Inverness will welcome government representatives, investors, business leaders and economic development partners later this week as it hosts the Scottish Cities Alliance Autumn Investor Event. A two-day programme designed to showcase investment opportunities across Inverness, the Highlands and Scotland's city regions.
Walk through almost any British town centre and you can see the evidence of change. There are empty shops where there were once businesses.
September has become a month when Scotland's aspiring entrepreneurs are being encouraged to take a closer look at an idea that may have been sitting in the back of their minds for some time. Scottish Start-Up Month, led by Business Gateway, has returned for 2026 with a simple message: if you have an idea for a business, this could be the month to take the first step.
Businesses and social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands are being supported to explore the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence (AI) through two new support initiatives launched today by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as part of AI Scotland. Applications are now open for the new AI Adoption Programme and AI Mentoring Support service, which are designed to help organisations understand, assess and implement AI technologies that can improve productivity, boost innovation and support growth.
Scotland and Ireland Strengthen Economic Links Between Gaelic Communities Scotland and Ireland are developing closer links between their Gaelic-speaking communities, with housing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, tourism and the marine economy among the areas being explored for future cooperation. The initiative was highlighted during a visit to Skye by Ireland's President Catherine Connolly, who met representatives of Highland organisations including Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Highland Council.
A new three-year programme (14 September) is expected to help more than 500 businesses and social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands to innovate and grow. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has approved a £1.78m budget to fund the programme, which builds on ten years of innovation support by the agency.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed Claire Wilson as its new area manager for Caithness and Sutherland. Claire succeeds Eann Sinclair, who retired after eight years as area manager and more than three decades with HIE.
Plans to produce floating offshore wind foundations at Port of Ardersier have taken a step forward with the approval of more than £778,000 in Scottish Government funding. Approval was given by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) after close collaboration with Scottish Enterprise’s international arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), to secure the project for Scotland.
The following article from David Mackay, Manager of the Hi-Scot Credit Union was first published in the Stornoway Gazette on 23 August 2026. Every so often, something changes that quietly reshapes everyday life.
There is an encouraging message in the latest investment figures for Scotland. There is also a question that should matter particularly to Caithness and Sutherland.
Chair of HIE, Angus Campbell, explores how our islands are at the heart of a £100bn pipeline of investment opportunities, helping to drive economic growth, clean energy and community prosperity across the Highlands and Islands. The Highlands and Islands has long been recognised for outstanding natural assets, entrepreneurial spirit and resilient communities.
Highland Businesses Offered Free Support to Cut Carbon Costs and Prepare for a Low-Carbon Economy New Climate Springboard programme aims to help SMEs understand emissions, reduce costs and plan for the future Businesses across the Highlands and Islands are being offered free expert support to help them understand their carbon emissions, reduce costs and prepare for the growing demands of a low-carbon economy. The new Climate Springboard programme, supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses, social enterprises, charities and community organisations take practical steps towards reducing their environmental impact.
Economic development organisations are often asked to perform an almost impossible task: transform regions, create jobs and encourage investment in places where the private sector may be reluctant to take risks. But when some supported projects fail, criticism quickly follows.
Economic development agencies frequently publish impressive statistics: thousands of jobs created, businesses supported and millions of pounds of investment attracted. But one question is often much harder to answer: how much of that success actually happened because of their intervention? This is one of the biggest challenges facing organisations such as Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise.
A major piece of underground engineering at Dounreay has been completed, bringing the Orkney electricity link another step closer to reality and putting Caithness at the centre of a project designed to unlock hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy. SSEN Transmission has announced the successful completion of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) at Dounreay, describing it as a major milestone in the construction of the Orkney Link.
Oban and north Lorn is poised to become a leading location for developing drone, robotics and autonomous systems activity, attracting high-value jobs and investment. This is according to a new study, commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which assesses the market potential in the region for these types of technologies.
The £500k project is being led by Exotopic Ltd at the Machrihanish Airbase Business Park near Campbeltown. A £500,000 project to establish a satellite management and monitoring service in Argyll has secured up to £194,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
One of Caithness's newest success stories is proving that location is no barrier to reaching customers around the world. 8 Doors Distillery in John O'Groats, Scotland's most northerly mainland whisky distillery, is expanding into international markets with support from Scottish Enterprise and Team Scotland, demonstrating how businesses from the far north can compete on the global stage.
When people talk about building wealth, the conversation often focuses on big things. Buying a house, Investing in shares, Building a pension, Receiving an inheritance.
For much of the twentieth century, saving money was not just a personal activity. It was often something communities did together.