Glasgow's time is now.
Glasgow is the Clyde built city and Scotland’s metropolis. Port of culture, ideas and inventions. A city shaped by its proud heritage in science, engineering and design. It is the engine of the country’s economy and the world’s original creative capital. It is ambitious, innovative and entrepreneurial - a city internationally recognised for its openness, resilience, trust and friendliness. It is in the top two of the UK’s most attractive technology locations and a natural focus for the knowledge economy.
For more than 250 years, spanning four industrial revolutions, Glasgow has flourished, proving it is comfortable with risk and experimentation. It is a city that loves new things and relishes a challenge. The challenge, and transformation needed to deliver a net zero, climate resilient economy could not be bigger.
In 2021, Glasgow hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), turning the world’s spotlight on a city - whose name means ‘dear green place’ - firmly set upon a transformative path to a greener, circular, climate-resilient and carbon-neutral economy.
Glasgow City Region itself is naturally collaborative with a young, growing and educated population, boasting four world-leading universities, six modern high-performing super colleges and two world top-ten institutions in The Glasgow School of Art and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The city is globally recognised for the strength and depth of its sector base in health technology, digital, financial and business services, software and IT, energy transition and decarbonisation of transport, food and drink innovation and space. All of which taken together make it a global destination for leading-edge businesses operating in those spheres to contribute by transforming their organisations and value to society.
By embedding Innovation Districts as urban models, Glasgow is bringing together researchers and high-growth firms with technology and creative start-ups, to work side-by-side in vibrant, walkable innovation communities. Emerging technologies in high demand - cleantech, advanced manufacturing, precision medicine and fintech - together with cultural and creative production all play to Glasgow's strengths. This successful blend of academia, business and industry is a globally proven formula to improve productivity, create jobs and attract inward investment.
Glasgow is justifiably proud of its credentials as an internationally renowned visitor destination with an enviable portfolio of world-class museums and galleries; cutting edge performing and visual arts; outstanding architectural and design heritage; vibrant night-time economy and eclectic food and drink scene, all within a short walk or cycle ride to one of the city’s many parks and gardens.
As well as being the nation’s cultural powerhouse, Glasgow is also globally recognised for its ability to host mega and major music, sporting and conference events. Its location at the heart of an extensive air, rail and road network also ensures its connectivity and position as Gateway to Scotland.
The city’s destination brand - People Make Glasgow - encapsulates the city’s personality and ‘can do’ attitude. It is this passion that makes people fall in love with Glasgow, with many graduates choosing to stay on and start enterprises in the supportive tech and creative industries ecosystems or to build careers with the numerous corporate and small and medium enterprises that value the city’s rich pipeline of skilled, creative and fiercely loyal talent.
Glasgow and Scotland fuelled the First Industrial Revolution, inventing design in the 1750s to help transform scientific and technical innovations into the products, processes and services that would create a modern world of economics, television and ultrasounds, antibiotics and genetic cloning, alongside many other everyday miracles. Today, Glasgow is using this unique heritage to once again transform its economy and society in this Fourth Industrial Revolution, with the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital and biological worlds.
Glasgow, as the most enduringly creative and people-oriented city, offers an open invitation to be part of an exciting, innovative and sustainable future that is greener, fairer, healthier and more inclusive for all.