Scotland is a nation of innovators, and it has been for many, many generations. A quick glance back through tech history reminds us that Scottish trailblazers have been making waves across the globe for hundreds of years. The first telephone, the television, and Penicillin were all introduced to the world stage by Scots!
However, The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy report on drivers of innovation and productivity in the UK shows that the further away from London you get, the less new-to-market innovations we see. Typically, we see businesses apply for lower amounts, and projects tends to be less radical and creative than, for example, organisations in the South East and Greater London.
We’re on a mission at The Data Lab to shift this trend and to ensure that Scotland seizes the opportunity to attract bigger investment north of the border.
In this article, The Data Lab’s Head of External Funding Services, Adam Turner, explores data and AI opportunities for businesses in Scotland. Adam is responsible for creating and delivering strategic funding programmes supporting Scottish-based organisations. Since the External Funding Service creation in 2020, he has overseen over 180 consortia-led applications into a range of funding bodies, delivering over £120M of funding into Scottish, UK and European collaborations.
Supporting research through to market adoption
At The Data Lab, we are helping companies navigate a new age of innovation, but are also helping them find something that is so vital to help turbocharge that into new markets. We have keen markets for exploration and exploitation of new technologies on our doorstep in Scotland. Our population spread and environment makeup make Scotland a great place for research and innovation. So we’re developing not just a reputation for data and AI, but for it’s actual application into real life settings.
So it’s really around translating some of this cutting edge stuff that’s happening in our research institutions, working with industry, translating that between the two, and then finding funding to really help pioneer this and to make Scotland to the test bed.
We need to ensure that funding takes Research and Innovation the whole way from concept through to market adoption and exploitation, this requires funding and sometimes political alignment to make this become a reality. We are lucky in Scotland to have actively engaged ministers who champion the use of technology, data and AI to improve the status quo.
Data and AI opportunities for businesses in Scotland
We’re in a new age of data and AI and its application. Innovation Centres across Scotland are supporting companies to navigate this new age in technology development and to progress cutting edge ideas, and help turbocharge those projects into new markets.
To get us started, here are a couple of the key markets for exploration in Scotland:
Net zero innovation
At first glance, it’s an easy mistake to conclude that (geographically) Scotland has barriers that hinder its desirability. In terms of physical geography, there’s an abundance of harsh landscapes to navigate, however, that ‘weakness’ is also Scotland’s greatest strength! Smart organisations are already recognising that if you can trial something and demonstrate it works within Scotland, covering large geographical challenges and harsh environments, you can prove that it will work anywhere.
There’s a lots of geographical factors that make Scotland a unique and special place to trial the most innovative of technologies – we’re seeing data centres landing off our coast lines because of our proximity to green power. There’s an abundance of market opportunity for projects around net zero commitments, backed by Scotland’s investment into wind power transition across the North Sea.
We have seen a range of measures to tackle energy transition here in Scotland. Whether that be through our expanding wind turbine network, hydrogen programmes, solar activities, thermal heat, or our cutting-edge tidal technologies. Many of these technologies are going to become an increasing part of the picture when it comes to addressing our climate challenges. Understanding the varied needs of communities that use this technology and engaging them in the consultation process is vitally important. It’s great to see funding flowing into development of these technologies and seeing alignment against policies from the Scottish Government to continue to support the expansion and adoption for the long term.
Earth observation
We have a thriving space and satellites community growing here in Scotland. Some of the downstream applications for this technology have already been exploited by SMEs on the ground in some really amazing applications. We can leverage this technology to advance our knowledge of our environment and understand changes for good and bad. Having access to this data allows us to make positive changes and to back this good work up with evidence. Reforestation and environmental protection activity are key to ensuring we hit our climate targets by 2045. We’re doing this for future generations prosperity and using data and AI to help inform our decision making as we go.
Healthcare innovation
Scotland offers a practical arena for exploring data and AI, with healthcare as a standout area. The nation’s shifting demographic composition, characterised by an aging population akin to much of the Western world, provides a canvas for pioneering health solutions.
Utilising the skills of best-in-class robotics and health centres throughout Scotland, visionaries are poised to unlock transformative breakthroughs. Yet, the journey extends beyond technical capabilities; it’s about fostering collaboration and connectivity.
The key questions The Data Lab have been addressing are, “How do we help entities and start-ups access the support mechanisms in the space?”, alongside, “How can we help them apply for funding in collaboration with some of these research centres?”, ushering in a new era of healthcare possibilities.
The Data Lab Funding Finder
In July 2023, we worked alongside a talented AI team to deliver The Data Lab Funding Finder, a free search companion designed to simplifying your journey through the intricate landscape of UK funding possibilities. The tool is invaluable. It’s completely complimentary and now acts as a first port of call for business owners looking for funding, bring funding calls together in one unified space and making the funding world less daunting to delve into.
Funding Finder now also pulls through all Horizon Europe funding opportunities, meaning that you can now explore both UK and EU funding opportunities on the platform.
If you want to learn more about how we can support your innovation project, visit Funding Finder and register for free today!