Last week, Livingston James Consultant, Rachel Sim, attended some of the events hosted as part of Glasgow Tech Week 2025 and has provided an overview of her experience below.
The 26th to 31st of May saw the return of Glasgow Tech Week for its second year. Hosted by the Glasgow City Innovation District, the event aims to bring together the full spectrum of the tech community – from founders and business leaders to aspiring innovators – to celebrate the ground-breaking work taking place across Glasgow’s tech, digital and creative ecosystem.
Following the success of last year, Glasgow City Innovation District delivered another packed programme of events, covering a wide range of topics including start-up support, AI, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and tech for good. Events ranged from seminars and educational workshops to networking sessions, each hosted by different sponsors – from global organisations to local SMEs. The week offered valuable insight into the supportive and collaborative nature of Glasgow’s tech community.
The week concluded with the headline event, Fusion Fest, held at the University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre – a fitting venue! Fusion Fest featured an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, panel discussions and networking opportunities. Speakers included Jo Fairley (Co-Founder of Green & Black’s), Wayne Bell (Director of Engineering at Skyscanner), Deborah Threadgold (VP Technology at IBM UKI), among many others, and the event was hosted by Jason Bradbury, best known for presenting The Gadget Show on Channel 5.
Throughout the week, I was fortunate to attend events on a daily basis. These ranged from “Embracing a Digital Mindset” to “Bringing Your Vision to Life”, “Attracting and Retaining the Best Tech Talent”, and “Is Your Business Ready for AI?”. There was truly something for everyone. What stood out was how the sessions were designed to engage not just highly technical individuals, but also to encourage non-technical participants to join the conversation.
These inclusive events highlighted the important role that non-technical professionals can play in the tech sector. The practical sessions showcased real-world use cases and provided guidance on how to embrace opportunities regardless of one’s technical ability. They also spotlighted the many tools and support systems available – such as no-code platforms, AI applications, training and mentoring through organisations like Barclays Eagle Labs and Business Gateway – that lower the barriers to entry. Despite the sector’s rapid pace of change, there is a growing sense of accessibility and inclusivity, with technology increasingly acting as an enabler for wider participation.
A recurring theme throughout the week was the notion that perfectionism can hinder progress, and that fear of failure may be preventing us from celebrating Scotland’s tech success stories. Many of the discussions focused on nurturing local innovation and talent, and it was clear that there is a strong desire to keep opportunities and success within the region.
While the global tech landscape continues to evolve at speed – with advancements in quantum computing, Agentic AI, and spatial computing – Glasgow has the community, ambition and potential to remain at the heart of innovation and make its mark on the global stage.
I am already looking forward to next year’s event and to seeing how much further Glasgow’s tech sector will have progressed.
If you would like to have a confidential conversation about the technology market in Scotland, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Rachel directly. She would be delighted to share further insights and discuss how she can support you: [email protected].
