Biotechnology

Apart from electronics, another high-tech industry to have received backing in Scotland has been biotechnology. From the 1990s onwards a number of biotech companies have emerged in Scotland, joined by a handful of biotech-based subsidiaries of global companies, principally working on pharmaceutical applications of biotechnology, and often clustered around the major Scottish universities and other research institutes.

One of the most controversial areas of research has taken place at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh. The Roslin Institute is a leading research centre for farm animal genetic engineering and genomics. In conjunction with its commercial wing, PPL Therapeutics, the Roslin Institute has worked on genetically engineering animals to produce human pharmaceutical products, as well as doing ground-breaking work in cloning animals (including Dolly the Sheep) and xeno-transplantation. As the investment bubble that was built up around biotech companies in the mid 1990s deflated, PPL Therapeutics went from being a flagship company, representing the success of biotechnology in Scotland, to near bankruptcy. The company has failed to live up to its own hype, and its commercial products have not made the quick profits that were promised to investors. Major collaborators such as Bayer have pulled out, and in summer 2004 PPL Therapeutics was bought by QED Intellectual Property.6 QED have set about selling off PPL's intellectual property, and at the time of writing it is not clear what if anything is left of the company.

Nanotechnology

Hot on the heels of biotechnology, the beginnings of a nanotechnology industry in Scotland are again often clustered around academic research departments.

Currently the most prominent nanotech enterprise in Scotland is not actually doing nanotechnology, but is an industry front group: the Stirling based Institute of Nanotechnology. The institute has made it its business to promote the interests of the nanotech industry in the UK and beyond. It works closely with governments, universities, researchers and companies involved in nanotechnology, and undertake work to assess, promote and expand the nanotech industry in the UK and Europe. The Institute prides itself on its close links with the nanotech industry and has worked with companies such as BP, ICI, Unilever, Syngenta, GSK, BNFL, Toshiba, Sharp and General Electric.

Current corporate members of the Institute include Unilever, Degussa, Lot Oriel, Sulzer, Veeco, QinetiQ, Toshiba, Merck and ICI.

Although not actually involved in nanotechnology production, Perth-based transport company Stagecoach is at the forefront of commercial nanotechnology in the UK. At the time of writing Stagecoach is in the process of introducing a nanoparticle-based fuel additive (Envirox made by Oxonica) to its entire UK bus fleet.

Scotland’s Energy Industry

The energy industry in Scotland is booming. Scotland is blessed with some of the most favourable energy resources in Europe and the Scottish energy industry is supported by an extensive skills base, a renowned academic sector and a business environment conducive to growth.

Diverse and vibrant, the Scottish energy industry enjoys a reputation for world-class research, development and production in a number of energy sectors including: oil and gas, wind, marine, fuel cells, solar, bio-energy, renewables.

The dynamic energy industry in Scotland continues to adapt to the challenges of shifting worldwide demand and offer new opportunities for international investors.

Some of the world’s biggest energy businesses have identified Scotland as an attractive place to invest, because Scotland is at the forefront of innovation in the energy industry. Scottish companies have made a significant contribution to the global energy industry. From oil and gas to renewables, there is significant potential for development in Scotland.