The assets of a collapsed digital training provider that was backed by the Scottish Government have been acquired by the firm that runs the UK's largest technology incubator.
CodeBase, the company behind the creation of tech companies such as unicorn Skyscanner, has acquired the assets of CodeClan, which said it had been impacted by Covid-19 and current market conditions' effect on placing people into employment.
Stephen Coleman, chief executive and co-founder of Edinburgh-based CodeBase, said the business had been working over the last two weeks since the liquidation of CodeClan to maintain its service.
“As we embark on a new era at CodeBase, with the acquisition of CodeClan, I'd like to take a moment to share my thoughts, express my gratitude, and look toward the future,” said Mr Coleman. “First off, a massive shout-out to the organisations and businesses who stepped up – offering their support during this pivotal period. Your generosity, from spaces to guidance to alternative arrangements, has been nothing short of incredible.
“I must also extend a heartfelt nod to those individuals who offered support of their own volition, not least the instructors at CodeClan who stepped up to continue the courses. Your gestures have been monumental and I genuinely believe that when we rally under a common purpose there's a certain magic that unfolds.”
READ MORE: All staff made redundant as company backed by Scottish Government fails
He continued: “We're in the business of start-ups – where uncertainty is our daily bread – and times of emergency can unearth an honesty, candour, and clarity in discussions—qualities that, if bottled, could revolutionise how we come together and collaborate in the ecosystem. When push came to shove, your actions spoke volumes about the collaborative spirit of our shared community.
“Over the last fortnight, our immediate priority has been to ensure minimal disruption to ongoing courses, support affected staff and students, coordinate logistics, and maintain open channels of communication."
CodeBase, which runs the Scottish Government's £42 million Techscaler programme, also looked ahead.
“Our core goals during this time have been: to do right by CodeClan, to honour the legacy, and to be transparent in our communication - particularly when delivering difficult news to some dedicated employees. The team have worked immensely hard on this, with good hearts, and I couldn’t have asked any more of them.
“With us officially taking the reins after acquiring the assets, and the disrupted CodeClan cohorts now in hand and continuing to completion, we are beginning to think about what shape this function should take to best support future students and the ecosystem as a whole."
Mr Coleman also said on LinkedIn: “We look forward to opening up a conversation in due course to survey the wider ecosystem about the needs, feedback, and ideas we have for filling the gap that the closure of CodeClan has left. And we look forward greatly to delivering a new, sustainable proposition for addressing the tech talent need in Scotland.”
Scottish export ambitions lifted by new figures
The appeal of Scottish goods and services in global markets has been underlined by new research which has revealed a leap in export figures.
Scottish Development International (SD) has disclosed that support it provided to firms across Scotland in 2022/23 will result in £1.73 billion of international sales over the next three years. This was a 20% more compared with the previous financial year. The figures combine projects supported by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and South of Scotland Enterprise.
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