Scotland seizes data opportunity as Data Lab projects set to inject £70m into economy

The number of data science projects supported by Scottish innovation centre, The Data Lab, has more than doubled in the last year to 52 which means the projected contribution to the Scottish economy has jumped to £70m, from £34m this time last year.

Crucially, the data projects will create 250 new jobs in Scotland of which 190 will be high value positions, helping to attract and retain the brightest minds in data science.

Gillian Docherty, CEO of The Data Lab and newly crowned winner of the Digital Technology Awards CEO of the Year award, said: “There is no doubt, Scotland is seizing the data opportunity. The rate of growth we’ve seen over the past year is testament to burgeoning demand from across the public and private sector to leverage insight from data. It’s encouraging to see so many seeking innovative data led solutions to their challenges.

“Scotland boasts a unique infrastructure of world class academic institutions and inspiring landscape of start-ups and entrepreneurialism, so it’s no wonder we’re seeing more international organisations take advantage of what’s on offer here. With companies that range from SkyScanner to start-ups who continue to challenge and enter new territories with data science, Scotland’s international reputation will only continue to grow.”

Scotland’s growing reputation in the global data landscape was cemented by the success of the inaugural DataFest at the end of March which attracted over 2,000 delegates from over 40 countries and hosted world-renowned data science experts and speakers including Hilary Mason, former chief scientist at Bitly; Dr Hannah Fry of the BBC’s Joy of Data, and John Akred from Silicon Valley Data Science.

UNICEF’s research policy planning specialist, based in New York, Natalia Adler also spoke at the Data Summit conference within DataFest, heralding Scotland as having an, “ecosystem of problem solvers and data-rich companies.”