Scotland has long been considered a nation of innovation and invention, with some of the world’s best scientists, engineers and thinkers hailing from our shores and helping bring to the world creations ranging from the refrigerator to Dolly the sheep, to the MRI scanner and the world’s first floating wind farm – our small nation has long been at the forefront of advancements in engineering, medicine, agriculture, video game development and so much more. Many of these esteemed innovations and discoveries were borne of the knowledge centres in cities across Scotland, and the critical mass of cities remains hugely important today with the Scottish cities being home to world-leading universities, research institutes and innovation centres which are driving the national economy and creating opportunities for clean, green, growth and high value, skilled jobs.

Scotland’s cities bring problem solving, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to the table as well as breadth and depth of expertise in a number of key sectors that are driving growth, creating high-quality, fulfilling jobs and advancing the transition towards greener and more prosperous Scottish cities, for the benefit of all of Scotland.

However, in a rapidly changing world we face many challenges in maintaining our record of innovation, and in recognition of this the Scottish Government’s National Innovation Strategy 2023-2033 has described how Scotland will overcome these challenges, build on its past and reaffirm its status as an innovative country in the future economy. The Strategy has identified four key priority areas where innovation can drive significant growth and development towards a wealthier, fairer and greener economy. These are: