Glasgow is setting its sights on becoming Europe’s foremost hub for IoT innovation, propelled by a £2.5 million partnership between the public and private sectors.
A significant collaboration involving the UK Government, Glasgow City Council, and the Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) is underway, fuelled by substantial government investment. The goal is to transform Glasgow into Europe’s leading centre for smart things and IoT innovation.
This joint effort includes a £2.5 million investment to establish “thebeyond,” a state-of-the-art facility with 250 desks, located at SkyPark, Finnieston in Glasgow.
The initiative seeks to position Glasgow at the forefront of emerging technologies, such as drones, robots, AI, IoT, nanotechnology, medical technology, and clean technology. The vision is to revolutionise various sectors while delivering significant economic, social, and environmental benefits. Glasgow City Council, alongside STAC, plans to use the city as a testbed for local innovations. Since its inception in 2021, STAC has been dedicated to making Glasgow a leader in the application of these crucial future technologies.
The project aims to assist in the creation of up to 100 companies in Glasgow by the end of 2024.
Scotland has previously made plays for IoT eminence, last year announcing a multimillion-pound scheme to make schools in the southeast of the country “Europe’s largest” IoT network.
Paul Wilson, CEO and Co-Founder of STAC, commented on the venture: “Glasgow has the potential to excel in technologies shaping the future of life and industry. As we develop the leading tech cluster around STAC’s thebeyond, we anticipate gaining international recognition and investment. We envision thebeyond as Europe’s largest Smart Things and IoT space, leveraging Glasgow’s talent, innovation, and collaborative ethos to pioneer the ‘Era of Things’.”
Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo Cars and a member of STAC’s Advisory Board, added: “With our talented and innovative university community, we’re now boosting entrepreneurship to make Glasgow a global leader in the development and application of key technologies.”
Sean Murphy, VP of Global Supply Chain at Meta and a member of STAC’s Advisory Board, highlighted the program’s significance: “STAC’s accelerator program is poised to deliver groundbreaking technologies that will revolutionise how we live, communicate, and play. Thebeyond is central to this vision.”
Councillor Ricky Bell, Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, remarked: “This partnership is set to transform Glasgow into a tech-driven city, with local innovations powering our services and infrastructure. We’re focused on enabling Glasgow’s startups to refine their technologies and compete globally, enhancing our global tech standing and creating numerous jobs and career opportunities in the sector.”
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