Manufacturing & Fabrication for Critical Technologies SIG

Background

Scotland has a well-established and growing deep tech sector, with recognised strengths in semiconductors, photonics, sensing, quantum technologies, and advanced manufacturing. Building on these capabilities, a range of national and regional initiatives are supporting investment in infrastructure, capability development, and industrial growth across the country.

This includes activity emerging through programmes such as the Deep Tech Growth Programme and initiatives within the Glasgow City Region, alongside wider sector investment. Together, these efforts aim to strengthen Scotland’s ability to design, develop, manufacture, and scale advanced technologies domestically, while supporting resilient supply chains and long-term economic growth.

As many of these initiatives continue to develop in response to industry needs, ongoing engagement with stakeholders remains essential to ensuring investment priorities remain relevant, targeted, and impactful.

Event Overview

This session will bring together stakeholders from industry, academia, and the public sector to discuss how investments in Scotland’s deep tech and manufacturing ecosystem are developing in practice.

The event will feature a series of short presentations providing insight into ongoing programmes, infrastructure proposals, and capability development activity across the sector. These presentations will be followed by facilitated discussion.

Particular attention will be given to how initiatives such as the Deep Tech Growth Programme are supporting companies at different stages of growth, and how infrastructure-focused proposals could help expand Scotland’s capacity for manufacturing and commercialisation.

The session is intended to provide a constructive forum for discussion, allowing participants to share perspectives and feedback that can help inform the continued development of these programmes and proposals over the longer term.

Discussion Themes

Topics for discussion will include:

• how current proposals build on existing regional and national strengths
• industry perspectives on emerging initiatives
• alignment between current activities and emerging market needs
• opportunities to strengthen internationalisation across the ecosystem
• the contribution these initiatives could make to sustainable economic growth and local communities

Agenda

13:00 - 13:30 Tea/coffee & networking

13:30 - 15:45 SIG meeting