East Renfrewshire Accelerator celebrates first cohort
The successes of the nine local businesses which took part in East Renfrewshire Accelerator (ERA) have been celebrated, as the programme for the first cohort of growing businesses draws to a close.
Published 6 May 2025
The programme, which got underway in February 2024, aims to help businesses achieve a turnover of £250,000 and create at least one new job opportunity per business within three years, while focusing on technological adoption, sustainability and strengthening the local entrepreneurial landscape. The participating businesses were provided with tailored support and expert advice, as well as access to co-working space within the Greenlaw Works in Newton Mearns.
The businesses participating in cohort one covered a variety of industries across property, health, marketing, tech, construction, insurance and innovation. During their time as part of ERA, their combined turnover has risen from just under £900,000 to a projected £3.8 million in 2025 and by 2027 a projected turnover of £14.6m. They've also increased staffing from 23 to an expected 54 employees by next year and by 2027, over 300 new jobs are projected.
East Renfrewshire Accelerator is funded through the Council's economic development local discretionary fund and delivered by the Business Gateway East Renfrewshire team, offers the businesses a wide range of training from industry experts, covering networking, communications, strategy development, procurement and sales. Earlier this year, the Council confirmed there will be a second cohort of East Renfrewshire Accelerator. The applications received by the deadline are being assessed and the new businesses involved will be announced this summer.
East Renfrewshire Council Leader, Councillor Owen O'Donnell said: 'I am delighted to celebrate the achievements of these nine businesses. Thanks to the programme and support from our economic development team and Business Gateway East Renfrewshire, more than 30 new jobs have been created here in East Renfrewshire, delivering real impact to our local communities and families. These businesses have embraced every opportunity - they've shown up, took part and made things happen. Their hard work, courage, and vision have made this programme what it is and I wish all of them well in the future.'
Convener for Environment and Housing, Councillor Danny Devlin added: 'Through our new Our A Place to Grow strategy we continue to be ambitious for the future of East Renfrewshire and we remain firmly committed to supporting the entrepreneurial spirit that lives here. This programme has been a resounding success - and I look forward to seeing cohort two get underway this summer.'
Some of the businesses involved in ERA spoke of their experience:
Fraser Kelly from Kelly Residential said: 'We started ERA as a team of 2 and now we're up to 7 members of staff. We've achieved turnover well above expectation as well. ERA really helped us level-up from the business we were a year ago and it gave us an important local presence for our customers.'
Lynn McGuinness from Full Stop Period Wear said: 'Our experience with ERA has been spectacular. The support we've received from everyone has been invaluable and helped our business grow to what it is today. It really helped us navigate the challenges that lots of small businesses face, so we're delighted to have been a part of it.'
Patricia Davies from Propharm said: 'It has been incredible for our business. As pharmacists, we were complete novices to business, so we've learned a lot and it has opened our eyes to what our come can become. So much of what we've achieved over the last year has been down to ERA and we can't thank them enough.'
The ERA cohort one businesses included Kelly Residential, Wattmelon, MedSnapp, Full Stop Period Wear, Safe Place Beds EU, Setting Out for Construction, Must Media, Envelope and Propharm.
