Technology sector export plan

What's next

In Scotland:

• SE/SDI will continue to review its support for technology companies, working with critical programmes such as STER implementation to ensure the internationalisation of technology companies is aligned with the delivery of Scottish Enterprise Future Economic Opportunities and the delivery of STER.

International presence and promotion

• We will work towards increasing the volume of engagement between Trade Envoys and GlobalScots and technology companies. Companies can access support by registering on the GlobalScot portal. The success of this will be assessed at the annual review through the survey of companies.
• We will ensure the reach and expertise of our network of in-market specialists is promoted within the technology sector, fostering new connections and using international insight to open new markets to technology exporters.
• Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have the potential to reduce or remove tariffs to open market opportunities for physical distribution in the technology sector. It is important to ensure that Scottish companies are fully aware of opportunities that may exist through FTAs and that they are able to take advantage of these via representation on the TEDG.
• There will be engagement with the Brand Scotland Partnership Board to learn about their Communications Guide and Trade Toolkit. Seminars for technology companies will be jointly hosted to explain the benefits of being under one Scotland banner to support and promote their participation at international events. An example of this has been participation at Expo 2020 Dubai.

A Partnership between industry and government

• The TEDG will be partner led. Relevant partners will contribute to the delivery of the plan as well as considering its future development, working in partnership with others, including the STER implementation board, to ensure alignment of direction and support.
• The Scottish Government will provide support to develop leadership of this plan, bringing direction, focus and commitment, to ensure all partners identify and deliver the critical actions required across the four key areas of this plan through a newly established TEDG.
• We will use the Scottish Government's Trade Board as the key vehicle for Ministerial oversight of the development and delivery of this TSEP.

Improving data, evidence and forecasting

• Industry and enterprise agencies will work with government analysts to improve our tracking of technology exports and export opportunities in Scotland across sub-sectors and products/services.
• Industry partners, enterprise agencies and the Scottish Government will work together to ensure their surveying of companies augments and supplements this work to provide a comprehensive understanding of current and emerging export growth potential in Scotland's agile and rapidly evolving technology sector.
• The development and future iterations of this TSEP will establish clear growth ambitions on specific sub-sectoral priorities in line with A Trading Nation's target to ensure 25% of Scotland's GDP is composed of exports by 2029.

Delivery and evaluation

This is the first iteration of the TSEP and as such it represents a starting point on the journey to identify and capitalise on the sub-sectoral opportunities for technology export growth in Scotland, aligned with our delivery of ATN. It is clear that one of the great strengths of Scotland is the diversity and agility of our technology companies which will support the successful delivery and growth of technology exports.

To do this, the partners involved need to be accountable to each other and draw on our respective leadership, expertise, influence and resources via the TEDG to:

• Annually review progress and the scope of this plan. It will review data and trends on technology exports in Scotland, reflecting on progress in our delivery in relation to ATN. Work across industry and wider government to enhance the international capability and capacity of our technology companies and align with main market sub-sectors within the technology sector.
• Report annually to Scottish Ministers via the Scottish Government Ministerial Trade Board, identifying progress and areas of emerging opportunity. This agile approach will allow this TSEP to develop and grow, each year, as the technology exporting environment changes during these unprecedented times.
• Consolidate the tri-partite relationships and support this annual review by developing clearer data and evidence of technology export strengths and opportunities, based on our shared understanding of the sector, sub-sectors, products and international markets.