CodeBase
CodeBase Ltd is Scotland's largest tech incubator, delivering the Scottish Government-backed Techscaler programme through six regional hubs and international pathways. It supports 1,591 member companies and nearly 2,100 founders with mentorship, capital access, and market expansion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CodeBase does
CodeBase Ltd is Scotland's largest tech incubator and one of the fastest-growing in Europe, incorporated in Scotland (SC437306) and headquartered at 37a Castle Terrace, Edinburgh. The company operates as a government-backed ecosystem builder, delivering the Techscaler programme on behalf of the Scottish Government. Techscaler provides stage-aligned support spanning early-stage Catalyst programmes, high-growth scaleup advisory, mentorship, and international pathways, with cohorts travelling to Silicon Valley, Japan, Singapore, China, and the UAE.
The core technology is the Techscaler platform and accompanying community infrastructure (techscaler.co.uk, community.thisiscodebase.com), distributed through a Scotland-wide regional hub network covering Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Highlands & Islands, and Forth Valley. Sub-products include the Buildathon methodology (rapid no-code + AI MVP prototyping embedded in the Catalyst programme), Founders Assembly (monthly webinars with Barclays Eagle Labs), Ones to Watch (annual high-growth startup showcase), Celtic Link (Scotland–Ireland cross-border programme with Republic of Work), Techscaler Medtech Innovation Summit, and Techscaler International Missions. Distribution combines physical hubs, digital self-serve community platforms, partner channels (60+ organisations across corporates, academia, investors, and government), and curated international market-entry programmes.
The business model is government-aligned, not commercial: CodeBase receives core funding from the Scottish Government and delivers programmes free to qualifying founders. There is no disclosed pricing or commercial subscription product. Revenue mechanics therefore rest on grant/contract funding rather than per-seat or per-company fees. The organisation supports 1,591 member companies and nearly 2,100 founders, with member companies collectively raising £257 million since the programme's launch. In February 2026, founder Stephen Coleman transitioned from CEO to Group Chairman, with a former Skyscanner executive appointed as new CEO and Jon Hope (ex-Barclays Eagle Labs) as interim CEO, signalling a leadership and scaling inflection.
CodeBase firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CodeBase
- Legal name
- CodeBase Ltd
- Website
- https://thisiscodebase.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CodeBase Ltd is Scotland's largest tech incubator, delivering the Scottish Government-backed Techscaler programme through six regional hubs and international pathways. It supports 1,591 member companies and nearly 2,100 founders with mentorship, capital access, and market expansion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CodeBase industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubator
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- IT, Systems & Tools Onboarding (Access, Apps, Security Basics) (EDABAOAE)
Keywords
Where CodeBase is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
CodeBase business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government funding: CodeBase receives core funding from the Scottish Government to deliver Techscaler and related ecosystem development programmes. The organisation is registered as a company in Scotland (SC437306) and appears to operate as a non-profit/charitable entity focused on economic development rather than commercial revenue generation.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
CodeBase product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CodeBase delivers Techscaler, Scotland's national tech scaleup programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing tailored programmes, mentorship, and international pathways for tech founders. Core offerings span three pillars: Early Stage Startup Pathways (programmes lowering barriers for new founders), High Growth & Scaleup Support (advisory, mentorship, international expansion), and Digital & AI Skills (training for tech teams). Supporting services include Buildathons, Founders Assembly webinars, international missions to Silicon Valley, Japan, Singapore and China, and the Celtic Link cross-border programme with Republic of Work.
Product overview
CodeBase operates as a full-stack ecosystem platform for tech ecosystems, primarily through its delivery of Techscaler — Scotland's national tech scaleup programme on behalf of the Scottish Government. The core offering spans three interconnected pillars: Early Stage Startup Pathways (programmes lowering barriers for new founders), High Growth & Scaleup Support (tailored advisory, mentorship, and international pathways), and Digital & AI Skills (training for tech teams). These are supported by specific sub-products including the Buildathon (hands-on prototyping events within the Catalyst Programme), Founders Assembly (monthly webinars for scaling founders), Ones to Watch (annual high-growth startup showcase), Celtic Link (cross-border Scotland-Ireland expansion programme), and Techscaler International Missions (global market access to Silicon Valley, Japan, Singapore, and China). CodeBase functions as an ecosystem enabler rather than a traditional software product company, connecting founders with resources, mentors, investors, and global networks to accelerate Scotland's startup ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Techscaler: Scotland's national tech scaleup programme delivered by CodeBase on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing tailored advisory, mentorship, and international pathways for high-growth companies.
