Scottish Cities Alliance

When it comes to attracting tech business with global possibilities, Aberdeen and Dundee really are switched on as they forge ahead in the post pandemic world.

The two cities are making the most of the changes in working patterns that have emerged since the first lockdown landed in March 2020.

In Aberdeen, the digital communications firm IFB has unveiled a £500,000 investment aimed at future-proofing internet and cloud services for its customers.

The move is built around a new partnership with Dundee-based data centre operator and cloud service provider Brightsolid.

IFB added that the “long-term agreement” gave it access to new and “considerable” data centre hosting capacity.

Graeme Gordon, chief executive, IFB, said: “In the last couple of years businesses have evolved and working practices have changed.

“This has resulted in a rapid upsurge in the need for essential and secure data management, with dependable network connectivity, so people can remain productive, conduct meetings and collaborate virtually, email securely, and protect and store confidential company documents with confidence.

“Through this £500,000 long-term investment and the partnership with Brightsolid, we have bolstered existing services delivering a substantial increase in data centre hosting capacity.”

Meanwhile, in Dundee, software company Bitwise has opened a new office in the city and plans to grow its workforce to 100 by 2025.

The firm was founded in 1987 and its new Dundee office adds to bases in Dunfermline, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Bitwise is a software service company developing safety critical software and its work includes software for products such as blood glucose equipment and self-driving cars.

At the moment, the company has 63 staff, mostly based in Dunfermline, with eight in the new Dundee office at Delta House. By the end of the year, it hopes to have filled the Dundee Technology Park premises – and they could then move to a bigger office in the city.

The firm identified Dundee as the best place for a new office due to wider investment in the city over the past few years.

And Bitwise’s Dundee site manager, Brian Robertson, said that a lot of talented software engineers who would have perhaps previously left the city after graduation were now staying, which is great news for the firm, as they are looking to hire graduates and junior engineers.

The software firm joins tech company Vidatec, who moved to the technology park in November.