Foreword

Welcome to Economic Development’s 2024-25 Annual Report, covering the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

This past year has been another busy and productive one for the team. In this report, we share some of the standout moments and achievements from across 2024-25 - from headline statistics that capture the scale of our work, to stories that demonstrate the real impact our programmes are having on people and communities across Glasgow.

Throughout 2025, the city has been marking a remarkable milestone - our 850th birthday. The year-long celebration, supported by the Economic Development team, has brought people together to honour Glasgow’s past while looking forward to its future. It’s a perfect moment to reflect on how far the city has come, from our proud industrial heritage to our position today as one of Europe’s most dynamic and ambitious innovation economies. We hope this report gives you a glimpse of the progress being made and the energy driving us forward.

In February 2025, Glasgow once again shone in fDi Intelligence’s European Cities and Regions of the Future rankings. This influential research recognises the most attractive locations for foreign direct investment (FDI) across Europe. After leading our category last year, Glasgow held our place in the top three for FDI Strategy, ahead of cities such as Leeds, Düsseldorf, Torino, and Kraków, and placed eighth for Connectivity - a strong endorsement of our city’s global reach and growing reputation.

In 2024-25 our Business Glasgow team supported almost 1,500 entrepreneurs and businesses with specialist advice and guidance. Our Business Growth Programme, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, provided over 130 SMEs with tailored consultancy support, while more than 400 new businesses were launched with our help, a real testament to Glasgow’s thriving start-up scene.

Our Grants and Monitoring team also enjoyed another impactful year, continuing to deliver both the Glasgow Communities Fund and Glasgow's Holiday Programme. A real highlight was the first-ever Celebration and Learning Event, which brought together over 200 delegates from more than 140 third-sector organisations at the City Chambers. It was a day to share experiences, celebrate success, and recognise the difference these projects are making in communities across Glasgow.

Our Employability team continued to work closely with the Centre for Civic Innovation to redesign Glasgow’s employability structure. In June 2024, the team hosted ‘Shaping Employability Together’ at the TIC. This was an inspiring event that brought together over 300 stakeholders, including key workers and people with lived experience to celebrate the transformative impact of employability services and to help shape these services for the future. It also saw the official launch of our new ‘Glasgow Futures’ brand.

This report is just a snapshot of an extraordinary year. With more exciting developments on the horizon - from the introduction of the Glasgow City Region Investment Zone, set to turbocharge our innovation economy, to the creation of a new Destination Marketing and Management Organisation that will be the city’s voice to the world - Glasgow's momentum keeps building.