Partner With Us
Get expertise, support and exposure
Benefit from a partnership with us
Partnership is at the heart of how The Data Lab works as an Innovation Centre. Our mission is to help Scotland maximise value from data — and lead the world to a data-powered future. This can only be achieved through collaboration with public and private sector partners. Our whole ethos is about moving forward with companies to help them gain the most benefits from the power of data.
We build partnerships with businesses in two main ways:
- by helping companies collaborate with data specialists.
- by providing partnership opportunities.
Both of these bespoke services will help your company innovate and grow.
In addition, in 2022 we are launching The Data Lab Academy, and are actively looking for partners to work with us on this exciting project to grow Scotland’s data and AI talent pool.
Collaborate With Specialists
We provide contacts, funding and project management support to enable businesses like yours to collaborate with data science researchers and specialists, on innovative and beneficial data projects.
Partnership and sponsorship opportunities
Linking up with The Data Lab as a Partner is a cost-effective way to raise your visibility amongst Scotland’s data science community. We’ll help you reach key audiences using a flexible approach that offers year-round opportunities.
Partner with The Data Lab Academy
Since 2014, we have provided full scholarship funding to over 880 students on MSc courses in Data and AI-related subjects at 11 Scottish Universities. We also help these students to develop their employability skills — preparing them for the world of work.
The newly launched Data Lab Academy aims to grow the IMPACT of this work. With the support of our Partners, we aim to reach out to all the students on the MSc courses we support (not just our funded students) and offer them access to our networking, employability skills and work placement training.
We’ve helped…
3,000
Businesses harness the power of data
395
New jobs in data
Speak to our partnership team to find out how we can help your business meet its goals.
Find out how we’ve helped Scotland’s businesses leverage the power of data:
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The Scottish Climate Intelligence Service: Helping local authorities reduce emissions
Supported by The Data Lab, the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) developed innovative tools to facilitate data-driven decisions and positive climate action by local governments. The Challenge Scotland has ambitious net-zero targets, requiring all public bodies to cut their organisational emissions. But Scotland’s 32 local authorities want to go further, tackling emissions from all sources…
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Elementz and The Data Lab: Advancing AI Talent Through Industry Collaboration
The Data Lab is helping shape Scotland’s AI talent pipeline by connecting students with industry. Elementz, specialists in subsea integrity software, shared their experience hosting Karol Hetman, a Data Lab Academy student whose placement delivered lasting impact. Karol Hetman, a Computer Science and Physics graduate from the University of Aberdeen, had already been working as…
News about our work helping businesses:
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Response to the Scottish Budget 2026 to 2027
The Data Lab, Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data and AI, welcomes the announcements in the budget on the increase in funding for the college sector and universities, investment in innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship, employability and skills development and a further £125m investment in City Region Deals. Heather Thomson, CEO of The Data Lab, said, “The…
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Reflections on 2025: A Data Scientist Dives into Mainframe (and lives to tell the tale)
In this guest blog, we’re joined by Sarah Burne James, Client Adoption Specialist (Z Software) at IBM, who brings a fresh, fun perspective to the world of mainframes—complete with misconceptions, “aha!” moments, and a lot of cool tech. *record scratch* *freeze frame* Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I got here. You know that…
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The Data Lab appoints Nic Granger OBE as governance board chair
Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, The Data Lab, has today announced that Nic Granger OBE will assume the role of chair. Granger joins the centre as it continues to drive innovation, promote collaboration across sectors and industries, support skills development, and champion Scotland’s data and AI ecosystem by fostering community. Having worked internationally and in the UK across various sectors, in her executive role as…
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