SBS Blog > From Scotland startup to Silicon Valley: STAX aims to stand out by Jamie Culpan

From Scotland startup to Silicon Valley: STAX aims to stand out

By Jamie Culpan - Posted on 13 March 2025

MBA graduate Jamie Culpan has been selected as one of Startup Grind’s top 100 Global Startups for 2025 and will be pitching to Silicon Valley investors. Here, he shares his entrepreneurial journey.

Entrepreneurship has been a core part of my life for as long as I can remember - I was the kid getting detention for running a tuck shop out of my locker! I launched my first formal business, a club night, on my 18th birthday and have since built a portfolio of ventures spanning recruitment, events, and property.

My most successful venture before STAX was Empire Studios, which I founded in 2015. What started as leasing a single room in a warehouse grew into a seven-room creative hub with a 10-space car park. Over nine years, I scaled the business, eventually acquiring the building and completing a successful exit in 2024.

While running Empire Studios, I was looking for funding to launch a new business. Despite my experience, I was rejected for investment due to a lack of formal business qualifications. That led me to explore the best options for studying while running a company - ultimately leading me to Strathclyde’s Executive MBA programme.

Now, I’m focused on building STAX into Scotland’s next high-growth success story.

STAX offers a high-growth, scalable solution to one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time - sustainable animal feed. Our market opportunity is massive, and I believe that’s what captured Startup Grind’s attention.

Interestingly, when we first applied, we were seeking £1M in funding - an ambitious sum for a Scottish startup. However, one of the panels strongly advised us to increase our ask and scale up quickly because Silicon Valley investors typically focus on much larger opportunities. As a result, we reworked our strategy, leading to our selection as one of Startup Grind’s Top 100 Global Startups for 2025.

This trip to Silicon Valley is a game-changing opportunity for STAX. Since 2020, startups that have attended the Startup Grind Global Conference have raised over $1.5 billion, with individual companies securing investments of up to $18 million at the event itself.

We will be pitching on stage in front of investors representing over $20 billion in assets under management. Our goal is to raise $7.5 million (£5.9M) in funding in exchange for 20% equity, backing a business that carries minimal risk and has the potential to 20x in four years and 100x in seven.

Beyond pitching, the trip will involve high-level networking, investor meetings, and exposure to some of the most influential figures in global venture capital.

My vision is for STAX to be the spearhead of Glasgow becoming Europe’s Agritech Hub—a transformation as impactful as shipbuilding once was for the city. We aim to scale globally, beginning with our Glasgow HQ before expanding across the UK and Europe.

Financially, we project 20x growth within four years and 100x within seven, making STAX a prime contender for becoming Scotland’s next unicorn.

My advice to anyone starting an entrepreneurial venture is that there’s never a perfect time to start a business. I can’t remember who said it, but the best advice I ever heard was:

"If you wait for the perfect time or circumstances to start a business, you’ll be waiting forever. Start tired, start unsure, start broke—just start."

I’d just like to say how proud I am to be a Strathclyder. The energy, support, and network here are phenomenal. It’s been key to STAX’s growth so far, and I’m excited to represent Strathclyde at Startup Grind Global as the only Scottish company exhibiting this year.