Use data science to grow your business

The smart use of data can play a critical role in the growth of almost every business. However, identifying opportunities where data can be used to improve business outcomes — and then successfully deliver on these — is not easy, especially when you have limited resources.

At The Data Lab we understand these challenges and actively engage with Scottish-based businesses to help them find the optimal path to success with data: providing advice and training at the start of the journey, signposting to other support, helping them engage with the data community and then providing effective support as they put their plans into action.

What businesses can we help?

Get the support you need to achieve your business data goals.

We work with all kinds of small and medium enterprises in a wide variety of sectors – from technology and software businesses to manufacturing, hospitality and food and beverage suppliers. Over 1,000 Scottish SMEs have engaged with us, many directly benefiting from access to our innovation and skills services, as well as connecting to the vibrant Scottish data and technology ecosystem.

Whether you are just starting to look at data in your business or are well on the road to implementing a data strategy, we can help with advice, training, networking and access to funding.

Why link your business to The Data Lab

The Data Lab can help in the following ways:

• Our free online Data Lab Community will connect you to business peers and data experts who can support your business on its data journey.
• We can help you identify and engage with academic expertise from across Scotland’s universities.
• Our specialists can help you to understand your data goals and identify data projects that will help you move forward.
• Our external funding service will connect you with funding opportunities and provides assistance with grant applications.
• The Data Lab Masters Placements will team you up with a Masters student on a three-month summer project. Many businesses use this resource to develop a proof of concept or run their first data project.
• The Data Lab PhD Placement can provide you with a paid-for post-graduate student for 10 days. They will be able to work on a data project that will benefit your business.

Key benefits

Further Support

We provide additional support to SMEs through a number of other channels:

Hear from companies that have worked with The Data Lab

“It’s been a pleasure to talk to someone who doesn’t care about what our business does or how big or small we are. I got a genuine sense that Margery was there to help and do the best for us. Best of all, I genuinely felt like no question was a stupid question.”

MERCAT
A tourism company that used The Data Lab to improve its customer experience.

“The sessions were all quite substantial, the first one in particular. We had quite a broad concept, and this was about helping us narrow that down into quite practical interventions going forward.”

David from Data Distil
They used The Data Lab to build a roadmap for an innovative data analytics service.

“The services that The Data Lab offer are critically important for the tourism and traveltech sector. It’s difficult getting started with and making the most of your data. Hotelfone are an established Traveltech company that has been providing great services to hoteliers for many years. They saw the opportunity that data could offer for their business and their collaboration with The Data Lab will help them grow and innovate in the future. I’d encourage any tourism or traveltech business to do the same.”

Joshua Ryan-Saha
Director of Traveltech for Scotland

---