Our response to the 2025-26 Scottish Budget announcement:

The 2025-26 Scottish Budget was announced on 4 December 2024, which included a commitment to invest £321 million pounds in Scotland’s enterprise agencies supporting emerging tech, including AI and robotics.

Stewart Miller, CEO of the National Robotarium and leading voice in UK Robotics, has said in response:

“This significant £321 million investment from the Scottish Government to support emerging tech represents a critical step in securing Scotland’s position at the forefront of the global robotics revolution. As demonstrated by our pioneering work at the #NationalRobotarium, robotics and AI technologies are already transforming industries from healthcare to offshore energy, and this additional commitment will accelerate Scotland’s ability to compete in a market projected to reach £223 billion by 2032. With the UK currently lagging behind other G7 nations in robotics adoption, this investment sends a powerful signal about Scotland’s ambition to lead rather than follow in the next wave of technological innovation.

“The timing of this support is crucial. Our experience shows that when we combine world-class research facilities with industry collaboration and skills development, we create powerful economic multipliers that generate high-value jobs and attract international investment. At the National Robotarium, we’ve already demonstrated how strategic investment in robotics can catalyse innovation, supporting successful startups and industry-funded projects that address critical challenges across health and social care, energy, and manufacturing. This new funding will help ensure Scotland can scale these successes, building the robust domestic capability needed to compete in the global marketplace while solving some of society’s most pressing challenges through technological innovation.”

“This investment aligns perfectly with the strategic vision for Scotland’s robotics economy that Robotics Scotland, a developing industry cluster organisation that supports Scotland’s robotics sector, has presented to the Scottish Government. With this commitment, we can now work to fully realise this vision, ensuring Scotland captures and maximises the transformative economic and societal benefits that robotics will bring to our nation.”

Stewart’s comments were featured  in round-ups of the Budget by The Scotsman and FutureScot on 5 December.