Glasgow Tech Needs Local Support

Glasgow’s growing number of tech start-ups calls for greater support and investment from the local government.

21:19 08 November 2018

Local Government must provide greater support and funding to tech start-ups if they want them to thrive, says independent accountancy and business advisory firm, Johnston Carmichael.

 

FutureX, which helps curate tech showcases such as Impact Summit and Start up Summit, has recently launched an event in partnership with the Glasgow City council. The event featured Mark Logan, former chief operating officer of Skyscanner, who said: “Glasgow’s tech ecosystem needs to develop largely through the strengths of its direct participants, but careful interventions can be very helpful in accelerating its growth. For example, creating favourable conditions for tech incubators in Glasgow will pay off massively in the long term – the tech stars of tomorrow come from these places.

 

“And funding support for attracting major tech conferences to the city is enormously helpful in creating a focal point and sense of identity for the community here. Witness the comparable impact in Edinburgh of Turing Fest, EIE and the Startup Summit.”

 

Meanwhile, Rebecca Pick, chief executive officer and founder of Pick Protection, says the council could aid start-ups with a scheme like its ‘Glasgow Guarantee’, which set aside £50 million to develop young talent.

 

She said: “It is very difficult to find and attract the right technical resource when you’re competing against larger companies with bigger budgets. Yes, this is a problem for tech start-ups across the board not just in Glasgow, but the council could have funding pots available for high growth companies to tap into to help recruit the right talent. Could the city do this in a similar way to what they do with the ‘Glasgow Guarantee’?”