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.

Almost 70% (£36m) of the extra funding, came from successful bids to the Scottish Government’s Offshore Wind Investment Programme, through which HIE supported major strategic projects at Arnish in Lewis, Ardersier in the Inner Moray Firth, Kishorn in Wester Ross and Lerwick in Shetland.

Another significant source was the £4.4m Islands Business Resilience Fund that HIE secured and administered on the government’s behalf to help strengthen island firms in sectors that had been hardest hit by disruption to west coast ferry services in recent years.

The agency also gained funding to run a range of programmes targeting specific initiatives such as supporting women in business and encouraging more young people to consider entrepreneurship.

HIE’s forecast outturn figures covering the 12 months from April 2025 to March 2026 will be reviewed by Audit Scotland for inclusion in the agency’s annual report and accounts, which are due to be laid in the Scottish Parliament by the end of October.

They show that the agency met or exceeded 21 of its 24 annual performance targets. Among these were supporting 642 jobs, including 260 green jobs and 348 in some of the region’s most disadvantaged locations. 

A total of 347 organisations were supported to innovate, while HIE clients developed 163 new products, processes or services. HIE also enabled 277 community projects to progress. 

Over 110 organisations engaged in just transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions, while 99 were helped to develop or implement a net zero action plan.

Several community-led housing initiatives were supported during the year, including developments in Glengarry, Spean Bridge, Dunvegan and Applecross.

Investments in Gaelic included a pilot entrepreneurship programme, Cruthachadh Cothroman, which was delivered with Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Scottish Government, and the launch of a major research project, Ar Cànan Ar Cultar Ar Beartas (Our language, Our Culture, Our Prosperity) that will report in 2026.

HIE helped 54 organisations increase productivity, a figure that fell slightly short of its target of 60. Another goal, to deliver capital asset investment in supported community organisations, achieved 75% of its £20m target (£15.2m).

Although innovation investment in supported organisation comfortably exceeded the £30m goal, achieving £51.7m, delayed implementation of a new HIE data system meant that only eight organisations were able to be recorded as having increased innovation maturity against a target of 55.

Angus Campbell, chair of HIE, said: “These results show another year of strong performance by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and represent our highest level of investment in the region since 2007/08.

“It’s great that the agency was able to attract such substantial sums of additional investment and that this funding could be used to support many small businesses and entrepreneurs as well as multi-million pound investments.

“I’m particularly pleased that we’ve kept a strong focus on helping to drive innovation in well-established sectors such as tourism and food and drink, as well as maintaining our commitment to rural and island communities.” 

Stuart Black, chief executive of HIE, said: "The offshore wind sector has the potential to generate thousands of new Scottish jobs and is very much centred on the huge opportunities that exist in the Highlands and Islands.

“Research published last year revealed a pipeline of over 250 regional transformational opportunities across our region – including projects focused on renewable energy, life sciences, critical infrastructure and space – that has a potential value of up to £100 billion.

“We’re very conscious of the need to seize this moment to help grow Scotland’s economy and ensure that supply chain companies and communities across the Highlands and Islands can share in the benefits.”

Business and Fair Work Minister Tom Arthur said:

“Economic growth is key to delivering a productive, dynamic and prosperous Scotland and these results show the capabilities and opportunities being delivered right across the region thanks to the help, expertise and targeted intervention from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

“The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with HIE and our other public and private sector partners to continue supporting stronger businesses with the opportunity to grow, in turn supporting and creating further good jobs and wages.”

1            Research on regional transformational projects, commissioned by HIE and conducted by ekosgen on behalf of the Highlands and Islands Economic Partnership is available here.

2            The table below shows all 24 of HIE’s 2025/26 outturns against targets is below.

Tasgadh bliadhnail a’ taisbeanadh meud a’ chothruim eaconamach anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd ’s na h-Eileanan

Chaidh còrr air £50m de thasgadh poblach a bharrachd a tharraing chun na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean an-uiridh, le buidheann leasachaidh na roinne.