Products and services
- Techscaler
Quantifiable outcome
- £257 million in investment raised by Techscaler founders since programme launch, more than double previous year's figure
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CodeBase
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CodeBase technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CodeBase partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Republic of WorkcoreCeltic Link cross-border pilot programme connecting Scottish and Irish startup ecosystems. Provides Irish companies access to Techscaler and the UK market; gives Scottish founders a pathway into the EU single market through Cork. Includes complimentary workspace access, direct investor/mentor introductions, joint events, and market-entry workshops.
- CoreWeavecorePartnership to support AI startups and accelerate Scotland's AI community. Provides CodeBase-supported startups with access to CoreWeave's expertise through technical sessions, joint reports, and opportunities to explore advanced AI use cases. CoreWeave recently led a £1.5 billion AI infrastructure investment into Scotland alongside DataVita.
- Abertay UniversitymajorAbertay University leads delivery of the Tay Cities Region's £20 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund programme, with CodeBase as an industry partner supporting gaming, immersive VR, and collaborative R&D projects. Dundee will serve as the anchor for this regional cluster.
- 4J StudiosminorIndustry partner in the Tay Cities Region £20 million LIP Fund programme, supporting gaming and creative tech sector development alongside CodeBase.
- UK Games Talent and FinanceminorIndustry partner in the Tay Cities Region creative tech programme, collaborating with CodeBase on gaming and immersive technology projects.
- Black Professionals United Kingdom (BPUK)majorPartnership expanding pathways for Black professionals and founders in Scotland's tech ecosystem. BPUK signposts members with business ambitions to Techscaler. Joint activities include the Black Scottish Awards and founder-focused events. BPUK has grown from 100 to 2,000+ members.
- ScotlandIScorePartnership connecting Techscaler's startup community with ScotlandIS's 1,000+ member network of digital and tech companies. Delivers events including ScotSoft, shared learning opportunities, and cross-sector engagement across data, cybersecurity, fintech, and digital transformation.
- Digital Health Validation Lab (University of Glasgow)majorPartnership bridging entrepreneurial and clinical innovation. DHVL provides clinical validation expertise; Techscaler provides commercial scaling support. Delivers evidence generation clinics, educational events, and coordinated referral pathways for digital health and medtech founders.
- DataKirkminorPartnership strengthening Scotland's talent pipeline through data skills development, inclusive pathways, and Techscaler founder support helping more people participate in the digital economy.
- Scotland Women in Technology (SWiT)minorPartnership for Digital in the Wild series celebrating women applying digital skills in rural and nature-connected contexts. Connects women in tech across Highlands and Islands, building visibility and confidence for innovation outside urban centres.
- NHS Scotland Innovation HubsmajorCo-hosted webinar introducing NHS Scotland's three Innovation Hubs to startups. Explores pathways for medtech and healthtech collaboration and engagement with Scotland's healthcare system.
- The Ventures LabminorPartnership delivering Grow Your Business Through Impact webinar during Scotland Innovation Week. Focuses on embedding ESG and purpose-led thinking into startup strategy for attracting talent, customers, and investors.
- Barclays Eagle LabscorePartnership delivering Founders Assembly as part of Barclays Growth Horizons programme. Monthly hands-on webinars for high-growth founders featuring world-class expertise, peer networks, and practical knowledge on topics including AI, international scaling, and US medtech market entry.
- AccelerateHERmajorPartnership supporting female founders through mentorship, networks, funding access, and hackathons. Partners of the Scottish Government's Pathways Pledge. AccelerateHER has supported over 7,000 women-led startups over a decade. Delivers regional meetups and hackathons across Scotland including Highlands and Aberdeen.
- CeterisminorLocal enterprise agency in Forth Valley partnering with Techscaler to deliver regional startup support, combining local workspace, regional networks, and national founder support.
