Scotland’s tech scene 'flourishing' with 4,500 jobs looking to be filled

Scotland’s tech scene is flourishing with almost 4,500 jobs looking to be filled and start-ups continuing to catch the eye of venture capitalists, a new report reveals.

There are currently 4,414 open tech roles in Scotland according to new data by Adzuna, with 31 per cent of all vacancies in Edinburgh tech or IT-related. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

The country is one of the UK’s biggest tech hubs, with the highest number of verified start-ups (2,442) outside of London and the south east of England, according to data by Tech Nation, the growth platform for tech companies and leaders, and job search engine Adzuna. The number of venture capital rounds increased in 2020 to 96, up from 87 in 2019, despite the challenges of the pandemic.

There are currently 4,414 open tech roles in Scotland according to new data by Adzuna, with 31 per cent of all vacancies in Edinburgh tech or IT-related.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder at Adzuna, said: “Scotland is a brilliant place to set up a tech base, with tech giants and local enterprises setting up shop in places including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife and Dundee.

“As companies look to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, hiring the right talent will become a challenge, particularly for specialised roles like product managers and solutions architects.”

Last year, two Scottish start-ups were named among the ten winners of UK-wide growth platform Tech Nation’s Rising Stars programme. Edinburgh’s Neatebox, which harnesses tech to help disabled people in their day-to-day lives, and Glasgow-based Talking Medicines, which provides pharmaceutical companies with real-time data intelligence, received a support package to help them scale, grow and build their networks.

The figures on the growth of Scotland’s tech industry have been published as the government’s Digital Economy Council and Tech Nation prepare to host a digital roundtable to discuss the challenges facing the sector as it works to create jobs and help the region recover from the impact of the coronavirus.

George Windsor, head of insights at Tech Nation, said: “From its roots in the electronics industry, Scotland’s tech scene has evolved into a dynamic sector, encompassing everything from space to biotech and fintech.

“With more companies competing for skilled staff, it’s an opportune moment to meet with local entrepreneurs to hear what needs to be done to support this growing tech hub.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription: www.scotsman.com/subscriptions