Rinn Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean (HIE) faisg air dùblachadh air a’ bhuidseat fhosglaidh de £53m bho thoiseach na bliadhna ionmhasail 2025/26, a’ lìbhrigeadh caiteachas bliadhnail de £105m gus na ceudan de dh’obraichean a chruthachadh agus an eaconamaidh roinneil fhàs.

Thàinig faisg air 70% (£36m) den mhaoineachadh a bharrachd bho thairgsean soirbheachail gu Prògram Tasgadh Gaoithe Far-thìre Riaghaltas na h-Alba, tro na chuir HIE taic ri prìomh phròiseactan ro-innleachdail ann an Àirinis an Eilean Leòdhais, Àird nan Saor an Linne Mhoireibh, Ciseorn an Taobh Siar Rois agus Lèiriug ann an Sealtainn.

B’ e tùs cudromach eile Maoin Seasmhachd Gnothachais nan Eilean de £4.4m, a fhuair agus a bha HIE a’ riaghladh às leth an riaghaltais gus cuideachadh le companaidhean eileanach a neartachadh anns na sgìrean as motha a dh’fhuiling bho bhriseadh sìos ann an seirbheisean nan aiseagan air a’ chosta an iar, sna bliadhnaichean mu dheireadh. 

Cuideachd, choisinn am buidheann maoineachadh gus raon de phrògraman a ruith, a’ cuimseachadh air iomairtean sònraichte leithid taic do bhoireannaich ann an gnothachas agus brosnachadh barrachd de dhaoine òga a bhith a’ beachdachadh air tionnsgaineachd.

Thèid ath-sgrùdadh a dhèanamh le Sgrùdadh Alba air ro-innse HIE air figearan mhach-churan a’ còmhdach nam 12 mìosan bhon Ghiblean 2025 gu Màrt 2026, airson an gabhail a-steach ann an aithisg is cunntasan a’ bhuidhinn, a tha ri bhith aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba ro dheireadh na Dàmhaire.

Tha iad a’ taisbeanadh gun do choilean no gun do bharraich am buidheann 21 de a 24 targaidean coileanaidh bliadhnail. Am measg iad sin, bha taic do 642 obair, a’ gabhail a-steach 260 obair uaine agus 348 ann an cuid de na h-àiteachan as mì-chothromaiche den roinn.

Fhuair iomlan de 347 buidheann taic airson ùr-ghnàthachadh, fhad ’s a leasaich luchd-dèiligidh HIE 163 toraidhean bathair, pròiseasan, no seirbheisean ùra. Rinn HIE comasach do 277 pròiseact air adhartachadh. 

Chaidh 110 buidheann an sàs ann an eadar-ghluasad cothromach gu neoini lom air sgaoilidhean gas taigh-glainne, fhad ’s a fhuair 99 cuideachadh le plana gnìomha neoini lom a leasachadh no a bhuileachadh. 

Fhuair grunn de dh’iomairtean taigheadais air an stiùireadh leis a’ choimhearsnachd taic tron bhliadhna, a’ gabhail a-steach leasachaidhean ann an Gleanna Garadh, Drochaid an Aonachain, Dùn Bheagain agus A’ Chomraich.

Am measg nan tasgaidhean ann an Gàidhlig, bha prògram pìleat tionnsgaineachd, Cruthachadh Chothroman, a chaidh a lìbhrigeadh le Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus Riaghaltas na h-Alba, agus foillseachadh air prìomh phròiseact rannsachaidh, Ar Cànan Ar Cultar Ar Beartas (Our language, Our Culture, Our Prosperity) a bhios air aithris ann an 2026.

Chuidich HIE le tarbhachd 54 buidheann a mheudachadh, figear nach robh a’ ruighinn a thargaid de 60. Choilean amas eile, a thaobh tasgadh maoin chalpa ann am buidhnean coimhearsnachd le taic a lìbhrigeadh, 75% de a thargaid de £20m (£15.2m).

