Driving growth and job creation through innovation

A Smart Economy comprises of local and global connectivity, productivity, entrepreneurship and innovation. It combines the elements of an enterprise economy and the innovation or ‘ideas’ economy, while promoting a high-quality environment, improving economic security and promoting social inclusion. To be a successful economy of the future, Perth will need to combine these attributes bringing knowledge capital; physical capital; natural or environmental capital; and social capital together to create ingenuity and creativity. This will drive a research, commercialisation and innovation ecosystem in Perth; making the city a hub for knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Commitments

We will:

  • Develop an Innovation Lab and Business Accelerator with a focus on growth sectors including digital/creative industries
  • Promote and support new digital businesses in Perth and Kinross and across the Tay Cities Deal area, through existing Angels Share initiative
  • Investigate a crowdfunding platform for Perth businesses and social enterprises providing access to finance for innovative start-up companies
  • Develop travel/visitor apps that will bring trails, accommodation, eateries, activities and offers together.
  • Encourage the proliferation of new digital skills in the population by engaging with coders and programmers to develop a series of hackathon events.
  • Cultivate digital skills in the workforce by working with schools, the UHI and employers to promote training and apprenticeships in digital skills
  • Use the “Developing the Young Workforce” initiative to promote digital skills in young people
  • Develop a better understanding of the retail economy in Perth using smart phones and other devices to monitor activities and use the data to inform policy and planning.

Key Open Datasets

  • Businesses in Perth and Kinross by sector including social enterprises
  • Business survival rates
  • Business unit vacancy rates
  • Vacant commercial land and properties and derelict land in Perth and Kinross
  • Numbers of people helped into work through Council programmes
  • Employment support and benefit claimants
  • Average wages in Perth and Kinross
  • Footfall in Perth City Centre