Inaugural DataFest hailed as a success

The inaugural DataFest17 has been hailed as a success after attracting more than 2,000 people to 24 events across the country.

The inaugural DataFest has been hailed as a success after attracting more than 2,000 people to 24 events across Scotland. Picture: Peter Devlin

The festival was organised by The Data Lab, a publicly-funded innovation centre, and aimed to cement Scotland’s status as an international hub for the booming big data sector.

The mix of events included a travelling art gallery, a Datathon, and Data Summit - a two day international conference held at The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

Gillian Docherty, CEO of The Data Lab, said: “We are overwhelmed by how well the first DataFest has been received. The feedback has been fantastic and it is clear that Scotland is stamping its position on the international data stage. The event has also recognised the strength of the data community here from the grass roots up. It is essential that we invest and build on this and continue to nurture talent to attract further interest from near and far.

“The data industry is predicted to contribute £20bn to Scotland’s economy by 2020 and DataFest17 demonstrated how much of an appetite there is from both individuals and businesses around learning about the commercial possibilities of data.”