Rural Innovation: Powering the Economy from the Ground Up

When we talk about innovation, the conversation too often circles around cities: clusters of tech firms in Edinburgh, finance in London, or global hubs like Berlin and Boston. Yet across Scotland’s rural towns, villages, islands, and agricultural communities, innovation is quietly reshaping the economy, from agri-tech and renewables to food brands, digital platforms, and community-owned enterprises.

At Scottish International Week 2025, the session “Rural Innovation – Powering the Economy from the Ground Up” (Friday 26 September, 2pm) will bring together a panel of voices rooted in Scotland’s rural economy: Hosted by Trevor Jackson, joined by Sheena Horner, Ann Carter, and Steve Macfarlane. The panel will explore the challenges rural businesses face, the solutions they have found, and what else they need to scale their future innovations.

Why Rural Innovation Matters

Rural Scotland is not a peripheral economy; it is a powerhouse of resources, creativity, and resilience. From farming and fisheries to renewables, tourism, and the experience economy, rural businesses drive exports, sustain communities, and carry Scotland’s global reputation for quality and sustainability.

Yet these businesses face persistent barriers: patchy broadband, expensive logistics, scarce investment, and difficulties attracting and retaining talent. Policies designed for urban economies often fail to reflect rural realities.

Despite this, rural entrepreneurs have shown remarkable ingenuity: community-owned energy projects reinvesting profits locally, farms pivoting into agri-tech and tourism, artisans exporting globally through digital platforms, and cooperatives sharing resources to overcome scale barriers. This blend of tradition and innovation offers lessons far beyond rural Scotland.

Meet the Panelists

Trevor Jackson – Renewable Energy Pioneer

Trevor Jackson, a serial entrepreneur is no stranger to innovation in challenging environments. With a career spanning engineering and renewable energy, Trevor has been at the forefront of bringing new technologies to rural contexts, from small-scale energy systems to community power models.

His perspective on the panel will highlight how renewables can anchor rural economies: not only powering homes and businesses, but creating new revenue streams, jobs, and opportunities for community ownership. For Trevor, rural innovation is inseparable from Scotland’s net zero future.

Sheena Horner – Champion of Rural Enterprise

Based in Galloway, Sheena Horner is a well-known advocate for rural business, particularly in food, farming, and small enterprise. She runs Galloway Chillies and has long campaigned for greater recognition of the role micro-businesses play in rural economies.

On the panel, Sheena will speak to the lived reality of running a rural enterprise: the opportunities that come from diversification, branding rooted in place, and building resilient local supply chains — but also the frustrations of connectivity gaps, infrastructure hurdles, and investment blind spots.

Ann Carter – The Purple Sage Innovator

Founder of Purple Sage Soap Company, an award-winning plant-based skincare business based in the beautiful Scottish Borders. I handcraft small-batch, eco-friendly products inspired by nature and sustainability. Many of the ingredients she uses are grown in her no-dig garden, where she cultivates flowers, herbs, and wild plants that feature in her skincare range.

Ann’s contribution to the panel will explore how rural enterprises thrive by leaning into their identity: weaving local heritage, community values, and sustainable practices into business models that resonate with both locals and global markets.

Steve Macfarlane – Founder of KarryYak Ltd

Founder of Karryak Ltd, whilst sea-kayak coaching and guiding on the West coast of Scotland, he set about the process of creating his vision of what a sea kayak could be: strong, light, portable, comfortable, easy to store and transport, and able to be taken anywhere in the world. The result, KARRYAK® Pioneering Sea Kayaks, the high-performance, innovative sea kayak designed for travel and built without compromise.

On the panel, Steve will share insights into how rural businesses can design products that reflect local needs while competing in wider markets. He will also highlight the importance how rural entrepreneurs can position themselves more effectively to attract investment, reach new customers, and ensure their innovations are recognised as central to Scotland’s growth story.

Themes for Discussion

Challenges Rural Businesses Face

• Connectivity: broadband and transport gaps restrict growth and digital adoption.
• Finance: rural SMEs often miss out on investor networks and funding models designed for urban scale-ups.
• Skills & Talent: housing shortages, limited training access, and youth outmigration hamper workforce development.
• Infrastructure: higher logistics costs and fewer shared facilities raise barriers.
• Policy Gaps: one-size-fits-all rules often overlook rural needs.

Solutions Already Emerging

• Digital hubs and remote-first work models enabling global trade from local settings.
• Diversification into agri-tech, renewables, and tourism to spread risk and capture new markets.
• Community-owned projects reinvesting profits locally.
• Place-based branding turning heritage and geography into economic advantage.
• Incubators and networks connecting rural entrepreneurs to global ecosystems.

What’s Still Needed

• Full rollout of high-speed broadband and 5G across rural Scotland.
• Tailored rural innovation funds with appropriate risk models.
• Stronger university–industry partnerships in rural regions.
• Policy reform to rural-proof national strategies.
• Amplification of rural success stories to attract talent and investment.
  

Why This Panel Matters

Friday’s discussion is not just about rural Scotland; it’s about reframing innovation. Rural businesses are at the forefront of sustainability, community ownership, and resilience, qualities the wider economy urgently needs.

By listening to voices like Trevor Jackson, Sheena Horner, Ann Carter, and Steve Macfarlane, we can see how Scotland’s future prosperity depends not only on city clusters, but on empowering rural entrepreneurs to lead the way.

Join the Conversation

Rural Innovation – Powering the Economy from the Ground Up
📅 Friday 26 September 2025
⏰ 2:00 PM
🌐 Regsiter on SIW25 https://www.scottishinternationalweek.com/talks/rural-innovation-powering-the-economy-from-the-ground-up/

This is a chance to hear from entrepreneurs and advocates shaping Scotland’s rural future. Their stories and insights will help set the agenda for how Scotland can power its economy, not just from the top down, but from the ground up.