The inaugural Glasgow Tech Week has been hailed by InnoScot Health as a ‘potential game-changer’ for the city’s innovators when it takes place next month

From Monday 13 to Saturday 18 May, Scotland’s largest city is set to attract forward-thinkers and entrepreneurs for the country’s first ever Tech Week.

It is expected to be an exciting showcase for the city’s thriving and progressive tech, digital, and creative industries – as well as an opportunity to forge fresh tries with like-minded collaborators who are looking to develop their ideas with the right partners, in turn boosting the Scottish economy and creating jobs.

Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health believes that collaboration is key to moving from inspiration to commercialisation – linking the NHS with industry and academia – and Glasgow Tech Week, supported by Glasgow City Innovation District (GCID), is an ideal platform for making vital connections.

InnoScot Health Innovation Manager Frances Ramsay said: “This is an exciting, diverse initiative of a kind that demonstrates the passionate, progressive thirst for innovation that we’re keen to see more of right across the country.

“Glasgow has so much to offer in that respect and its first Tech Week will promote education on essential innovation skills such as pitching, protecting intellectual property, as well as seeking out and securing investment.

“Its message reflects our own – that anyone can be an innovator if they have an idea, passion, and the right support to turn it into reality with an inclusive mindset and I look forward to attending and networking.

“From remote patient monitoring capabilities to virtual consultations and a growing shift towards artificial intelligence integration, technology is increasingly underpinning healthcare innovation, and we look forward to attending, learning, and identifying potential cross-sector applications for patient benefit.”

Of particular note for pioneering healthcare thinkers is the NHS West of Scotland Healthcare Innovation Day taking place at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Friday 17 May, organised by West of Scotland Innovation Hub and the Living Laboratory in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC), the Chief Scientist Office (CSO), and more.

The day will include presentations, panel discussions, and product demos, with innovation clinical leads on hand throughout.

It will “showcase how collaboration between healthcare services and industry partners has helped to develop technology-enabled solutions, improving staff and patient experiences within NHSGGC”.

The week’s headline event, Glasgow Tech Fest, is happening on Thursday 16 May.

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from organisations across the ecosystem to supporting Glasgow Tech Week which highlights the vibrancy and growth of Glasgow’s Innovation Economy,” said Glasgow City Innovation District’s Alisdair Gunn.

“We look forward to seeing the ecosystem from across Scotland coming together to support the activity taking place.”

The InnoScot Health team is an open door for anyone, from first-time to experienced innovators who want to talk to an expert or submit an idea.