MTB Innovation Centre, Innerleithen

The Mountain Bike Innovation Centre is set to be a collaboration between South of Scotland Enterprise who are project sponsors and Edinburgh Napier University who bring a wealth of expertise in the sector.

We have been integral in developing these plans to deliver the world's first MTB Innovation Centre based in Innerleithen, Scotland. A Mountain Bike Innovation Centre will not only create jobs in Scotland and the Tweed Valley, but stimulate research into sustainable new products and practices for the industry. The centre will aim to operate as net-zero.

It will host bike brands with office spaces and offer a unique range of services from groundbreaking research to testing and prototyping.

The proposal is for a demand-led, self-sustaining innovation centre that helps form the hub within an industry cluster locally, across Scotland and even at a European level. The centre is attracting so much attention because it is based in the heart of one of Scotland's premier existing MTB destinations - the Tweed Valley.

We have led the business case development, along with the project sponsors - Edinburgh Napier University/MTBCOS and South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), and there has been a thorough process to secure the £19m of Borderlands Inclusive Growth deal funding, which demonstrates the needs and demands of universities, academics and both Scottish and global businesses in an industry-led innovation centre.

The innovation centre concept was built by the specialist knowledge held within DMBinS and that learnt from existing cycle industry innovation offerings we visited on learning journeys in Flanders and Portugal.

Like these proven examples, the project will utilise public funds, the MTB Innovation Centre, Innerleithen will utilise the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, to create dedicated revenue-generating innovation facilities open to business, academia and individuals to use.

The proposal is that the Innovation Centre will be accompanied by a Bike Park. Together these developments create an attractive package, which not only facilitates easy bike testing and development but attracts companies to live and work next to outstanding trails and support our rural communities to prosper in a sustainable way.

• A Global Leader – Positioning Scotland as one of the world leaders in MTB
• Sense of Place – Building on success, existing infrastructure and natural assets
• Growing an Industry Cluster - R&D fostering innovation and commercial support
• Adventure Bike Park with Trail Lab – Global first to combine tourism with innovation
• Increased GVA of £141m in the South of Scotland
• 401 new jobs for the region

The project, both the innovation centre and the bike park, have been analysed by respected consultants 4Consulting who have assessed the sustainable impact on the South of Scotland economy to be as follows:

• Increased GVA of £141m in the South of Scotland and £511m across the UK*
• Net jobs impact of 401 in the South of Scotland and 1,415 across the UK*
• 45 Businesses relocating all or part of their operations to the south of Scotland
• Eight teaching programmes and six Masters/PhD research projects hosted at the centre
• By 2027, 160,000 visits per year to Scotland’s first bike park and 40,000 additional bed nights (Select Contracts, 2018)

The work carried out for the Innovation Centre was part of a wider programme of work, carried out by our Tweed Valley Regional Development Coordinator - Ed Shoote. Ed's role was crucial in the formalisation of the Tweed Valley Trails Association and bringing international events to the area. Another key area was supporting local businesses, through business development workshops and grants to help businesses better cater for the growing cycling market. Ed was also instrumental in marketing the area to a global audience through promotional campaigns and destination specific films.

Ed's role was funded LEADER Scottish Borders.