Scotland announces five new hubs to nurture tech startups

The hubs will support at least 300 startups with infrastructure, mentoring and training by 2025

The Scottish government has announced plans to establish five new hubs to support technology startups.

Announcing an initial tranch of funding amounting to £4 million, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said:

"These hubs will transform the quality and intensity of support available to Scottish start-ups, delivering world-class education to tech entrepreneurs, helping this vital sector to grow and create jobs.

"They will also offer the chance to network and share ideas, helping the sector to grow and laying the groundwork for Scotland's digital future."

The hubs, called tech scalars, will support at least 300 startups with infrastructure, mentoring and training by 2025.

Forbes also announced an Ecosystem Fund designed to make strategic investments in the Scottish tech sector and outlines plans to partner with the technology industry to deliver on recommendations by SkyScanner entrepreneur Mark Logan, who was commissioned to investigate ways to invigorate the tech sector in Scotland.

In his report, Logan recommended creating a string of hubs "to give entrepreneurs world-class training and mentoring alongside the chance to network and share ideas" as well as setting up a strategic investment fund, and providing more software engineering courses.

Commenting on the announcement, Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO of trade body ScotlandIS said:

"Scotland has a proud heritage of tech start-ups, and we need this cohesive strategy and leadership to maximise the nation's potential in digital technology. The creation of these new tech scaler hubs creates the perfect opportunity to create a genuinely inclusive approach to technology across Scotland. We need these hubs based throughout Scotland to enable remote and rural economies to thrive in a digital world."