Scottish Development International

When global companies seek expansion, they look for a unique combination of innovation, talent, and support. Come to Scotland and that's exactly what you'll get, as Californian tech company, UserTesting, can testify to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 What began as an initial base outside of the US, the San Francisco-based company's Edinburgh office is now its largest, with ambition to grow even further 📈💪 With our support, the company was able to scale at pace and seize the market opportunity in Europe, its fastest-growing market. "SDI did a fantastic job listening to what we wanted to achieve, setting up an on-the-ground visit. We visited various companies, explored office spaces and met with the universities in Edinburgh and Glasgow. We talked with recruiting firms to help us onboard people, and were introduced to a law firm to assist with legal matters. It was an outstanding experience, and SDI played a significant role in making it happen." Andy MacMillan, CEO at UserTesting. Read more about UserTesting's successful move to Scotland 👉 https://ow.ly/EsHJ50T8N5J #ScotlandIsNow #FDI

🌍🚀 Strengthening space collaboration between Scotland and Malaysia 🚀🌍 We were absolutely thrilled to witness the signing of three significant agreements between Malaysian and Scottish space sector companies at the Space-Comm Expo Scotland yesterday at Glasgow's SEC. These agreements mark another milestone in the trade relations between our two nations, as we build stronger partnerships in the space industry. Highlights include: 1️⃣ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Daniel Smith, Director of Space Scotland and Dato’ Kamarul Redzuan Mohamed, President of MASIC - Malaysia Space Industry Consortium to foster collaboration and unlock trade and knowledge transfer opportunities. 2️⃣ Expression of Interest (EOI) signed by Dr Mick O’Connor, CEO of FIRE ARROW and Muhamad Nurazmi Abas, CEO of Gading Group Berhad, to support a key infrastructure project at Pahang Aerospace City. 3️⃣ EOI signed by Malachy Devlin, CEO of Celestia Technologies and Dato' Kamarul Redzuan Bin Muhamed, CEO and Managing Director of Uzma Group (Berhad) to collaborate on advanced space satellite solutions for the South East Asia region. The signings were witnessed by key figures including Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government's Minister for Business, Jan Robertson, Head of Trade at Scottish Enterprise, GS Haji Azlikamil Bin Napiah, Director General of the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) and Rushdi Abdul Rahim, President and CEO of the Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT). Congratulations to all the partners involved. Here's to even more successful collaborations in the future 🎉 #ScotlandIsNow #Space

It's the moment we've all been waiting for as #SpaceCommExpoScotland lifts off in Glasgow's Scottish Event Campus (SEC) today, and what a couple of days its shaping up to be 🚀🙌 Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Business for the Scottish Government, began with his vision for Scotland, highlighting the strategic goals for establishing Scotland as a European leader in the space sector. Following on, Dr Paul Bate Chief Executive Officer at the UK Space Agency discussed the UK's pivotal role in the global space industry and Scotland’s significant contributions to this dynamic landscape 🛰️ Amid the day's packed schedule, attendees will have the chance to hear from experts and leaders on the value of global collaboration in space exploration, technology development, and commercial opportunities. They will discuss key challenges, propose solutions, and explore how combining resources, knowledge, and infrastructure can drive innovation, benefit all partners, and support the growth of the global space economy💡 If you're an ambitious space entrepreneur looking to set up, or expand into Scotland, come talk to our team at the AstroAgency stand, F3 - we can help you take the next step 🤝 For more information on the different areas within the Scottish Space Sector and the companies we are currently engaged with 👉 https://ow.ly/ly5950TijXa #ScotlandIsNow #Innovation

Scottish space companies like Orbex are leading the charge with innovations in cleaner fuels and intelligent manufacturing, proving that reaching orbit with a significantly reduced carbon footprint is achievable 👣 Orbex's Prime rocket is a 19-meter, two-stage system designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. The rocket is made from carbon fibre, which is lighter and stronger than aluminum, reducing the fuel needed for launches. The company is set to accelerate the development and launch of this rocket, pushing the boundaries of sustainable spaceflight. With Space-Comm Expo Scotland set to launch tomorrow, it's a great time to take a look at the journey the Forres-based spaceflight company has been on to get where it is today 🔎 Initially presented to our partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as an inward investment opportunity, Orbex has since secured a £14.6 million investment package. It operates design facilities in Denmark, has a registered office in England, and holds active patents across Europe and the U.S. covering various aspects of its rocket technology 📈 "Our technology is pivotal in making the UK a hub for European orbital launch, and we're entering a critical phase of development," says Phillip Chambers, CEO of Orbex. "We're building a sustainable, cost-effective launch vehicle to compete with the best of Europe’s spaceflight manufacturers. This additional funding will help us move into the operational launch phase and scale our business." Orbex is part of a booming sector expected to create 20,000 jobs and generate billions for Scotland's economy over the next decade. If you're interested in scaling your business from Scotland, let's talk 👉 https://ow.ly/o7lW50Tj3nk #ScotlandIsNow #SpaceCommExpoScotland 📸 Credit Orbex

