South of Scotland Enterprise

What South of Scotland Enterprise does

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is a Non-Departmental Public Body established under the South of Scotland Enterprise Act 2019 and operational since 1 April 2020, succeeding the South of Scotland Economic Partnership. It serves as the statutory economic and community development agency for the Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders regions, funded by the Scottish Government through direct allocation rather than commercial revenue. SOSE delivers free advisory services, training programmes, specialist expertise, and direct grant and loan funding to businesses and community organisations across the South of Scotland.

The agency's core offerings are organised around business support (start-up, growth, innovation), community support (Spark, Build, Social Enterprise, Community Assets), branded programmes (Pathways for women and under-represented entrepreneurs, Emerge & Elevate), and cross-cutting Driving Change initiatives covering Net Zero, Fair Work, Digital, Innovation, Creative Economy, and Youth Advisory. Specialist advisers cover ICT/Digital, International Trade, HR/Workforce Development, Strategy, Marketing, Innovation, and Low Carbon/Net Zero. SOSE does not develop proprietary technology products; its delivery infrastructure relies on a comprehensive website, Mailchimp email marketing, social media presence, the SOSE Spotlight Podcast, events, and case studies.

Distribution is direct through a network of business and community advisers, supported by channel partnerships with Business Gateway (start-ups), Young Enterprise Scotland (youth), Social Enterprise Scotland (social enterprises), Codebase under the Tech Scaler initiative (tech entrepreneurs), and Interface (R&D and university connections). In its first five years, SOSE reports creating or safeguarding 10,000 jobs, approving £50m+ in direct grant funding to over 800 businesses, distributing £26m+ during COVID-19, achieving a fivefold return on every pound invested, and seeing a fivefold increase in inward investment enquiries. The agency is headquartered in Dumfries at Carmont House on The Crichton and operates with 51-100 employees under a Chief Executive and Board accountable to Scottish Ministers.

Name

South of Scotland Enterprise

Legal name

South of Scotland Enterprise

Website

https://southofscotlandenterprise.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is the Scottish Government-funded economic and community development agency for Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, providing free advisory services, training, and grant funding to businesses, social enterprises, and community organisations across the South of Scotland region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dumfries

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Funding and Grant Distribution: SOSE operates as a non-departmental public body funded by the Scottish Government. The organization distributes grants and provides advisory services to businesses and communities at no cost to recipients. Revenue comes through government allocation rather than commercial activity. SOSE has distributed over £26 million during COVID-19 and approved direct grant funding exceeding £50 million to over 800 businesses in its first five years of operation.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is the economic and community development agency for the South of Scotland, serving Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders. It delivers tailored one-to-one advisory support, training, workshops, specialist expertise (covering ICT/Digital, International Trade, HR, Strategy, Marketing, Innovation, Low Carbon/Net Zero), and direct grant and loan funding to businesses at every stage and to community organisations and social enterprises.

