Digital

Scottish Government Signs Membership Agreement to Drive Geospatial Innovation

September 8, 2026 by Stewart Hamilton No Comments | Category Data, Digital Scotland, Geospatial data

Blog by Alan Corbett, Head of Geospatial, Data Division, Scottish Government. 

The Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team (GISAT) based within Digital Directorate leads collaboration on geospatial data agreements for the Scottish Public Sector, promoting the adoption of licensed geospatial data to enhance public services. This includes managing the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement for Scottish members, which provides access to premium Ordnance Survey datasets, aerial photography, and addressing data. The team also oversees publishing of data from the 2025 – 2027 Scottish National LiDAR capture which form part of the Digital Strategy for Scotland’s Sustainable Digital Public Services Delivery Plan Digital Public Services delivery Plan and also procures Sentinel Analysis Ready Data. 

Geospatial data describes where places, objects, and people are, in relation to a geographic location. The UK-wide geospatial data and technology sector is valued at £6 billion per annum, employs nearly 40,000 people, and has attracted at least £1.2 billion in funding between 2013 and 2024. With up to 11 per cent of UK geospatial companies registered in Scotland, this is a dynamic field which is poised to reshape industries and enhance public services.  

The Scottish Government has agreed a Collective Membership Agreement with the Association for Geographic Information (AGI) the membership group for organisations and individuals working in the geospatial sector. The agreement will enable qualifying public sector organisations to access the member benefits and resources offered by the AGI. It is planned that, with a dedicated resource to manage, promote, and deliver the agreement, it will strengthen Scotland’s position as a leader in geospatial innovation by driving community engagement. 

This agreement is a result of a strong working partnership between the Scottish Government’s Geospatial Management Board and AGI and the four-year agreement includes nearly 150 public sector organisations. 

Scotland is already a hotbed of innovation, attracting global attention, and the Scottish Government is responding proactively with its Inward Investment Plan Shaping Scotland’s economy: inward investment plan – gov.scot  focused on areas such as energy transition, transport decarbonisation, and the booming space industry – each dependent on sophisticated geospatial data. The Scottish Space Strategy  Space Sustainability – A Roadmap for Scotland – Optimat and the pioneering Space Sustainability Roadmap aim to make Scotland “Europe’s leading space nation” by 2030 and this space focus is currently contributing an estimated £880 million to the country’s GVA (gross value added).  

To find out more, get in touch with the team at: GIS.Analysis@gov.scot

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Tags: Association for Geographic Information (AGI), Collective Membership Agreement, Geospatial data, GISAT

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