Scotland stands at a pivotal moment in its technological evolution. The Scottish Government’s recent £321 million commitment to enterprise agencies supporting emerging technologies, including AI and robotics, represents more than just another funding announcement – it’s an opportunity to fundamentally transform Scotland’s role in the global robotics revolution.
As CEO of the National Robotarium, I see daily how Scotland’s world-class capabilities in robotics and AI are already driving innovation. Our facility has become a powerful catalyst for technological advancement, bringing together industry partners, entrepreneurs, and academics to develop solutions for challenges across a range of high-growth sectors that align with Scotland’s core strengths. But to fully capitalise on this potential, we must now take the crucial next step: building a complete robotics manufacturing ecosystem.
The timing could not be more critical. The global robotics technology market is projected to reach £223 billion by 2032, yet the UK currently has the lowest robotics adoption rate in the G7, trailing not just traditional competitors but emerging economies. With just 119 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, we’re falling behind in a race we cannot afford to lose.
This new funding provides a vital opportunity to change that trajectory. Mark Logan, Scotland’s former chief entrepreneur, recently outlined a compelling vision for a “Deeptech Supercluster” that would create clear pathways from innovation to manufacturing. The concept is straightforward but transformative – enable companies to graduate from research and development at facilities like the National Robotarium into actual production, with comprehensive support for that pivotal transition phase.
The practical implementation of this vision requires developing robust infrastructure that serves multiple purposes. We must accelerate the adoption of mature robotics technologies across Scotland’s private and public sectors, while providing dedicated spaces and equipment to speed the growth of robotics startups. Simultaneously, we need to create hands-on training facilities to build the workforce of tomorrow.
Equally important is establishing clear pathways for different stakeholder groups to engage with and benefit from robotics. The public sector, including NHS Scotland, needs streamlined processes to deploy robotics solutions that enhance service delivery and efficiency.
Private companies require accessible routes to adopt and integrate robotics technologies that boost productivity and overcome labour shortages. Growing robotics companies need supported transitions from prototype to production, while individuals must have access to comprehensive training and reskilling programmes that open doors to careers in robotics.
The missing piece – which this new funding could help provide – is manufacturing infrastructure. Currently, many promising robotics innovations developed in Scotland never reach commercial production here. Companies either relocate manufacturing elsewhere or struggle to scale up at all.
The Deeptech Supercluster model addresses this by offering not just facilities, but crucial expertise in product engineering, industrial engineering, automation, and supply chain management during the critical early production phase.
This comprehensive approach aligns perfectly with Scotland’s existing strengths. We already have world-class research capabilities, a growing startup ecosystem, and strong industry partnerships. The National Robotarium itself demonstrates how strategic investment in robotics can catalyse innovation – we’ve already supported dozens of successful startups and industry-funded projects addressing critical challenges across health and social care, energy, and manufacturing.
But to fully realise the economic potential of robotics, we must move beyond being merely excellent innovators to become manufacturers at scale. The £321 million investment provides resources to build this missing link, creating a complete pipeline from research to commercial production.
The economic prize is substantial. Beyond the direct benefits of manufacturing jobs and exports, a robust robotics industry creates ripple effects across the economy. It drives productivity improvements in other sectors, attracts international investment, and creates high-value jobs in design, engineering, maintenance, and operations.
What we need now is a coordinated push to realise this opportunity. Drawing from our experience at the National Robotarium, we can already see how this should work: dedicated manufacturing support to guide companies through their first few production orders, rapid-adoption pathways that make it quick and easy for public and private organisations to deploy robotics solutions, and specialist expertise to help growing companies navigate the complex transition from prototypes to production lines.
These aren’t just aspirational goals – they’re proven approaches that have already helped numerous Scottish robotics companies take their first steps toward manufacturing. The Scottish Government’s proposed investment can now help us scale these successes across the nation.
Scotland has all the ingredients to become a global leader in robotics manufacturing. We have the research excellence, the innovation ecosystem – and now the funding commitment. The question is whether we’ll seize this moment to build the complete value chain – from innovation to manufacturing – that can make Scotland not just a developer of robotics technology, but a true robotics nation.
The future of robotics will be written somewhere. With the right investments and commitment to building a complete manufacturing ecosystem, it can be written here in Scotland.