- BLOCK71 SingaporemajorSingapore-based startup hub providing Techscaler Singapore cohort with local startup founders as guides, workspace access, and ecosystem navigation during international market missions.
- University of EdinburghmajorCo-creator of Ecosystem Exchange annual conference. Partner in Scottish Ecosystem Platform developed with Dealroom providing open-access data on Scotland's innovation economy. Edinburgh Futures Institute hosts major ecosystem events.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
CodeBase competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Techstars: Global tech accelerator running mentor-driven programmes for early-stage startups with a strong corporate and government partnership model. Comparable to CodeBase in operating structured cohort programmes and connecting founders to investors and corporate partners.
- Capital Factory: Texas-based tech hub and accelerator running mentor-driven programmes, corporate-startup matching, and a national brand for its state ecosystem. Comparable as a state/region-anchored incubator tying together government, corporates, and investors to scale local tech output.
- Seedcamp: Europe-focused early-stage venture fund and accelerator. Comparable as a UK/Europe-rooted founder support organisation, though Seedcamp is a fund-first model whereas CodeBase is a programme-first, government-funded model.
- Barclays Eagle Labs: Barclays-backed network of 35+ UK startup hubs co-founded by CodeBase's interim CEO. Direct comparator on UK hub-network operating model and corporate-banking partnership mechanics; also an active partner to CodeBase through the Founders Assembly programme.
- MassChallenge: Global non-profit accelerator operating in multiple geographies with corporate and government sponsors. Direct peer in the non-profit, sponsor-supported accelerator model, especially relevant given CodeBase's grant-funded structure and mentor-heavy programme design.
- Plexal: UK innovation hub and workspace operator near the Olympic Park in London, running corporate-startup programmes and a cyber accelerator. Direct peer in the UK hub-and-programme operator space with a similar focus on bridging corporates, government, and founders.
- Y Combinator: The most prominent global startup accelerator, providing seed funding, mentorship, and demo-day exposure. Direct comparator in the accelerator/incubator category, though at vastly greater scale and with a more US-centric footprint.
- Station F: The world's largest startup campus, based in Paris, hosting a wide partner network of programmes and accelerators. Comparable as a large-scale, government-supported physical incubator offering structured pathways from early-stage to scaleup.
Broad incumbents
- Wayra (Telefónica): Telefónica's global corporate-startup accelerator network operating in multiple countries including Europe and Latin America. Comparable as a corporate-backed, multi-region incubator offering structured programmes and corporate access, albeit owned by a global telco rather than a government.
Regional players
- Tech Nation (Founders Factory / Founders Forum Group): UK organisation historically delivering government-backed programmes for high-growth tech founders; its wind-down reshaped the UK founder support landscape. Relevant comparator on the now-disrupted government-mandated scaleup support model that CodeBase has taken over for Scotland.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CodeBase social profiles
Digital presenceCodeBase compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
CodeBase financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CodeBase leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
CodeBase funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CodeBase M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments31 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CodeBase
What does CodeBase do?
CodeBase delivers Techscaler, Scotland's national tech scaleup programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing tailored programmes, mentorship, and international pathways for tech founders. Core offerings span three pillars: Early Stage Startup Pathways (programmes lowering barriers for new founders), High Growth & Scaleup Support (advisory, mentorship, international expansion), and Digital & AI Skills (training for tech teams). Supporting services include Buildathons, Founders Assembly webinars, international missions to Silicon Valley, Japan, Singapore and China, and the Celtic Link cross-border programme with Republic of Work.
Is CodeBase a public or private company?
CodeBase is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CodeBase founded?
CodeBase was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CodeBase based?
CodeBase is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CodeBase make money?
One revenue line is on record: government funding.
Who are CodeBase's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Techstars, Capital Factory, Seedcamp, Barclays Eagle Labs, MassChallenge, Plexal, Y Combinator and Station F. Wayra (Telefónica) is listed as a broad incumbent. Tech Nation (Founders Factory / Founders Forum Group) is listed as a regional player.
Does CodeBase have an API?
No public API is recorded for CodeBase.
What industry is CodeBase in?
CodeBase's product category is Startup Incubator. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of EDABAOAE, IT, Systems & Tools Onboarding (Access, Apps, Security Basics). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.