Financial support

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Funding and incentives to help you build a better company

We're here to help companies settle in Scotland - and we can help you find a range of funding options.

When you decide to locate or expand in Scotland, we can provide grants to support capital or salary costs in selective areas of the country.

Research and development grants can potentially support a percentage of development costs.

Further incentives for your R&D programme through our taxation system, can support both capital expenditure and revenue costs. Notably, if you exploit a patent of yours from Scotland, the tax on any profits drop to a rock-bottom 10%.

Our investment arm, the Scottish Investment Bank, supports small and medium enterprises in attracting growth capital, often by co-investing alongside private investors.

Financial support is another great reason to invest in Scotland - find out more today.

Get in touch

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Find out why Scotland is the right location for NewGalexy

Investment for jobs

Will your project create or safeguard jobs in Scotland?

If so, Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) could be an option. Foreign companies can apply for RSA as long as they have a base in Scotland and the impact RSA has on employment helps to ensure Scotland’s economy remains globally competitive.

The amount offered depends on the:

  • Size of your business
  • Location of the project
  • Amount needed for the project go ahead

Hear how NewGalexy received RSA to support the creation of Scotland's first legal process outsourcing (LPO) centre - guaranteeing Scotland's entry into this thriving and lucrative global industry.

R&D tax relief in Scotland

R&D Tax Credits

Scotland offers substantial tax relief for research and development. The government's tax credit scheme can help you:

  • Create new, competitive products, services and processes
  • Find and access new markets
  • Provide high-quality skilled jobs

More about R&D Tax Credits

Patent Box

Got a great patented idea that you're eager to turn into a successful business? Benefit from lower rate of corporation tax of 10% on any profits from commercialising your UK or EU patent here in Scotland. That’s a full 56% lower than normal. A great incentive for companies like yours to bring existing patents to commercial life and continue to develop innovative new ones.

More about Patent Box

Take your next project to the next level

Scottish Enterprise provides discretionary innovation and R&D funding to global companies with a base in Scotland.

SMART: SCOTLAND provides funding for feasibility studies and R&D projects that have a commercial endpoint.

More about SMART: SCOTLAND

The R&D Grant provides funding to develop new products, processes and services. It can help you gather the knowledge and skills to develop new products and services, or introduce a significant improvement to existing ones.

More about the R&D Grant

Our centre of R&D excellence near Glasgow allows us to capitalise on the heavy, medium and electronic engineering skills we require as a business, as well as the academic knowledge available through local universities.

Andrew Cort, FMC Technologies

Global companies that have received funding from Scottish Enterprise

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The First Minister meeting with Xilinx

Xilinx invests nearly £5 million in its Edinburgh research centre

03/04/2017

View more on Xilinx invests nearly £5 million in its Edinburgh research centre

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Wayne Johnson and Roger Carson, co-founders of Encompass

From Sydney to Glasgow: new investments help Encompass to accelerate expansion

20/04/2017

View more on From Sydney to Glasgow: new investments help Encompass to accelerate expansion

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Cows in a field

Why Farmflo opened a software research centre in Scotland

05/10/2016

View more on Why Farmflo opened a software research centre in Scotland

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Managing director of Asystec, Les Byrne

Asystec establishes a big data centre of excellence in Scotland

01/08/2016

View more on Asystec establishes a big data centre of excellence in Scotland

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FMC Technologies looks to future with Scottish talent

06/05/2014

View more on FMC Technologies looks to future with Scottish talent

Attract investment

Consider your options in venture capital, loans and equity funding

Whether you’re considering this type of funding or interested in investing in Scotland’s brightest growth and export prospects, the Scottish Investment Bank (SIB) could help.

SIB, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, supports young and growing SMEs in accessing finance and can co-invest alongside private investors. 

This includes delivery of the £103 million Renewable Energy Investment Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies.

SIB is well connected with Scotland’s globally recognised business angel community, including national angel association LINC Scotland. 

If you're an international investor, syndicate, VC or corporate institution and you're interested in co-investing with SIB, get in touch.

More about SIB

Discover a Scotland full of wonderful surprises.


International operations director - Neil Francis

With 42 offices in 20 countries, our knowledgeable staff can talk you through Scotland’s capabilities and the funding support that may be available to you.

SDI will help you with identifying premises and investment opportunities and access funding for employment creation, R&D and training programmes.

Tell us a bit about your business and a specialist from your region or sector will get back to you.

Get in touch

Neil Francis
International trade and investment operations director