Product overview

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is the economic and community development agency for the South of Scotland, providing a comprehensive suite of advisory, support, and funding services rather than a traditional software product. The core offering includes business advisory services (start-up, growth, innovation), community development programs (Spark, Build, Social Enterprise, Community Assets), and grant/loan funding programs. Key branded programs include Pathways (supporting women and under-represented entrepreneurs) and various Driving Change initiatives focused on Net Zero, Fair Work, Digital, and Innovation. Services are delivered through tailored one-on-one adviser support, workshops, training courses, and direct grant funding. SOSE also provides digital strategy resources, events and training, case studies, and strategic documents. The organization partners with Business Gateway, Codebase (Tech Scaler), Young Enterprise Scotland, and Interface for R&D connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pathways Programme Entrepreneurship support programme including Pathways Pre-Start, providing training, mentoring and grant funding to help women and under-represented entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in the South of Scotland.
• Business Start-up Advisory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000 jobs created or safeguarded in first five years of operation (2020-2025)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2025SOSE partnered with CLES to draft a Community Wealth Building Framework examining how to increase local economic benefits from renewable energy in the South of Scotland.
• Business GatewaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to deliver start-up support including training, mentoring, market advice and strategic planning to new entrepreneurs. SOSE works closely with Business Gateway to offer expert business support throughout Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
• Young Enterprise ScotlandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to help the next generation of entrepreneurs through free services including mentoring, start-up advice and training. SOSE also provides a dedicated Youth-Led Enterprises Business Coach.
• Social Enterprise ScotlandsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral pathway for social enterprise support. Social Enterprise Scotland provides overview, resources, directory and additional support for social enterprises in Scotland.
• Codebase Tech IncubatorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOSE works with Codebase as part of the Scottish Government's Tech Scaler initiative to support tech entrepreneurs and innovation in the region.
• InterfacesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOSE signposts businesses to Interface for R&D services and connections to academic expertise, particularly for businesses developing innovations with potential for university partnership.
• Glentrool and Bargrennan Community TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOSE partnered with the Trust and Dumfries & Galloway Council on a £280,000 regeneration project including The Hive community hub and housing renovations. SOSE provided funding and expert advice for community sustainability.
• South of Scotland Community HousingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on community development projects, working with SOSE and Dumfries & Galloway Council on initiatives like the Glentrool regeneration project.
• Dumfries & Galloway CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose partnership on community regeneration projects, including the Glentrool regeneration initiative. Works together with SOSE on economic development initiatives across the region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scottish Enterprise: Scotland's national economic development agency, providing business advisory, innovation, investment, and international trade support. Directly comparable to SOSE as a publicly funded economic development body operating in the same national ecosystem, differing mainly in geographic remit (national vs South of Scotland).
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise: Statutorily created regional development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, delivering business support, community investment, and skills programmes. Closest structural peer to SOSE: both are NDPBs created by Acts of the Scottish Parliament with comparable mandates, advisory models, and grant-distribution roles in distinct Scottish regions.
• Development Bank of Wales: Wales's publicly owned economic development and investment vehicle, providing finance, business support, and property solutions. Comparable to SOSE in being a state-backed, region-focused economic development institution providing grants, loans, and advisory services to SMEs and communities, though with a heavier investment-finance tilt.
• Invest Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland's regional economic development agency, supporting business growth, innovation, skills, and inward investment. Directly comparable to SOSE in mandate, public ownership, advisory-plus-grant model, and focus on regional economic uplift within a UK devolved policy context.
• London & Partners: Mayoral-funded business growth and destination agency for London, driving inward investment, trade, and tourism promotion. Comparable to SOSE in being a publicly funded regional promotion and business support body, though focused on a capital city economy rather than a rural region.
• MIDAS (Manchester's Inward Investment Agency): Inward investment and economic development agency for Greater Manchester, attracting and supporting high-value businesses. Mirrors SOSE's Inward Investment function, with a comparable mix of public funding, regional promotion, and business advisory support, though concentrated on a major urban economy.
• West Midlands Growth Company: Public-private growth agency for the West Midlands, promoting investment, trade, tourism, and talent. Comparable to SOSE in offering a regional one-stop-shop for business and community development, with similar use of public funding and partnership-driven delivery.

Broad incumbents

• British Business Bank: UK government-owned economic development bank providing finance programmes for smaller businesses. Adjacent to SOSE in mandate and ownership structure, but operating at UK scale and focused on capital provision rather than the broader advisory and community development mix that SOSE delivers.

Regional players

• Social Enterprise Scotland: National body representing and supporting social enterprises in Scotland. Comparable to a portion of SOSE's community and social enterprise remit, but operating as a membership/representative body rather than as a direct grant-distributing economic development agency.
• Interface: Scottish knowledge-exchange connecting businesses with academic expertise for innovation and R&D. Overlaps with SOSE's Innovation services, with SOSE signposting clients to Interface; differs in being a specialist innovation intermediary rather than a generalist economic development agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sosenterprise
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthofScotlandEnterprise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-of-scotland-enterprise
• Instagraminstagram.com/sosenterprise_

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South of Scotland Enterprise