2021 Technology Scotland Annual Report

Corporate sponsors:

Annual Report 2021

How we support our members:

Technology Scotland is the representative body for the Enabling Technology Sector in Scotland.

Supporting

Promoting

Interfacing

Representing

About Technology Scotland

Influencing

Our networks

Welcome to our new members!

Technology Scotland Annual Dinner

Maas Investment Fund & roadmap

Photonics skills accelerator

Launch of Opening up Photonics

Product Design Scotland Toolkit

MaaS Scotland Annual Conference

Launch of Photonics for Space group

Member engagement

Internationalengagement

Photonics 2021 survey

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Technology Scotland highlights

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• Nearly 70% of Scottish photonics companies reported a growth in employee numbers and turnover when compared to the previous year.

• 97% of Scotland's photonics output is exported outside of Scotland with 79% being exported outside the UK.

• Scotland's photonics expertise supports multiple market sectors with Aerospace and Defence, Healthcare and Industrial Manufacturing continuing to lead the way. Significant growth in the areas of both Space and Quantum Technology.

Photonics 2021 survey

• The sector has proven to be extraordinarily resilient, with 75% of companies operating at over 90% of capacity throughout the height of the pandemic, and nearly 30% of companies surveyed increasing their operational capacity to above pre-COVID levels.

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Internationalengagement

• Working relationships with European photonics clusters have been strengthened via multiple events, and Alison McLeod elected to Photonics21 Board of Stakeholders.

• Input provided to creation of DITI Technology Export Plan, ensuring that photonics is recognised as a priority area for export support.

• In partnership with SDI, presented Scottish photonics sector to Japan Photonics Council, resulting in the creation of several commercial opportunities for our members.

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Member engagement

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• Created a video marketing campaign with our members to showcase the brilliant women working across the enabling technology sector in celebration of International Women's Day.

• Over a 3 month period we worked on a weekly blog series with our members focussing on their efforts in reaching net-zero as part of our COP26 marketing campaign.

• Redeveloped our Members Area, working with our members to improve their access to the services we provide. Included the launch of an exclusive members area hosted on the Technology Scotland website.

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Launch of Photonics for Space group

• Photonics for Space Special Interest Group launched in partnership with the Higg’s Innovation Centre.

• First meeting held on 24th March, with further meetings in June, August and November.

• The group has three initial primary objectives: to improve visibility of opportunities within the space sector; facilitate knowledge exchange; demonstrate Scotland’s capability in the sector.

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MaaS Scotland Annual Conference

• Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, the conference was delivered via four online sessions across September and October.

• In the weeks before COP26, this year’s conference focussed on the role of MaaS in delivering a greener transport future.

• Expert speakers and panellists discussed areas including behavioural change, governance frameworks, community engagement and success measurement.

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Product Design Scotland Toolkit

• Toolkit launched to provide practical, best practice guidance on key topics within the innovation to commercialisation pathway.

• Developed in partnership with members, an initial 10 topics are included in the toolkit, including Design Processes, Managing Costs, Stakeholder Management and Scaling Manufacture.

• The launch of the toolkit was accompanied by a series of online sessions in partnership with NMIS that explored the toolkit topics with those who helped to develop them.

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Launch of Opening up Photonics

• Developed in partnership with University of Glasgow, Institute of Physics and KTN to support greater diversity within Scotland’s photonics sector.

• Manifesto developed, including the 5 key principles that supporting organisations agree to commit to.

• Initiative launched in September 2021 as part of the SPIE Photonex event.

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Photonics skills accelerator

• A photonics skills course, based on 10 key elements identified by the Scottish photonics sector, has been developed in partnership with NMIS.

• Course funded by the National Transition Training Fund and due to run in early 2022.

• Options being explored to extend and expand this programme through apprenticeship schemes and industrial doctorate programmes.

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MaaS Investment Fund roadmap

• First projects supported by Scottish Government’s MaaS Investment Fund now operational.

• Four projects are now supported across the programme, testing MaaS in a range of geographies and use cases.

• A MaaS Roadmap for Scotland is being delivered alongside the projects with input from MaaS Scotland’s four special interest groups.

• These special interest groups explore key future considerations for MaaS including Data, Governance Frameworks, User Engagement and Evaluation Processes.

Technology Scotland Annual Dinner 2021

Skills development & diversity

Economic recovery & transition to net zero

Innovation & collaboration

Technology integration & supply chain development

Internationalisation & exports

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Future outlook

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Champion the role of enabling technologies towards our net zero ambitions, focussing on the adoption of these technologies into key supply chains e.g. sustainable mobility, green manufacturing.

Develop a MaaS Delivery Roadmap for Scotland, highlighting its role in Scotland’s drive towards net zero alongside adjacent future transport areas (EV, HEV, CAV).

Highlight the importance of enabling technologies to Scotland’s future growth ambitions by providing sectoral input to National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

In support of Scotland’s Manufacturing Recovery Plan, accelerate the proliferation of enabling technologies into the advanced manufacturing supply chain.

Economic recovery & transition to net zero

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Encourage and accelerate the creation of a more diverse workforce within our sector through initiatives such as our Opening up Photonics platform.

In partnership with NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy, address the photonics skills challenge through further development of an accelerated skills programme for new entrants to the sector.

In partnership with NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy, address the photonics skills challenge through further development of an accelerated skills programme for new entrants to the sector.

Seek to engage with education providers to inspire the next generation of enabling technology professionals.

Skills development & diversity

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Facilitate collaboration between industry, academia and key translational assets through a carefully managed programme of conferences, workshops and special interest groups.

Build on recently launched Product Design Scotland Toolkit to support entrepreneurs and SMEs to commercialise and scale new innovative products and services.

Support delivery of the MaaS Investment Fund pilot programme, facilitating knowledge and best practice exchange and disseminating outputs both nationally and internationally.

Innovation & collaboration

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Identify further Special Interest Groups that will support the integration of enabling technologies in additional key market areas such as medical technologies and clean growth.

Provide a unified voice for Scotland’s quantum cluster through the Launch of a Quantum Technologies Special Interest Group.

Support the photonics sector to engage with key growth opportunities in space applications through the Photonics for Space Special Interest Group.

Technology integration & supply chain development

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Provide Scottish representation at key global events, including Photonics West, Laser World of Photonics and ITS Europe.

Continue to be a key contributor to the development of the Directorate for International Trade and Investment (DITI) Technology Export Plan.

Leverage our existing network of global clusters to identify opportunities for international collaboration and commercial opportunities.

Internationalisation & exports

Technology Scotland Annual Dinner 2021 sponsors:

Product Design Scotland sponsors:

MaaS Scotland Conference sponsors:

Corporate sponsors:

Thanks to our sponsors!

Thanks to all of our members for another great year!

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