Delivered through the Royal Bank Accelerator programme, the agreement will see a dedicated solicitor assigned to the Glasgow and Edinburgh Accelerator hubs. They will offer one-one 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.

The partnership will also see Harper Macleod supporting key events at the Accelerator hubs, such as for Glasgow Tech Week.

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 startups 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: “Harper Macleod has a long and proud history of working alongside Scotland’s entrepreneurs from the earliest stages of their journey through to scale and beyond. We know that the decisions taken at the outset of a business can have a lasting impact, which is why access to clear, practical legal advice at the right time is so important.

“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.”