Ged a bharraich tasgadh ùr-ghnàthachaidh ann am buidhnean le taic, an t-amas de £30m agus a’ coileanadh £51.7m, bha dàil ann am buileachadh air siostam dàta ùr HIE a’ ciallachadh nach robh ach ochd buidhnean comasach air a bhith clàraichte mar a bhith air abaicheachd ùr-ghnàthachaidh meudaichte a ruighinn mu choinneamh targaid de 55.

Thuirt Aonghas Caimbeul, cathraiche HIE: “Tha na toraidhean sin a’ nochdadh bliadhna eile de choileanadh làidir le Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean agus a’ riochdachadh na h-ìre as àirde de thasgadh san roinn bho 2007/08.

“Tha e anabarrach math gun robh am buidheann comasach air a leithid de shùimean mòra de thasgadh a bharrachd a tharraing, agus gum faodadh am maoineachadh seo a bhith air a chleachdadh mar thaic do ghnothachasan is tionnsgainich bheaga, a thuilleadh air tasgaidhean ioma-mhilleanan de notaichean.

“Tha mi gu h-àraid toilichte gu bheil sinn air fòcas làidir a chumail air a bhith a’ cuideachadh le ùr-ghnàthachas a stiùireadh ann an earrannan fad-stèidhichte leithid turasachd agus biadh is deoch, a thuilleadh air a bhith a’ gleidheadh ar dealais do choimhearsnachdan dùthchail is eileanach.” 

Thuirt Stiùbhart MacIlleDhuibh, àrd-oifigear HIE: "Tha an comas aig an roinn gaoithe far-thìre air na mìltean de dh’obraichean ùra Albannach a ghinteadh, gu mòr a’ cuimseachadh air na cothroman àibheiseach a tha rim faotainn anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd ’s na h-Eileanan. 

“Nochd rannsachadh a chaidh fhoillseachadh an-uiridh, loidhne-pìoba de chòrr air 250 cothrom cruth-atharrachail tarsainn ar roinn – a’ gabhail a-steach phròiseactan cuimsichte air cumhachd ath-nuadhachail, saidheansan beatha, bun-structar deatamach, agus farsaingeachd – aig a bheil comas luaich de suas ri £100 billean.

“Tha sinn glè mhothachail den fheum air grèim a ghabhail air an àm làithreach gus cuideachadh le eaconamaidh na h-Alba fhàs, agus dèanamh cinnteach gun urrainn do chompanaidhean solair is coimhearsnachdan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean roinn de na buannachdan fhaotainn.”

Thuirt Tom Arthur, Ministear Gnothachais is Obair Chothromach:

“Tha fàs eaconamach aig teis-meadhain lìbhrigidh air Alba a tha tarbhach, fiùghantach agus soirbheachail, agus tha na toraidhean seo a’ taisbeanadh nan comasan agus nan cothroman a tha gan lìbhrigeadh air feadh na roinne, mar thoradh air cuideachadh, ealantas agus eadar-theachd chuimsichte bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean.

“Leanaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba ag obair gu dlùth le HIE agus le ar com-pàirtichean san roinn phoblaich is phrìobhaidich gus cumail air adhart a’ cur taic ri gnothachasan nas làidire aig  a bheil cothrom air fàs, mar sin a’ cur taic ri agus a’ cruthachadh obraichean is tuarastalan math eile.”

1            Tha rannsachadh air pròiseactan cruth-atharrachail roinneil, air an coimiseanadh le HIE agus air an stiùireadh le ekosgen às leth Com-pàirteachas Eaconamach na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean, rim faotainn an seo.

2            Tha an clàr gu h-ìosal a’ taisbeanadh 24 de mhach-churan 2025/26 aig HIE mu choinneamh thargaidean.