Argyll, Scotland – Once seen as lagging behind its urban counterparts, rural Scotland is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse of digital innovation. From livestock tech in Aberdeenshire to immersive tourism in the Highlands, a quiet revolution is unfolding across the nation’s most remote landscapes—driven by grit, creativity, and strategic support.
And the world is taking notice.
Out on the Edge, Leading the Charge
For decades, the narrative was simple: real innovation happened in cities—where capital, coworking spaces and high-speed internet came as standard. But according to Rachel Ross, CEO of Elevator, that script no longer holds.
Having worked with over 9,000 startups and 3,500 SMEs across Scotland, Ross believes rural founders are not just matching their urban peers—they’re outpacing them in unexpected, deeply place-based ways.
“Rurality is not a barrier,” she says. “It’s a context. And one that fuels resilience, systems-thinking, and long-term innovation.”
The Herd Knows Best
Take HerdAdvance, founded by farmer-turned-tech innovator Jilly Duncan-Grant in Aberdeenshire. Her award-winning platform is transforming how livestock health is monitored and managed—reducing antibiotics, improving welfare, and ultimately boosting food security.
“This isn’t just about tech,” Ross notes. “It’s about lived experience meeting digital fluency. That kind of depth can’t be coded in a lab.”
HerdAdvance has just clinched a National Women in Agriculture Award, but its reach extends far beyond Scotland’s fields. In a world scrambling for sustainable food systems, its model is globally significant.
Paperless Farms, Trust at Scale
Just south in Angus, Tom Porter’s AgriAudit is also drawing attention. The Scottish EDGE-winning startup digitises food compliance—a notorious headache for farmers.
In an industry where reputation is everything, AgriAudit replaces paper trails with streamlined, secure digital records. What once took days now takes hours. The software doesn’t just save time—it builds trust.
“AgriAudit shows us something powerful,” says Ross. “Rural entrepreneurs design from the inside out. They don’t guess. They know what’s broken—and how to fix it.”
Connectivity Constraints? Innovation Catalysts
Challenges remain. Spotty broadband, unreliable mobile signals, and infrastructure gaps still hamper many rural businesses. But rather than holding innovation back, these barriers are becoming launchpads for new solutions.
Consider ScotRail’s pilot using low-orbit satellites to bring uninterrupted internet to trains through the Highlands—a fix that’s turning commuting into productive work time for ministers and businesspeople alike.
“Rural founders are adapting fast,” Ross says. “They’re not waiting for the perfect signal. They’re building tools that work offline, asynchronously, and resiliently.”
Programmes With Place at Their Heart
Elevator, with funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is rolling out multiple rural-first initiatives to help these businesses scale sustainably.
-
The Digital Innovation for Tourism Businesses programme helps rural SMEs upgrade booking systems, deploy immersive visitor experiences, and tell compelling digital stories.
-
A new Gaelic Business Change Programme, launching 13 June in Portree, supports Gaelic-speaking entrepreneurs in modernising while preserving culture. Delivered almost entirely online, it spans businesses from Skye to Sutherland.
“These aren’t fringe projects,” Ross insists. “They’re blueprints for rural prosperity.”
Think Red, Not Grey
Innovation in rural Scotland isn’t flashy. It’s grounded. Sustainable. Deliberate.
Quoting Professor Donald MacLean of Glasgow University, Ross likens it to “thinking like red squirrels, not grey”—adaptive and strategic rather than predatory.
These founders aren’t building to flip; they’re building to last. And in a global economy craving regeneration and circularity, this ethos matters.
What Needs to Happen Next
To fully unlock Scotland’s rural innovation potential, Ross lays out a call to action:
-
Infrastructure investment beyond broadband — including logistics, workspaces, and creative leadership training.
-
Policy with place in mind, tailored to rural business cycles and markets.
-
Cultural narrative shifts that spotlight rural founders as national assets, not edge cases.
-
Louder celebration of rural success through platforms like the King’s Award and Scottish EDGE, including its new regional format.
“When rural businesses win, Scotland wins,” Ross says. “These enterprises create jobs, pride, sustainability—and they do it all rooted in place.”
