SCOTLAND’S two largest cities have been rated as leading UK locations for tech sector businesses outwith London.
Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively ranked the UK’s second and third after Manchester as the top tech industry locations outside the UK capital in the CBRE study.
Factors contributing to the Scots’ rankings include high concentrations of tech businesses and tech professionals, generational diversity and a strong creative arts legacy.
READ MORE: Edinburgh’s aim to become the ‘data capital of Europe’
The two cities are also advantaged by high levels of educational attainment and access to a number of world-class universities, with strong research and computer science degree rankings, the study said.
Doug Smith, CBRE Scotland chairman, said: “The digital tech sector added £14bn to the UK economy in 2018, up eight per cent since 2016, and the sector is growing three times faster than the rest of the economy.”
Kate Forbes MSP, Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, said: “It is great to see Glasgow and Edinburgh once again recognised as powerful twin centres for tech investment in the UK.”
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