Scotland is set for a powerful boost to its innovation ecosystem as Venture Café Edinburgh launches on Thursday 20 November at Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Powered by Venture Café Global Institute, the world’s leading innovation ecosystem activator, and delivered in partnership with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), Venture Café Edinburgh will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, academics and policymakers to accelerate collaboration and fuel Scotland’s next generation of breakthrough ventures.
Venture Café Global Institute has activated more than 20 innovation ecosystems across the globe, from Boston and Tokyo to London and Berlin.
Through its signature Thursday Gatherings — regular, inclusive and curated events — the network brings together more than 100,000 innovators each year, creating the connections, collaborations and momentum that drive innovation forward and transform bold ideas into real-world impact.
Launch event
The Venture Café Edinburgh launch event and inaugural Thursday Gathering will bring together a broad spectrum of innovators — from startup founders and investors to academics and industry leaders.
The launch is an opportunity for attendees to connect, get inspired and build momentum.
The event includes an expert panel chaired by ARIA with the EPCC, the UK’s leading centre for supercomputing and data science, and an Innovation Showcase featuring pioneering startups from the National Robotarium, demonstrating cutting-edge robotics and AI technologies.
A new focal point for community and innovation
Together, Venture Café, ARIA and Edinburgh Futures Institute are creating a new focal point and community for Scotland’s innovators, designed to drive the breakthroughs that will shape the future.
As a flagship hub of the University of Edinburgh dedicated to tackling global challenges through data-driven, interdisciplinary collaboration, Edinburgh Futures Institute’s iconic building provides an ideal site for Venture Café Scotland location.
Professor Marion Thain, Director of Edinburgh Futures Institute:
“Edinburgh Futures Institute is delighted to host Venture Café in Scotland. As a hub for innovation and academic-industry collaboration across a range of sectors, including TravelTech, FinTech, creative and public services, the Futures Institute is keenly aware of the role universities can play in supporting entrepreneurship and partnerships. Hosting Venture Café in Edinburgh aligns with our mission to turn interdisciplinary research and creativity into real-world impact.”
Fraser Macdonald, Head of Collaboration at Edinburgh Futures Institute, said:
“Housed in one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings, the former Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh Futures Institute’s 20,000 sqm of space makes it one of the largest centres for interdisciplinary learning and research in Europe. The hosting of Venture Café is another great example of how the Institute plays a central role in the University of Edinburgh’s civic mission, allowing it to connect with local and global groups, organisations and industries in new and exciting ways.”
Claudia Cavalluzzo, Venture Cafe Edinburgh Director said:
“Venture Café is about opening doors — connecting people, ideas and opportunities that might otherwise never intersect. Scotland has incredible research, creativity and entrepreneurial energy. Our role is to amplify that strength by building a vibrant, inclusive community where the best ideas flourish and thrive. Isolation is the enemy of innovation; collaboration is its greatest ally.”
Pippy James, ARIA Chief Product Officer:
Register for the Venture Café Edinburgh Launch Event – 20 November, 5pm -8pm“Breakthroughs happen when different people, ideas and disciplines collide. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Venture Café to launch their presence in Edinburgh — creating an open, energising space for Scotland’s world-class innovators. This is about providing the environment where founders, researchers and investors can meet, collaborate and spark the next wave of world-changing technologies.”
