Software & Technology

Edinburgh is a recognised hub for the fast-growing traveltech subsector, tying together its strengths in technology and tourism. The travel search engine Skyscanner, which is used by over 100 million people every month, was founded in Edinburgh in 2003. Global firms with a presence in the city include the travel management company TravelPerk, which has a centre of excellence for software engineering in Edinburgh.

"Edinburgh has warmly nurtured multiple unicorns in the past so we feel in good company. It’s a city with a phenomenally talented workforce, superb universities and an exceptional quality of life - combine that with the growing political intent to make the city more appealing to technology companies - and Edinburgh was a natural home for our next engineering hub."

- Ross Mcnairn, Chief Product and Technology Officer, TravelPerk

Start-ups originating from Edinburgh include Obvlo, which develops AI solutions for personalised local content for hotel and travel companies, and Appointedd, which provides booking management software to some of the world's leading brands. 

“Edinburgh, with its world-class AI expertise and dedicated innovation ecosystem, is particularly well-placed to drive this sector forward. The application of artificial intelligence across the traveltech landscape is transforming every aspect of how we discover, book and experience travel. This is creating significant opportunities for innovative companies, particularly those leveraging Edinburgh’s excellence in AI research and development."

- Joshua Ryan-Saha, Director, Traveltech Innovation Hub