MyHIE

Get a personalised experience with a MyHIE account

Make your life easier with a MyHIE account. It’ll save you time, help you find and organise content based on your needs and interests.

Cta Man
Create a MyHIE account Log in to MyHIE

Find out more about MyHIE

aerial view of Inverness Campus looking south Play Video

Think Different Think Scotland: Why Scotland is the right base for your business

It's the ideal time to do business in the Highlands and Islands

Doing business in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland couldn't be easier. It's a vibrant region with a thriving economy and a wealth of natural assets providing a unique competitive advantage across many industries. 

Across all sectors, new opportunities for regional innovation and prosperity are underpinned by strong educational infrastructure, while affordable property options and easy access to the great outdoors come together to create an exceptional quality of life.

We have a highly talented and diverse workforce, as well as an excellent network of suppliers, industries and supply chain operations. We have a strong labour market with higher employment, lower unemployment and more employees in high or medium skilled occupations than Scotland as a whole.

 

 

 

Transformational opportunities

The next five years are set to present several once-in-a-generation opportunities for our region, and those who choose to live, work and invest here. These are prospects of a scale and potential to transform our region and make a lasting positive impact on Scotland's economy. Our enviable natural assets and previous investments in world-class strategic infrastructure have laid the foundations for imminent growth. Now is the ideal time to invest and do business in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. 

Offshore wind

Scotland is in the top ten of global offshore wind markets with a pipeline of up to 42GW, with almost 25GW of it being floating wind capacity, and all potentially deliverable before 2035. 2,400 new jobs are expected to be created. This brings major, long-term and sustainable opportunities in manufacturing and operational offshore wind roles.

The Offshore Wind Market in Scotland

Green hydrogen

The Highlands of Scotland is home to innovative, world leading hydrogen demonstration activity, paving the way for large scale production and export. Supporting the region’s oil and gas terminals transition, 600 high value jobs are estimated to be generated through ScotWind projects, and additional high value opportunities in production, storage, distribution and end use.

Green hydrogen sector in Scotland

Marine energy

The Highlands and Islands of Scotland has exceptional wave and tidal resources, and the world’s leading wave and tidal test centre, EMEC. The region is also home to MayGen, the world’s largest planned tidal stream array, Orbital Marine Power, the world’s largest tidal turbine and Nova Innovation, the world’s first tidal array. With the addition of Wave Energy Scotland’s leading technology programme, it’s easy to see why the Highlands and Islands is easily established as a leading marine energy location.

Marine Energy sector in Scotland

Space

Don’t let size fool you, for a small country, Scotland is set to become a leading nation in the space sector. 450 new jobs are expected in the Highlands and Islands through the Sutherland and SaxaVord spaceports, and just under 20,000 new jobs Scotland-wide. The multiplier effect across the supply chain is estimated at £4bn GVA per year within the next decade and the launch market is growing at over 9% each year. When you invest in Scotland, you will find a breadth of space services from one connected location, including the potential to design, test, manufacture and launch small satellites and vehicles.

Space sector in Scotland

Marine biotechnology and processing

With a global market growing at 5-6% annually and estimates from iBioIC indicating the Highlands and Islands sector to be worth £600m per year by 2030, marine biotechnology and processing is a young but potentially high value sector for our region. With an abundance of raw materials and the prospect of reducing waste and creating value from other sectors in the region, now is the time to seize your place in this quickly developing sector.

Biotechnology in the Highlands and Islands

Life sciences, digital health and social care

Scotland is internationally renowned for medical technologies, pharmaceutical services, digital healthcare, animal health, aquaculture and agritech (AAA), and industrial biotech and is well poised to develop export markets. There is an established and growing digital healthcare hub at Inverness Campus and the technology profile of the region includes a significant concentration of know-how in medical technology, biotechnology, analysis of biological materials and related instruments. Collaborative working between academia, NHS Highland and the public sector is firmly established here meaning we can help you make the connections you need quickly.

Life sciences sector in Scotland

Food, drink and aquaculture

The region’s food and drink offering has an enviable reputation, with value associated to provenance, place, people, and culture. There are significant opportunities for expansion into new premium markets. Employing around 34,000 people and over 5,000 registered businesses, this is a significant sector for our region. Aquaculture contributes £560m GVA and food and drink (and tobacco) manufacturing accounts for £833m.

Food and drink sector in Scotland
SE Sumitomi Nigg 012

Get business support

We are Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the economic and community development agency for our region. If you are considering doing business in the Highlands and Islands, we can help you every step of the way.

From setting up local connections to helping you understand the local jobs market, and from finding the ideal location or property to accessing critical funding, we have valuable knowledge, resources and insights to share with you.

Get support to base your business in the Highlands and Islands. 

Base your business here

Where to now?

Explore more about living, working, investing and visiting the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Live here

Planning a move to the Highlands of Scotland? Find useful resources to help.

Work here

Find your perfect career in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Visit here

Visit the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, you'll never want to leave!

Would you like to stay in touch?

If you'd like to hear from us about opportunities to live, work, invest or visit the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, please fill out our short form.

Keep me up to date

Sign up