Aberdeen-based HonuWorx aims "to change the game for underwater robotics" when it comes to inspection, maintenance and repair, after securing a seven-figure investment 👏 The firm is developing an all-electric 'mothership' submarine that will transport and deploy remotely operated vehicles for subsea inspection and maintenance. The company sees opportunity arising as a result of the huge growth in offshore wind and resulting increase in underwater assets. It's Chief Executive, Lee Wilson, says its technology will help "deliver cleaner, safer and more cost-effective operations for global underwater industries, including energy and security". The firm also has huge expansion plans, targeting over £30 million of additional investment. Read the full story behind the company's innovative subsea tech 👇 #ScotlandIsNow

Scotland's diverse software and IT industry delivers products and services across a broad spectrum of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, energy, and space. Our evolving software sector supports a wide range of markets, from public services and traditional sectors like banking and insurance to emerging fields such as renewables and biotechnology. Building on a long tradition of tech innovation, Scotland hosts 11,200 digital companies. With 15,000 graduates annually in IT, engineering, maths, and sciences, the 536% growth in digital start-ups in Edinburgh is just the start of what’s possible. Think of a country where ambitious minds come together 🧠📊 Think digital expertise. Think Scotland 👉 https://ow.ly/LT6i50ThuP8 #ScotlandIsNow #Innovation

With the growing impacts of climate change, the insurance industry faces major challenges, with claims often taking up to two years to process after a disaster. Quick, accurate risk assessment is more critical than ever. Scotland's advantage? Space data. Edinburgh, the "space data capital of Europe," is driving innovation with satellite data to revolutionise climate insurance. Local firms like Digital Content Analysis Technology Ltd (D-CAT) and global players like Weather Stream are leveraging Scotland's unique ecosystem to create faster, data-driven solutions for climate risk and resilience. With Scotland set to become a global hub for space data and Earth observation, it's the place to watch for space innovation 👉 https://ow.ly/QO0y50TekUT Don’t miss the Space-Comm Expo in Glasgow's Scottish Event Campus (SEC) this coming Wednesday and Thursday to learn more about this country's space ambitions 🤩 #ScotlandIsNow #SpaceCommExpoScotland

Excited about the future possibilities that space holds? We are too 🚀 Scotland aims to become Europe’s leading space nation by 2030, and with the largest space industry event in the country's history happening at SEC Glasgow from 11-12 September, it's the perfect time to highlight one of Scotland’s fastest-growing sectors 📈 Hina Khan, Executive Director of Space Scotland describes the building blocks of what has become the space industry here, “There's been this bubbling energy in Scotland over the last 10-15 years and that didn't come from nowhere. There was always an acknowledgement that there was a really strong heritage of space-based research within our academic institutes, but also within our industry segment, a lot of engineering excellence related to mobile technologies, mobile phones, subsystems, power systems – and all these have facilitated the growth of the space industry". Space-Comm Expo co-chair Will Whitehorn, former president of Virgin Galactic and head of the Seraphim Space is also clear about the essential role of space in addressing global challenges such as maintaining food security, tracking extreme weather or detecting wildfires. Whitehorn states, "Without space, we simply couldn’t solve those problems. Space is already saving our bacon in ways people don’t think about because they take it for granted...we wouldn’t understand what is happening to the climate, we wouldn’t know the state of play without space.” Discover Scotland's ambitious plans for space and the global opportunities they present by joining us at #SpaceCommExpoScotland, featuring a stellar lineup of speakers 👉 https://ow.ly/R7gH50TgprK #ScotlandIsNow 📸 Hayley Bray Photography

A purpose-built Health Innovation Hub, being built in the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, has reached a major milestone with the completion of the building’s primary structure. The new facility, which will focus on advancing and delivering precision medicine technologies through the R&D stage ahead of commercialisation, is due to officially open in August 2025. Commenting on milestone, Katie Nelson, Head of Leasing, UK & Ireland at Kadans Science Partner (the firm delivering the project), said: "The Health Innovation Hub will help to position Glasgow as a global leader in the key area of precision medicine." #ScotlandIsNow #MedTech

The Arrol Gibb Innovation Centre (AGIC) is a global hub driving innovation in large-scale manufacturing with new digital technologies. By leveraging world-class expertise and resources, AGIC supports research programmes aimed at reducing financial and operational risks in manufacturing projects across marine and energy transition sectors. This location is ideal for both emerging and established manufacturing firms due to its waterfront, road and rail access together with on campus support including: ✅ National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) ✅ Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) Find out more 👉 https://ow.ly/oLh450TgwZI #ScotlandIsNow #OffshoreWind