WIREDGOV

Iain Gray, CEO of the UK’s Innovation Agency, the Technology Strategy Board, to visit the Scottish Parliament. Meetings with Cabinet Secretaries John Swinney and Alex Neil – Wed 5th/Thur 6th Feb.

He will visit a range of Technology Strategy Board funded projects and partnerships that highlight Scotland’s huge R&D/innovation strengths and capabilities.

Iain Gray, Chief Executive, said "The Technology Strategy Board is firmly committed to promoting and supporting innovation in Scotland. We are working closely with the Scottish Government, the enterprise agencies and hundreds of innovative businesses right across the country on a number of important technology priorities which are doing just that. I am excited to be here to see for myself some of these amazing projects and to speak to Scottish Ministers about what more we can all do to build on our successes."

Scotland performs strongly in research and secures a greater pro-rata share of research funding than other parts of the UK. Technology Strategy Board funding for Scotland has grown consistently, with some £90m committed over the past three years to support Scottish businesses and technology projects including almost £48 million in 2012/13 alone.

During the two-day visit, Iain Gray will meet with Ministers, Lena Wilson, the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise and top business people and academics. He will also tour several world-class Scottish research facilities, such as the Advanced Forming Research Centre at Strathclyde, the Digital Health Innovation Centre and Roslin Cells GMP Cell Manufacturing Facilities in Edinburgh.

Iain will see first-hand the work being done at the Operations Centre of the UK’s first £24m Future Cities Demonstrator in Glasgow, a new and innovative project that is being funded by the Technology Strategy Board that is showing how the innovative use of technology can meet the health and energy needs of vulnerable people.

The Technology Strategy Board shares the Scottish Government's passion for science and technology based innovation and Iain will visit Holyrood to speak directly with the Government and its development agencies to discuss how this support is helping to boost the Scottish economy.

The organisation is making a real difference in a wide spread of sectors that are central to the Scottish economy including energy, healthcare/lifesciences, digital and creative, high value manufacturing, transport, sustainable agriculture and food, space and satellite applications and electronics/sensors and photonics. See attached briefing note for details.

Notes to Editors:

1. We can arrange interviews with Iain Gray, CEO Technology Strategy Board

2. The Technology Strategy Board is the UK’s innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org