2024 Technology Scotland Annual Report

Annual Report 2024

Corporate sponsors:

About Technology Scotland

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

How we support our members:

Interfacing

Representing

Promoting

Influencing

Supporting

Our networks

Welcome to our new members!

Technology Scotland highlights

Launch of Scottish Quantum Directory

MaaS Scotland Annual Conference and Dinner

Special Interest Groups

Representing Scottish capabilities

Photonics Scotland 30th Anniversary

Photonics and Quantum Future Skills Group

Launch of Critical Technologies Supercluster

Opening Up Photonics

Technology Scotland at Downing Street

Scottish MaaS Roadmap

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Launch of Scottish Quantum Directory

• In November, Technology Scotland published the first Scottish Quantum Directory at the National Quantum Technologies Showcase in London.

• Developed under the Glentanglement® brand, the directory lists over 30 organisations at the heart of delivering Scotland’s quantum opportunity.

• The directory is an important asset in the wider international promotion of Scotland’s quantum capabilities – welcome to Glentanglement®!

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MaaS Scotland Conference

• The UK’s largest dedicated MaaS event returned in June, with a fantastic line up of guest speakers.

• This year’s conference was designed to support efforts to create a roadmap for future MaaS upscale in Scotland and covered important areas such as leadership, governance and behaviour change.

• The Annual Conference will return on the 12th of June 2025 in Glasgow.

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Special Interest Groups

• Special Interest Groups (SIGs) continue to provide important forums for discussion and knowledge exchange across all Technology Scotland Networks.

• 17 SIG meetings were delivered across the year with a combined total of over 500 attendees.

• Themes covered included Quantum Technologies and Space (Photonics Scotland), Data & Governance and Behaviour Change (MaaS Scotland) and Inclusive Design and Compliance (Product design Scotland).

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Representing Scottish capability

• Technology Scotland represented Scottish capabilities at multiple events throughout the year.

• These include Photonics West, National Quantum Showcase, SPIE Sensing and Imaging, Photonex, BICOP and many other smaller events.

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Photonics Scotland 30th Anniversary

• In 2024, Photonics Scotland celebrated its 30th Anniversary.

• In April, over 120 guests from across the photonics and quantum sectors came together to celebrate in Glasgow.

• Celebrations will culminate in a reception at the Scottish Parliament on the 12 March 2025 – keep an eye out for your invitation!

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Scottish MaaS Roadmap

• In April, Technology Scotland received funding from Smarter Choices, Smarter Places to develop a strategic roadmap for future MaaS upscale in Scotland.

• The roadmap will include 16 recommendations, developed with input from the community via workshops, 1:1 interviews and the MaaS Scotlansd Annual Conference.

• Final publication of the roadmap is scheduled for early 2025.

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Photonics and Quantum Future Skills Group

• Skills group was launched in February 2024 and includes representation from industry, academia, government agencies and outreach specialists.

• The group aims to create a forum that will provide strategic direction to Scotland’s future skills provision in photonics and quantum, ensuring skills development meets industry demand while meeting the wider aims of Scotland’s skills development landscape.

• Early focus of the group has been on internship programmes and apprenticeships.

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Launch of Critical Technologies Supercluster

• Technology Scotland has partnered with Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde to develop a strategic plan for Scotland’s critical technologies.

• The plan includes an ambition to grow the supercluster beyond £10bn by 2035.

• The supercluster for formally launched by Business Minister, Richard Lochhead, at the Technology Scotland Annual Dinner in November.

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Technology Scotland at Downing Street

• In May, Technology Scotland was invited to a roundtable meeting and reception at 10 Downing Street to mark the first anniversary of the UK’s £1bn National Semiconductor Strategy.

• Technology Scotland was invited in recognition of the important role Scottish capabilities will play in meeting the ambitions of this strategy.

• These capabilities are bolstered by our wider expertise in critical technologies, including photonics and quantum technologies.

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Opening Up Photonics

• In March, we celebrated International Women’s Day via a video showcasing females in Scotland’s photonics industry.

• Over 20 women participated in the project providing fantastic insight into their careers in photonics and quantum.

• Technology Scotland also supported the inaugural SCOT conference, a student led photonics conference attended by over 100 postgraduates and industry partners.

• Students were introduced to the Opening up Photonics initiative followed by a panel on EDI in photonics and optics.

Technology Scotland Annual Dinner 2024

Future outlook

Scaling innovation

Developing a workforce for the future

Internationalisation

Collaboration and cluster building

Click the boxes above to navigate to a specific page, or use the arrows to move back and forward.

Scaling innovation

Following on from the Critical Technologies Supercluster Action Plan, develop a strategic report that will outline specific deliverables designed to support the sector to meet its growth ambitions by 2035.

Continue to engage with industry (via surveys, workshops, roundtables) to monitor and analyse identified barriers to growth.

Provide front door for investors and support smaller organisations and entrepreneurs to access investment opportunities e.g. matchmaking, investor databases, showcase events and mini ‘trade-missions’.

Develop a mentorship programme to recycle commercial and technical expertise back into our start-up and spin-out base.

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Developing a workforce for the future

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.

Expand the Photonics and Quantum Future Skills Group to formally include the wider critical technologies sector (semiconductor technologies and wireless communications).

Prepare biannual report on Scotland’s Critical Technologies skills demands. This will include a Critical Technologies Skills Survey.

We will leverage the Scottish Government’s MaaS Investment Fund Programme to emphasise Scotland’s position as a global lead in the development of Mobility as a Service.

Work with partners to create a critical technologies cohort as part of the Manufacturing Skills Academy Internship Programme in 2025.

We will leverage the Scottish Government’s MaaS Investment Fund Programme to emphasise Scotland’s position as a global lead in the development of Mobility as a Service.

Continue with activities under the Opening up Photonics banner to include greater focus on building a diverse talent pool to support the wider Critical Technologies sector.

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Internationalisation

Improve supercluster engagement with existing internationalisation support infrastructure available through SE/SDI/DBT and others.

Coordinate enhanced Scottish representation at key international events, working with DBT and SDI where appropriate to develop parallel activities including receptions, briefings and matchmaking events.

Create briefing documents and associated training for SDI in-market trade specialists to support efforts relating to Critical Technologies.

Coordinate collective marketing efforts across the Critical Technologies Sector – targeting international partners, investors and talent.

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Collaboration and cluster building

Conduct Annual Sectoral Survey to include updates on growth, exports, markets, skills, innovation focus and investment.

Continue to provide a platform for knowledge exchange and future strategic activities through Technology Scotland’s Special Interest Group Series.

Partner with adjacent sectoral organisations to promote cross-cluster innovation and ‘Art of Possible’ thinking through joint events and workshops.

Formalise Scotland’s Critical Technologies cluster in line with anticipated new Scottish Government guidelines detailed as part of Scotland’s Innovation Strategy.

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Thanks to our sponsors!

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MaaS Scotland Conference sponsors:

Technology Scotland Annual Dinner sponsors:

Thanks to all of our members for another great year!

Thanks to all of our members for another great year!

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