Delivered through the Royal Bank Accelerator programme, the agreement will see a dedicated solicitor assigned to the Glasgow and Edinburgh Accelerator hubs.  The legal expert will offer 1-1 surgery sessions, giving community members access to in-person legal advice at both hubs.

Legal advice will also be delivered remotely through the Accelerator app to 2,300 community members across Scotland. Initial legal advice will be delivered free of charge, with further commercial work offered at a discounted rate. It is hoped the partnership will increase the support offered by its programme throughout the funding journey from start-up to scale-up.

Darren Pirie, head of accelerator and partnerships, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “For many new entrepreneurs commercial agreements and legal blockers can be difficult, complex and costly to navigate. The core aim of our Accelerator programme has always been to remove the barriers to growth, through tailored support to start-ups and growing businesses.

“That is why our new partnership with Harper Macleod is so exciting. It brings dedicated in-person and virtual legal advice for the very first time to our community members, to unravel these challenges. This agreement broadens the Royal Bank of Scotland’s support for our innovation economy as we continue to work towards backing 5,000 Scottish entrepreneurs this year.”

Jo Nisbet, a partner specialising in supporting entrepreneurs at Harper Macleod, said: “Through our partnership with the Royal Bank of Scotland Accelerator, we’re very proud to provide dedicated, accessible support to founders right where they are building their businesses. By helping entrepreneurs navigate key issues early, from structuring and investment to contracts and compliance, we can remove uncertainty, reduce risk, and help set strong foundations for sustainable growth.”