UK nations and regions
Scotland
With valuable business opportunities and attractive investment returns, Scotland has the perfect blend of talent, innovation, and financial and renewable resources to help your business prosper.
Scotland's tradition of innovation is matched by excellent supply chain infrastructure and networks. More overseas businesses chose Scotland as a location than any other UK nation or region outside London for 10 consecutive years from 2015 to 2024. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are all in the UK’s top 10 locations for foreign direct investment, with digital and technologies, agri-food and business services leading the way.
Key facts for Scotland
Ranked 1st as top location for UK foreign direct investment (FDI) outside of London (YE Scotland Attractiveness Survey, 2025)
£14.7 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) from the financial services sector
19 universities
135 foreign direct investment projects in 2024
£35.1 billion of goods exported globally from Scotland in 2023
26.1% of people aged over 16 have a university degree or professional qualification
An industrial strategy for the whole of the UK
The modern Industrial Strategy is a new economic approach – a whole-of-government effort to back the UK’s strengths, with ambitious plans for eight high-growth sectors (known as the IS-8) and the frontier industries at their leading edge, from quantum to pharmaceuticals. It is a 10-year plan, built on stability and openness, to make the UK the best country to invest in.
Building on Scotland's strengths
Scotland already has a huge amount to celebrate and the the UK's Industrial Strategy’s sector plans promote its wide-ranging strengths to investors.
Advanced manufacturing
Glasgow is home to the Advanced Manufacturing District Scotland and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland in Renfrewshire, and the Prestwick Aerospace Cluster. Edinburgh houses the National Robotarium at Herriot-Watt University, and the Roslin Institute, which is a leading agri-tech research institute.
Clean energy industries
Scotland will be crucial for the Net Zero transition, with legislative reform to electricity infrastructure consenting accelerating deployment and helping deliver energy security for local communities.
The Port of Cromarty Firth is a major hub for floating offshore wind, receiving £55 million funding for expansion, and the £350 million cable factory at the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, is expected to create around 330 jobs in the Scottish Highlands.
The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub could add over 700 jobs by 2030 and the £544 million Clean Industry Bonus and £300 million Great British Energy supply chain fund will drive jobs and investment across Scotland. Scottish Ports could further benefit from National Wealth Fund’s £5.8 billion funding to priority sectors, driving investment and jobs across the country.
Creative industries
CoSTAR Realtime Lab opened its first dedicated virtual production studio in Dundee, which is also the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. The Edinburgh Festival incubates creative talent, such as Fleabag and Six, whilst Edinburgh Futures Institute drives innovation in the Creative Industries.
Glasgow City Region has HQs for BBC Scotland, STV, and a Channel 4 Creative Hub. US animations and visualisation firm Halon Entertainment is investing £28 million in a Glasgow studio.
Defence
Strengths span next-generation maritime capabilities, space, quantum technologies and semiconductors with world-renowned shipbuilding locations, including for the Type 26 and Type 31 frigate programmes such as those in Govan, Scotstoun and Rosyth. Scotland hosts one of the largest quantum, photonics and semiconductor clusters in the UK, supported by several top Scottish universities. Innovation is driven across Scotland by High Value Manufacturing, Satellite Applications and Compound Semiconductor Catapults, the Forth Green Freeport and more.
Digital and technologies
Scotland is home to 2 of the UK’s 5 new Quantum Hubs, with involvement in all 5. 10 of the top 30 global semiconductor companies have operations in Scotland, and Scotland is home to cutting edge AI research network and R&D infrastructure, including the Edinburgh Genome Biofoundry and Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre.
Life sciences
Scotland has strengths in advanced therapies, biopharma and data innovation and the fastest-growing UK life sciences turnover. This is anchored by the Triple Helix model of collaboration between industry, academia and the UK's NHS (National Health Service), as well as NHS and university translational research networks and assets such as the CPI Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre.
Financial services
Glasgow City Region has specialisms in banking and insurance, with JP Morgan recently opening a new tech specialist office in the city, while Edinburgh is the second largest financial hub in the UK and an international financial services hub for banking and asset management.
Edinburgh boasts Aberdeen, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock and State Street operating in the city. These clusters are supported by a sizeable talent pool bolstered by prestigious universities, research institutions, good transport infrastructure, lower costs for office space and international access via its airports.
Professional and business services
Over 25% of Glasgow's top tech firms are in financial and business services, attracting the Big Four and major firms such as Azets and RSM. ScotWind and Scotland’s Green Industrial Strategy is driving growing demand for green professional services. This is anchored by a highly capable workforce, supported by a world-class skills ecosystem and prestigious universities.
Foundational industries relevant to IS-8 supply chains
There are critical minerals clusters in Aberdeen and Fort William, and chemicals production is a major employer in Grangemouth. It is also home to composites production in Glasgow and Inverness and there are electricity networks in Cromarty Firth. Scotland has a number of ports and an active construction industry.
Driving regional growth in Scotland
The Industrial Strategy introduces ambitious policies to drive growth and investment across every nation and region of the UK. This is a 10-year strategy which will be a living document. We want to continue to work with devolved governments and local authorities to ensure they can drive growth across the UK
More policies will be delivered over time, but below are some of the specific interventions in Scotland that form part of our strategy.
Locally targeted investments in the IS-8 growth driving sectors
- We are supporting Scottish clean energy industries with development funding of around £200 million, subject to business cases, to advance the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage project, capitalising on expertise in the oil and gas sector. A regional skills pilot for Aberdeen will also help ensure a strong local skills base to deliver these opportunities
- Scotland’s elite universities are driving innovation across quantum, clean energy industries, life sciences and other growth-driving sectors. An investment of up to £750 million in the UK’s largest supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh sets a marker for our ambition for further growth in digital and technologies
- We are supporting professional and business services (PBS) across the Central Belt, including a new PBS hub
- A new Defence Growth Deal, which we will consult the Scottish government on, will support Scotland's thriving defence industry
- £4.3 billion in funding for the advanced manufacturing sector, including up to £2.8 billion in research and development funding programmes over the next 5 years
Tools to help city regions and clusters attract private investment
- The National Wealth Fund, working with the Scottish National Investment Bank, is identifying and securing the right financing for investment projects in Scotland
- A British Business Bank Cluster Champion in Glasgow City Region, with deep expertise and local knowledge, will coordinate investment-readiness programmes, strengthen financial networks, and connect high-potential firms in the IS-8 to investors
- Measures to strengthen Scotland’s Investment Zones and Green Freeports are being taken through our new Industrial Strategy Zones Action Plan
Targeted support to drive innovation
- The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund will earmark at least £30 million for Glasgow City Region. This will empower local leaders to decide how to target research investment in that place and unleash its full innovation potential