Scotland’s national agency for data and artificial intelligence is joining a UK-wide consortium to foster innovation in the manufacturing industry.
The Data Lab will collaborate with the likes of Cambridge and Ulster universities to create an online £53.8m Smart Manufacturing Data Innovation Hub to benefit firms throughout the UK.
SMDIH will be the largest consortium that the Scottish innovation centre has been a part of in its seven-year history. As part of the hub, whose role will be to increase productivity and competitiveness in the UK manufacturing sector, The Data Lab will lead data science efforts which will include coordinating organisations direct access to and assistance from data scientists, extending the reach for participating firms to work with UK cutting edge platforms, facilities and systems, and championing data skills through knowledge exchange workshops and online learning content.
Ulster University, which will lead the consortium, has been working in the manufacturing innovation space for a number of years and were keen to create a model to further extend their work similar to that of The Data Lab which over the last seven years has championed data skills and the increasing the use of data science within organisations.
The hub will empower manufacturing firms to capture and better utilise their data, helping them to increase productivity, growth, and sustainability – all pillars which The Data Lab’s programmes have been built upon. The wider partnership across the consortium brings together skill sets from academia, enterprise agencies and industry to advocate data best practice.
Nearly 10,000 manufacturers – including those from Scotland – will benefit from the hub and it is expected that 13,000 jobs will be created as a result of its launch, helping to boost economic growth and reinforce the UK government’s level-up strategy.
The hub will be supported by £20m of funding from the £300m UK government-backed Manufacturing Made Smarter programme which has been created to boost UK manufacturing productivity by 30 per cent by 2030 through investment in projects that use industrial digital technologies. This funding is in addition to £30 million of business co-investment.
Brian Hills, CEO, The Data Lab, said: “Being part of such a significant project which will drive change within a highly technical sector, all while working alongside academic and industry specialists, marks a milestone moment for The Data Lab. While Scotland has benefitted from our experience and services, inspiring others in the UK to adopt our unique approach to building and growing data science and AI skills which will create real change for a sector is momentous.
“Scottish manufacturers and others in the Scottish innovation ecosystem will also benefit from the hub as we will engage with them to drive collaboration and access to the innovation fund with a specific focus on SMEs. This will include CENSIS, the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS) and manufacturing sector teams at Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.”
Related posts
Interviews
Comment
Why innovation and marketing are the perfect partners to make changes that matter
With the rapid evolution of traditional marketing and the appearance of digital marketing, technology and innovation has become part of any marketer’s life without the need of working for a…
Transitioning to a four-day week – CEO’s vow to strike a healthier balance in the workplace
I came to Scotland nearly 20 years ago from Ireland, with no contacts but a lot of determination. While Ireland will always be my home, Scotland has given me amazing…
Women Lead: The female-led company championing intuitive working
Over the last two years, the pandemic forced a shift to more remote and flexible working practices. Whilst we might be seeing a “return to normal”, some companies are choosing…
Women Lead: My passion for young people to consider a career in digital
Twenty years ago, I stumbled across my career in digital marketing almost by accident. It was during my honours degree in marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University. I was on work…
Women Lead: Inclusive Silicon Valley cohort gives hope to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds
Things are happening on the Scottish tech scene. Big and small initiatives are creating a fantastic ripple effect on the sector, bottom up and top down, thanks to the recommendations…
Women Lead: The story of an entrepreneurial scientist
I first arrived in Scotland over 20 years ago. I had £75 in my wallet and a scholarship offer to do a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. Sometimes I…
Please mind the gap… or healthcare may fall
Imagine sharing a lengthy train journey with others. From beginning to end, imagine how often you might hear ‘mind the gap’ messages about embarking and disembarking safely. Picture how navigating…
Women Lead: My journey from Dragons’ Den to Silicon Valley
Following her appearance on Dragons’ Den, Sheila Hogan, serial entrepreneur, founder and chief executive of digital legacy vault, Biscuit Tin, shares her experience of her time in the Den and…