Female entrepreneurs’ breakfast series to launch in Edinburgh and Glasgow
A business networking series for female entrepreneurs is coming to Scotland for the first time, with events in Edinburgh and Glasgow on 4 November 2026.
The Bootstrappers Breakfasts, organised by entrepreneur and business adviser Geeta Sidhu-Robb, will focus on building and growing companies without relying on outside investment.
Darina Garland, co-founder of Scotland-based pizza oven manufacturer Ooni, will deliver the keynote address at both events. She will be joined by founders and business leaders from Scottish companies including TBCo. and Muckle Media.
Scottish business founders join the panels
The Edinburgh breakfast will take place at the RBS Accelerator Hub on Princes Street, followed by a second event at Atera Spa in Glasgow later the same day.
Garland, who co-founded Ooni with Kristian Tapaninaho in 2012, will discuss her experience of building the business into an international consumer brand.
The Edinburgh panel will also feature:
- Emma Macdonald, founder and CEO of Scottish clothing and homeware brand TBCo.
- Nathalie Agnew, founder of Scottish PR and communications agency Muckle Media.
- Kirsty MacCormick, CEO of bbspa UK, a spa and wellness consultancy.
Agnew will act as the local host in Edinburgh, while MacCormick will host the Glasgow event. Garland and Agnew will also participate in the Glasgow panel.
Helping women build businesses without external funding
Sidhu-Robb, who previously founded wellness and nutrition company Nosh Detox, established the Bootstrappers Business Academy to help women develop businesses without depending on venture capital.
The breakfast series brings founders who have grown businesses together with women working towards their first £1 million in annual revenue.
Speaking about the barriers faced by female entrepreneurs, Sidhu-Robb said:
“Most growth advice for new businesses involves how to attract investment, but for women it’s not that simple.”
She said the academy was created to provide practical guidance on building businesses without external funding, an approach based on her own experience as an entrepreneur and business adviser.
The Scottish events follow the first Bootstrappers Breakfast, held in Cambridge in September 2026.
Bootstrappers Breakfast Scotland: event details
Both events take place on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and are free to attend, although advance registration is required.
Edinburgh
- Time: 8.30am to 10.30am
- Venue: RBS Accelerator Hub, 142–144 Princes Street, Edinburgh
- Keynote speaker: Darina Garland, Ooni
- Register for the Edinburgh event
Glasgow
- Time: 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- Venue: Atera Spa, Oswald Street, Glasgow
- Keynote speaker: Darina Garland, Ooni
- Register for the Glasgow event
The sessions will include founder discussions, audience questions and opportunities for attendees to meet other business owners.
Further information about the series and its forthcoming events is available on the official Bootstrappers Breakfasts website.
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