Social Enterprise Summit Scotland 2026

The Social Enterprise Summit Scotland is back for 2026.

This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, 17 June, at the Apex Hotel in Dundee, where we’ll be discussing all things Building Wealth, Building Community, mirroring our 2026 Manifesto.

We are eager to shine a light on the importance of the work that is done by social enterprises, following the Scottish election. It is crucial to celebrate and platform the incredible work being done by social enterprises, the impact-led enterprises, to lead Scotland to a fairer, greener future. 

We’re hard at work creating an agenda, and we will be keeping you up to date as we get closer to June. It is sure to include all of the features of an inspiring day spent at the Social Enterprise Summit Scotland - including the Social Enterprise Showcase!

At Social Enterprise Scotland, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive event where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to participate fully. Diversity enriches our community and drives innovation and social impact. To learn more about bursaries and accessibility, please click here.

Registration closes on Sunday 31 May.

Programme

A full agenda for the day can be found here.

When you book, please select your preferred breakout workshop from the choices below. We will try and accommodate your first choice, but places are limited due to room availability.

Session A: Demystifying Social Investment

This session will bring together experts from Democratic Finance Scotland, Firstport, Foundation Scotland, Social Investment Scotland (SIS) and The Venture Labs to give delegates a practical look at the current funding and investment landscape. The goal is to demystify social investment and help social enterprises make informed choices about the right capital at the right time. Social enterprises are operating in a tighter and more complex funding landscape.

Grants are harder to secure and far more competitive. They still matter, but relying on them alone can leave organisations exposed. At the same time, repayable finance is becoming more common, whether that’s loans, revenue-linked finance or quasi-equity. Blended models are also growing, combining grant and loan to make investment more workable. This session will help social enterprises understand what these options mean in practice, when they’re appropriate, and how to use them with confidence.

Session B: Member Mixer Live

Harriet Dodd (Director, TopHat Discovery) returns this year, working alongside our membership team for an interactive and engaging session – to get you thinking, connecting and sharing ideas.

Through guided prompts, we’ll consider ourselves, our businesses and the challenges that are taking up space in our head.  Using the wisdom in the room, we’ll swap insights, spark new connections, and explore how we can strengthen the social enterprise community together.

Session C: From Procurement to Community Wealth: Unlocking NHS Scotland’s Buying Power

NHS Scotland is one of the largest public sector buyers in the country, with significant potential to contribute to community wealth building through its procurement decisions. This session will explore how a Buy Social approach can move beyond cost and compliance to deliver wider social, economic and community benefits.

Through a mix of real-life examples, system insight and interactive discussion, participants will consider how procurement can be used more intentionally to support social enterprises, strengthen local economies, and deliver meaningful social value.