Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)

www.hie.co.uk

Photograph of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency for a diverse region which covers more than half of Scotland and is home to around 450,000 people.

HIE's role is to develop sustainable economic growth across the region. To achieve this it creates infrastructure for future investment, assists large and small businesses with growth aspirations and has a unique role strengthening communities, particularly in fragile areas. As part of this HIE supports communities to acquire and develop land and other assets.

HIE supports the growth ambitions of business and social enterprise clients by creating close working relationships in order to accelerate growth in turnover, profitability, wage levels, exports and therefore Gross Value Added (GVA) in the HIE area.

HIE also invests in transformational projects across the region to make the Highlands and Islands a more competitive and attractive place to live, work, study and grow.

Telephone
01847 896115

Fax
01847 893383

E-mail
thurso@hient.co.uk

Postal Address
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)
Tollemache House
High Street
Thurso
Caithness
KW14 8AZ



Opening Hours

Sun :
Closed
Mon :
9:00am - 5:00pm
Tue :
9:00am - 5:00pm
Wed :
9:00am - 5:00pm
Thu :
9:00am - 5:00pm
Fri :
9:00am - 5:00pm
Sat :
Closed




News for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)

6/8/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Highland Businesses Offered Free Support to Cut Carbon Costs and Prepare for a Low-Carbon Economy

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.  

1/8/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Economic Development: How Do We Judge Success When Taking Risks Means Some Projects Will Fail?

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.  

1/8/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Economic Development or Political Numbers Game? How Should We Judge Organisations Like HIE?

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.  

24/7/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
Oban and north Lorn could play leading role in Scotland’s drones and robotics activity

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.  

24/7/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
£194k support for new satellite control centre in Argyll

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).  

16/7/2026 : Visitor Attractions

John O'Groats Distillery Wins International Success with Scottish Enterprise Support

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.  

8/7/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

How Enterprise Agencies Inflate Job Numbers

Enterprise agencies in Scotland — Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), and the South of Scotland Enterprise regularly publish impressive sounding figures about “jobs created”, “jobs retained”, and “economic impact”.  These numbers appear in annual reports, ministerial speeches, and press releases.  

8/7/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Fixing Enterprise Job Reporting: A Blueprint for Honesty, Accuracy, and Rural Reality

Enterprise agencies in Scotland have spent decades publishing glossy numbers about “jobs created” and “jobs retained”.  As the Highlands knows all too well, these figures often bear little resemblance to what actually happens on the ground.  

8/7/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

How Rural Job Creation Actually Works

Rural job creation is one of the most misunderstood parts of economic development.  Politicians talk about “hundreds of jobs created”, enterprise agencies publish glossy figures, and press releases celebrate “transformational investment”.  

25/6/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Annual investment shows size of economic opportunity in the Highlands and Islands

More than £50m of additional public investment was attracted to the Highlands and Islands last year by the region’s development agency.   Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) almost doubled its £53m opening budget from the start of financial year 2025/26, delivering an annual spend of £105m to create hundreds of jobs and grow the regional economy.  

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