programme for women and non-binary people who want to explore social entrepreneurship, create work that fits their life, earn a living and make a positive impact.

Come along to a Ready to RISE: Let’s Get Started information session in Edinburgh and:

- Hear from social entrepreneurs who’ve turned ideas into careers
- Discover how social enterprise can work for you
- Find out how Ready to RISE could support your idea
- Meet start-up experts and support organisations
- Get your questions answered and connect with people who can help you take the next step

Come along, by registering online by tapping on this link https://ow.ly/VgMa50ZVpWJ Get inspired and discover what’s possible with Ready to RISE.

Supported by the ScottishPower Foundation.

16/10/2026

If your social or community enterprise is ready to scale, now is the time to prepare.

LaunchMe supports organisations in Scotland to build investment readiness and confidence for growth.

“how can a circus be a social enterprise?”That question came up when working with Community Circus Paisley, and it speak...
16/10/2026

“how can a circus be a social enterprise?”

That question came up when working with Community Circus Paisley, and it speaks to a wider misconception.

Social enterprise doesn’t follow a single formula. It spans creative, cultural, environmental, and community-led models that don’t always look like traditional businesses.

Transparency means being clear that difference is not a barrier. What matters is purpose, impact, and sustainability, not fitting a stereotype.

If your organisation doesn’t look like the “usual” model, you’re still part of this ecosystem.

Explore social investment options designed to work with diverse approaches.
https://ow.ly/nevc50ZWkzQ

Making sense of social investment can feel more complex. Grants, loans, revenue-based finance, different terms, differen...
16/10/2026

Making sense of social investment can feel more complex. Grants, loans, revenue-based finance, different terms, different expectations, and often no clear place to start.

The entrepreneurs guide to social investment was created to help navigate that complexity. Inside the guide, you’ll find clear explanations of key terms,

how social investment works in practice
what investment readiness really means
the difference between grants and loans
how revenue based finance operates
how to navigate pathways through the wider ecosystem.

It’s been shaped alongside ecosystem co-creators including Social Investment Scotland, Good Finance, and The Ventures Lab, bringing together multiple perspectives to support better decisions.

If you’re exploring social investment, or simply want to better understand your options, you can read the guide and take the first step towards clearer, more informed decisions. Download the guide for free now at https://ow.ly/jAFy50ZWktF

Made in collaboration with Good Finance, Social Investment Scotland and The Challenges Group

Across Scotland, social enterprises span sectors like employability, food, environment, creative industries and health. ...
15/10/2026

Across Scotland, social enterprises span sectors like employability, food, environment, creative industries and health.

Hundreds of businesses have launched with support from Firstport such as:

Community cafés reinvesting profits into youth programmes
Employability organisations supporting people facing barriers to work
Sustainable fashion and circular economy brands
Social care and wellbeing services with trading income models

Firstport’s case studies https://ow.ly/ZuYl50ZWk4e show that people can begin with an idea and go on to create jobs, generate income and reinvest profits into their local communities.

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