Scottish Enterprise: Connecting Scotland’s Innovators with Global Investment
From life sciences and health technologies to AI, semiconductors, energy and quantum, Scotland is building a deeptech ecosystem with increasingly global ambitions. At the centre of that growth is Scottish Enterprise, supporting startups and scaleups with investment, international connections and the partnerships needed to turn innovation into commercial success.
Ahead of Tech Tour Mental & Brain Health 2026 in Glasgow on 24–25 September, we spoke with Derek Shaw, Director of Entrepreneurship & Investment at Scottish Enterprise, about Scotland’s innovation strengths, what it takes for deeptech companies to scale internationally, and where he sees the next opportunities for investment.
TT: Scotland is building strong momentum in health innovation and deeptech. What makes Scotland a good place today for startups and scaleups to grow?
DS: Scotland combines world-class research, a highly collaborative innovation ecosystem, and strong public support for company growth. We have internationally recognised strengths in areas such as life sciences, digital health, AI, semiconductors, space technologies, energy transition and advanced engineering, alongside a strong pipeline of ambitious startups and scaleups.
What makes Scotland particularly attractive is the way industry, academia, investors and the public sector work together. The life sciences sector in Scotland is a thriving ecosystem that employs over 44,200 people across 725 business and higher education organisations. Our assets include the National Health Service (NHS Scotland) that plays a dual role as both a comprehensive health system and a critical validator of new technologies, systems, drugs and therapies. Scotland has a network of innovations centres that connect industry and academia that are critical to the life sciences ecosystem to support start ups and scaleups to grow, expand and export. For example, the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), The Data Lab, Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Roslin Institute and Robotarium are some examples of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem.
Through Scottish Enterprise’s Scaling Innovation Mission, we are helping companies innovate, access funding, international markets, strategic partnerships and the expertise needed to scale successfully. We have ambitious goals to double the number of scaling companies in targetted sectors to 675 which would create 75,000 new jobs and an additional £14bn in turnover.
We’re also seeing increasing international recognition of Scotland’s innovation strengths. Events such as Tech Tour provide a platform to connect Scottish businesses with global investors and partners, helping them accelerate growth while showcasing Scotland as a leading destination for innovation and investment.
TT: Many deeptech companies face challenges when moving from innovation to scale. In your view, what helps companies attract investment and grow internationally?
DS: Access to capital remains critical, but investment alone is not enough. Companies that successfully scale tend to combine strong technology and intellectual property with clear commercial opportunities, experienced leadership teams, and an ability to demonstrate traction in international markets.
One of the biggest challenges facing deeptech businesses is connecting with the right investors and strategic partners at the right stage of growth. Scottish Enterprise recognises that international investor engagement is a key part of scaling successfully, which is why our work focuses on helping ambitious companies build relationships with global investors, customers and innovation networks.
The evidence shows that these connections matter. Analysis of Scottish companies that have participated in Tech Tour programmes found that, 12 Scottish alumni companies have collectively raised €75m+ after participation progressing from seed funding through to Series A, B and C rounds while securing investment from internationally recognised investors and institutions. With the re-institution of a Scottish based leg following Deeptech Edinburgh 2025, we’re confident to see these numbers rise further.
Scottish Enterprise is able to draw on the expertise, networks and market knowledge of the GlobalScots community, connecting ambitious companies with experienced international business leaders who can provide insight, mentorship, customer and investor introductions, and practical support as companies enter and scale in overseas markets.
Ultimately, attracting investment comes down to demonstrating both innovation and a credible route to international growth, while ensuring companies are visible within global investment ecosystems.
TT: At Scottish Enterprise, you work closely with emerging and high-growth sectors. Where are you currently seeing the biggest opportunities for innovation and investment?
DS: We are seeing particularly strong opportunities across life sciences, health technologies, critical technologies and the wider deeptech landscape.
Within health innovation, there is growing momentum in areas such as mental health and wellness platforms, medical technologies, diagnostics, therapeutics and data-driven personalised healthcare. Advances in AI are creating new opportunities to improve patient outcomes, accelerate diagnosis and support more personalised treatment approaches. Scotland has significant strength in longitudinal patient databases and data analysis which enables AI and data driven innovation solutions for healthcare based around informatics, big data and patient stratification.
Across deeptech, Scotland continues to demonstrate strengths in semiconductors, energy technologies, space, robotics, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and advanced engineering. These are sectors where Scotland has strong research capabilities, innovative companies and significant global market opportunities.
We’re also seeing increasing investor interest in technologies that address major global challenges, whether that’s improving healthcare outcomes, supporting the energy transition, strengthening digital resilience or enabling future mobility solutions. Scottish companies are well placed to compete internationally in these areas.
TT: What are you hoping founders and investors will take away from the upcoming Tech Tour Mental & Brain Health programme — and what would you like international companies to know about Scotland’s innovation ecosystem?
DS: The programme is an opportunity to bring together some of the most promising companies, investors and sector experts working across mental and brain health. We want founders to gain valuable investor feedback, develop new partnerships and strengthen their understanding of what it takes to scale internationally. At the same time, we want investors to discover innovative companies tackling significant healthcare challenges through cutting-edge science, technology and data-driven approaches.
For international participants, I hope the programme highlights both the quality of innovation emerging from Scotland and the strength of the wider ecosystem that supports business growth. Scotland offers access to world-class research, a collaborative network of industry and public-sector partners, and a growing community of ambitious companies developing solutions with global impact.
Most importantly, I hope visitors leave with new connections and a greater appreciation of Scotland as a place where innovative companies can start, scale and build international success. Through partnerships such as Tech Tour, we are continuing to strengthen Scotland’s connections to global investment networks and creating new opportunities for companies to grow.
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With world-class research, a highly collaborative ecosystem and growing strengths across life sciences, health technologies, AI and deeptech, Scotland offers a compelling environment for investors looking for ambitious companies with global potential. Scottish Enterprise plays a central role in that ecosystem, helping businesses access funding, expertise, international markets and strategic partnerships as they scale.
That ambition will be on show at Tech Tour Mental & Brain Health 2026 in Glasgow on 24–25 September, hosted by Scottish Enterprise. Bringing together promising companies, investors and sector experts, the programme offers international investors a closer look at the innovation emerging from Scotland — and the connections and ecosystem supporting its journey from breakthrough ideas to international growth.
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