This September, Scotland will mark a significant milestone in its innovation journey. From Monday 22nd to Friday 26th, the country will host its first-ever National Innovation Week, a coordinated nationwide celebration of Scotland’s past, present and future as a global leader in technology, invention and transformative industry.
Announced by Business Minister Richard Lochhead, the week will feature events, roundtables and showcases across the country. From artificial intelligence and fintech to climate tech and life sciences, it will highlight the bold ideas and frontier technologies that are already shaping Scotland’s future and contributing to global progress.
But this week is not just a celebration. It is a call to action. For entrepreneurs, researchers, students, corporates, public sector leaders, and global partners, National Innovation Week is a rallying point to get involved, build connections, and accelerate the work already underway in Scotland’s high-potential innovation ecosystem.
Innovation Rooted in Heritage and Vision
Scotland’s identity as a nation of inventors and innovators is well known. It has given the world the steam engine, the telephone, penicillin, radar and more. That legacy of ingenuity continues today, not as nostalgia, but as the foundation of Scotland’s ambitions to lead in the technologies and industries of tomorrow.
National Innovation Week arrives at a time of renewed strategic focus. The Scottish Government’s National Innovation Strategy sets out four high-growth priority areas where Scotland already holds competitive advantage:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Energy Transition
- Health and Life Sciences
- Data and Digital Technologies
Across these areas, Scottish companies and institutions are pioneering real-world solutions to the world’s most urgent problems. Whether it is using AI to fast-track drug discovery, deploying digital twins to accelerate green energy transitions, or applying data science to climate resilience, these are not abstract concepts. They are initiatives being built and delivered today by people across Scotland.
A National Week With a Global Perspective
National Innovation Week is designed to be inclusive and outward-facing. Events are expected to take place in every part of Scotland, from the central belt to the Highlands and Islands. It is an opportunity to showcase regional strengths, foster local partnerships and celebrate the diversity of Scotland’s innovation economy.
The centrepiece of the week will be a major Innovation Summit at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 25th September. Delivered in partnership with ScotlandIS, the event will run in parallel with ScotSoft 2025, one of the country’s largest and most influential tech conferences.
This co-location is a strategic choice. By aligning the Innovation Summit with ScotSoft, Scotland is connecting its national innovation mission with one of its most dynamic communities of technologists, digital leaders, investors and entrepreneurs. It is an opportunity to bring together industry and academia, startups and institutions, policy and product, all focused on the shared goal of turning Scotland’s innovation potential into global impact.
The Role of ScotlandIS and the Tech Ecosystem
ScotlandIS, the digital technologies trade body, has been appointed as delivery partner for National Innovation Week and the Summit. Their leadership and network play a critical role in ensuring the week delivers real momentum, visibility and collaboration opportunities across the ecosystem.
ScotlandIS has a track record of working across sectors to build bridges between industry, government and academia. Their support ensures that the innovation week does not become just a showcase but a practical platform for building capability, attracting investment and inspiring the next generation of talent.
This approach aligns with a wider theme that runs through Scotland’s innovation strategy: collaboration is key. No single sector, region or institution can address complex global challenges alone. Scotland’s strength lies in how its ecosystem connects deep academic research, dynamic startup energy, responsive public institutions and committed international partners.
Why National Innovation Week Matters Now
The world is facing unprecedented challenges and equally unprecedented opportunities. The rapid development of AI, synthetic biology, net-zero technologies, and space-based observation systems all represent global shifts in how economies and societies will evolve.
Scotland is not just responding to these shifts; it is helping shape them. Across life sciences, clean energy, and data-driven public services, Scottish organisations are building scalable innovations with global relevance. But there is also an urgent need to move faster, invest more, and scale ideas beyond pilot stages.
National Innovation Week is an opportunity to bring visibility to this work and to accelerate progress. It is a platform to connect Scottish innovation with international demand, to build new coalitions, and to energise a wider movement of people who believe in the power of technology to create a better future.
How to Get Involved
National Innovation Week is designed to be open, participatory and co-created. Organisations across the country are encouraged to host their own events, panels, workshops, open labs, or demo days during the week. Whether you are a local council running a schools outreach programme or a global company opening your R&D centre to the public, your contribution is welcome.
You can submit your event or find out how to participate by visiting the National Innovation Week website. Details of the Summit and ScotSoft 2025, including registration and partnership opportunities, are also available online.
This is your chance to put your organisation on the innovation map, to align with national priorities, and to be part of something that goes beyond individual projects or programmes.
A Moment Worth Marking
Scotland’s first National Innovation Week is more than a diary date. It is a chance to stand up and show what Scotland can do when ideas, ambition and capability come together. It is a time to champion the technologies, companies, researchers and public sector teams already driving impact, and to build the partnerships that will sustain innovation for years to come.
Innovation does not happen in isolation. It happens when people come together with a shared sense of purpose and possibility. That is what this week is about.
Get involved. Be visible. Help shape the future.