About

THE NORTH EAST SCOTLAND INVESTMENT ZONE WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF CLUSTERS IN ORDER TO INCREASE LOCAL INNOVATION CAPACITY, ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND STRENGTHEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

The region’s proposal is currently being overseen and developed by a Steering Group and Working Group. Representatives from public and private sector make up these groups. The Steering Group includes:

Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Opportunity North East
Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce
NESCol
Robert Gordon University
Scottish Enterprise
University of Aberdeen

The Steering Group has strategic oversight of the region’s detailed offering and will endorse different elements of the investment zone proposal and each stage of the gateway process, based on recommendations discussed with the Working Group.

The region’s proposal is being co-developed by the Working Group and the UK and Scottish Governments, in line with the gateway process. The group is currently identifying and delivering workstreams and assessing the areas and projects of greatest economic potential. Working Group members include:

Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Opportunity North East
AGS Airports
ETZ Ltd.
Fraserburgh Harbour
James Hutton Institute
NESCol
Net Zero Technology Centre
Peterhead Port Authority
Port of Aberdeen
Robert Gordon University
Scottish Enterprise
Skills Development Scotland
University of Aberdeen

The North East of Scotland is a competitive location with an ambitious investment pipeline and thriving key sectors. The region has selected Green Energy and Digital Technology as its main sectors of focus, which will shape the region’s investment zone offering.

North East Scotland Investment Zone

KEY SECTORS

Green energy

The Aberdeen City Region is one of the most attractive locations in the world to develop and deploy low carbon technologies and accelerate the delivery of net zero. The region has decades of experience in offshore energy production and subsea capability, delivering major offshore projects in oil and gas, and more recently in offshore wind, hydrogen production and CCUS. The region has a strong track record in entrepreneurship, offshore engineering technology and innovation which is now being utilised to maximise new opportunities in low carbon and green energy. The North East of Scotland has the largest concentration of energy supply chain companies in the UK and world leading capabilities in subsea engineering.

Digital technology

The North East is home to Scotland’s third-largest high-growth tech cluster, boasting over 300 businesses and representing approximately 11% of Scotland’s tech companies. The sector employs a significant workforce of around 4,400 individuals and turns over more than £520 million per year in the region, contributing to economic growth and fostering a dynamic and innovative ecosystem. Businesses in the region work across markets including agritech, clean tech, health tech and sustainability. Energytech is the dominant focus, comprising 42% of companies, 59% of the region’s digital tech employees and 59% of the total sector turnover. The regional ambition is to catalyse and grow a vibrant digital economy embedded in the North East and to establish the region as a global hub for the industrial digital economy with a high-growth company cluster.