Edinburgh Remakery secures Catalyst Fund investment to expand social IT disposition service
The investment will be used to strengthen their earned-income operations by recruiting new staff, enhancing systems and increasing capacity to process, refurbish and redistribute more devices.
Edinburgh Remakery has secured a £250,000 investment from Firstport’s Catalyst Fund to expand its social IT Asset Disposition (sITAD) service. The expansion will help more organisations responsibly dispose of technology and increase access to affordable refurbished devices across Scotland.
Founded in 2012, Edinburgh Remakery is one of Scotland’s longest-established circular-economy charities and social enterprises. Based in Leith, it combines environmental action with social impact by refurbishing and redistributing end-of-life technology, helping to reduce electronic waste while improving access to digital devices for individuals and communities who may otherwise be excluded.
The demand for responsible IT disposal services is growing. According to Edinburgh Remakery, around 350,000 reusable business devices become available in Scotland each year, most from small and medium-sized businesses. Combined with rising environmental, social and governance (ESG) procurement requirements and Right to Repair principles, this presents a significant opportunity to increase both the scale and impact of the organisation’s work.
Edinburgh Remakery’s social ITAD service is unique. It combines secure, compliant IT disposal with measurable social and environmental impact. By working with businesses to collect, process and refurbish unwanted IT equipment, the organisation helps keep valuable technology in circulation while supporting programmes that tackle digital exclusion and reduce waste.
Last year, 114 businesses accessed the service, diverting 52 tonnes of e-waste from landfill and enabling the donation of 224 devices to people facing digital exclusion. Earlier this year, Edinburgh Remakery won the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development for its exceptional work in tackling e-waste and fighting digital exclusion.
The investment follows support from Ventures Lab, a specialist venture growth programme delivered by the Challenges Group. Over six months, Ventures Lab partnered with Edinburgh Remakery to develop a comprehensive business plan and growth strategy for its social ITAD service, supporting the organisation’s investment readiness and long-term growth ambitions. The partnership will continue post-investment, helping Edinburgh Remakery to scale, strengthen its commercial sustainability and increase its impact.
Through the Ventures Catalyst pathway, a partnership between Ventures Lab and the Catalyst Fund, Edinburgh Remakery was able to move from business support to securing patient social investment. The partnership is designed to help ambitious social ventures access the expertise and flexible finance they need to grow their economic activity and increase their impact.
The Catalyst Fund’s revenue-based finance model means that repayments are linked to trading performance rather than fixed monthly payments. This approach offers organisations like the Edinburgh Remakery flexibility to pursue growth while continuing to focus on delivering their mission.
While the investment is expected to increase earned income and strengthen long-term resilience, as a charitable organisation, grant funding and philanthropic support will continue to play a pivotal role in delivering Edinburgh Remakery’s mission to tackle digital exclusion, reduce e-waste and support stronger, more connected communities.
Their Tech Gifting and Community Wellbeing programmes will continue, alongside the popular Repair Cafés. Ongoing support from funders and donors will help ensure these activities remain available to the communities that benefit from them.
Elaine Brown, Edinburgh Remakery’s Chief Executive, said:
“Our ambition is to become the ITAD of choice for businesses across Scotland and beyond! We bring ESG to life for businesses, and this investment will help us scale up to meet the demand.“
Emily Macdonald, Head of Investment Programmes at Firstport, said:
“Edinburgh Remakery has built a strong model that combines commercial activity with meaningful social and environmental impact. Through the support of Ventures Lab, the team developed a clear growth plan, and we are delighted that the Catalyst Fund can provide the flexible capital needed to help bring those ambitions to life.
“This investment will strengthen the organisation’s trading capacity and increase its reach, while enabling it to continue delivering the social and environmental outcomes that sit at the heart of its mission.”
Angie Lee, Director of Commercial Strategy at the Ventures Lab, said:
“We’ve been delighted to partner with Edinburgh Remakery and Firstport throughout this investment journey. Securing this investment marks an exciting milestone, and we look forward to continuing to support the team as they scale their impact and deliver on their ambitious plans.”
Find out more about the Edinburgh Remakery on their website.
Learn more about the Ventures Catalyst programme, or listen to our podcast episode with Angie Lee, Director of Ventures Services at the Ventures Lab.