KPMG has bolstered its commitment to support Scotland’s growing start-up community with a new base at one of the country’s leading co-working spaces. A dedicated specialist team from the firm will sit alongside tech-focused fast growing businesses at Clockwise in Glasgow. The aim is for the KPMG team to give hands-on support and guidance to the tenants on a range of business-critical issues including raising finance, governance and practical advice on research and development tax credits. From autumn 2019, in collaboration with Clockwise, KPMG will be launching a breakfast event series aiming to give tenants and entrepreneurs direct access to insight and expert advice. In recent years, Scotland has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of fast-growth-focused start-ups, helping to boost the technology sector, which now employs more than 48,000 people and contributes more than £4 billion to the Scottish economy. Data from the latest Global Co-working Survey highlights the scale of growth in the industry, with the number of desks hired to start-ups rising by an average of more than 20% every year. KPMG said that supporting start-ups is now a core focus, with a number of partnerships now underway. These include Clockwise and the TechX accelerator programme in Aberdeen, working with the Oil and Gas Technology Centre to support innovative new businesses looking to capitalise on the recovery of the sector, and its shift towards data and tech-driven growth. Clockwise, at 77 Renfrew Street, opened its doors in 2017, following an extensive refurbishment of office-space above Glasgow’s former Savoy Shopping Centre. The unique multi-million project has revitalised the building and the city’s co-working culture, shifting away from the traditional serviced office model, towards a more innovative environment, where new business leaders can work, learn and grow together. A team of KPMG experts, led by growth manager Amy Burnett, will be permanently based within the building, enabling entrepreneurial founders and CEOs as they grow through businesses, to access unrivalled support and insight from a leading international firm, including access to KPMG’s global network of corporates and investors. Catherine Burnet, senior partner at KPMG in Scotland, said: “Scotland’s economy is going through a period of rapid change, with more and more entrepreneurs embracing disruptive innovation and focusing on developing their own high-growth businesses. “KPMG has traditionally built relationships with large, established businesses, and that will continue to be a major focus for us, but we’re keen to play our part in shaping the new, future economy, sharing our insight and support with Scotland’s new dynamic business leaders, and acting as facilitators, helping to connect them to our extensive global network of talent and experience.” Clockwise general manager Lesley Anne Jeffery, helped launch the hub in 2017 and has witnessed its rapid growth. With demand now outstripping supply, the hub now takes up ten floors and more than 70,000 square feet of collaborative space. She said: “From the first day we opened our doors in Glasgow, we’ve worked hard to move away from the traditional image of slightly soulless serviced offices. “The Clockwise approach is all about building a community of entrepreneurs, start-ups and freelancers, who can learn from each other, network and grow together. “KPMG adds a completely new dimension to our offering, enabling our residents to access expert insight and advice from the best in the business.”
Supporting start-ups is a "core focus" for KPMG and it is working to establish a number of partnerships. In Glasgow, the Big Four firm has assigned a dedicated team to work with tech-focused businesses at Clockwise, a co-working centre in Scotland. The team will provide guidance on a range of business-critical issues including raising finance, governance and research and development tax credits.