Dundee is undergoing an exciting transformation, and at the heart of this change is technology.
Gaming, esports, and cybersecurity are just three industries in which Dundee is excelling. But what the city has truly mastered is adaptation.
A city that adapts
In 1965, an STV News feature described Dundee as a “place of new hope”—a city that constantly evolves. That sentiment remains true today, as Dundee continues to reinvent itself following the decline of industries like whaling and jute.
After the fall of these industries, Timex, which had arrived in Dundee in the 1940s, played a crucial role in laying the groundwork for what would later become the city’s gaming industry.
Timex was a major employer in Dundee for decades, primarily manufacturing watches.
My late auntie and uncle were among the thousands who worked there - my auntie at the Camperdown site, later the focal point of a major industrial strike, and my uncle at the Milton plant.
“You couldn’t fault Timex,” my auntie once told me. At the time, it was a stable employer, providing opportunities for thousands across the city.
However, by the 1990s, Timex was in decline, and a high-profile industrial dispute ultimately led to its closure.
But from its ashes, something new emerged - something that would cement Dundee as the birthplace of Scotland’s video game industry.
Dundee’s gaming revolution
That change came with the ZX Spectrum.
The brainchild of Sir Clive Sinclair, the ZX Spectrum was a revolutionary home computer—and crucially, it was manufactured right here in Dundee.
At the time, it was Britain’s best-selling computer, inspiring a generation of programmers, gamers, and developers to experiment and create.
Filmmaker Edgar Wright, known for Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, has spoken about his childhood memories of waiting for the ZX Spectrum to load. In fact, the distinctive ZX Spectrum loading sounds were later used in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as censor beeps for swearing.
Mev Dinc, the game developer behind Last Ninja 2 and Gerry the Germ, was another creative mind shaped by the ZX Spectrum. His early experiences with the computer inspired him to enter the gaming industry in 1993.
Dundee was now on the verge of a tech-driven transformation.
As Timex was closing its doors, something new was emerging at Kingsway Tech - DMA Design.
DMA had already released the acclaimed Lemmings, but in the early 1990s, the team was working on something even bigger - a little game called Race ’n’ Chase.
By 1997, Dundee had reached a turning point. That year, two key events reshaped the city’s future:
Abertay University launched the world’s first Computer Games Design degree, ensuring a pipeline of talent for the growing gaming industry.
DMA Design released Grand Theft Auto—a game that would become one of the most successful franchises in gaming history.
With a booming games sector, Dundee had entered a new era. But the city was still struggling socially and economically.
The road to a new Dundee
While Glasgow was named European Capital of Culture, Edinburgh was thriving as a tourism hub, and Aberdeen was booming as the oil capital of Europe, Dundee stagnated.
The city was mocked by outsiders, with nicknames like “Scumdee” and “Slumdee” reflecting its struggles. But patience - and a bold vision for the future - was key.
In 1999, the first steps toward Dundee’s regeneration began. The Dundee Contemporary Arts centre opened, followed by the Dundee Science Centre in 2000. But the real game-changer was still to come: the V&A Dundee.
The waterfront had long been in disrepair - at one point, it was known as “the UK’s largest car park”. Tayside House, the city council’s former headquarters, was universally disliked and seen as an eyesore on Dundee’s skyline.
The Dundee Waterfront Regeneration project, launched in 2001, aimed to change all that. Over the years, Tayside House was demolished, and in 2018, the V&A Dundee finally opened.
Kengo Kuma’s striking design put Dundee on the world stage, with international attention now focused on the city’s remarkable transformation.
Dundee’s cultural and technological evolution gained momentum. In 2013, the city bid to be the UK City of Culture - and while it lost to Hull, the process ignited something special.
In 2014, Dundee was named the UK’s first UNESCO City of Design, a permanent recognition of its creative and technological contributions.
Becoming a scientific powerhouse
That same year, the University of Dundee opened its School of Life Sciences, further cementing the city as a major player in science and innovation.
Biotechnology is one of Dundee's principal sectors of the medical industries, resultingin dramatic expansion of the healthcare and life sciences industries.
Researchers within the city are achieving fantastic work fighting some of the world's most crippling illnesses, including Parkinson's and malaria.
With institutions of the highest international standard such as the University of Dundee's School of Life Sciences and the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Dundee is now a global leader in drug discovery and medical innovation.
These innovations not only improve patient care but also increase the reputation of the city as a hub for cutting-edge scientific research.
The Life Sciences Innovation District will open this year, further cementing Dundee's reputation in biotechnology and medical research.
This high-profile venture will accommodate companies and startups at the forefront of life sciences, offering state-of-the-art facilities and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and healthcare professionals.
Through new investment and talent, the district will drive further innovation, keeping Dundee at the leading edge of scientific discovery and commercialisation.
Recognition of that tech spike
Meanwhile, Abertay University became the first university in the world to offer a degree in ethical hacking, helping establish Dundee as a cybersecurity hub. This led to the opening of the cyberQuarter in 2022, solidifying Dundee’s role in digital security.
In 2021, Dundee was named the UK’s only ‘City of the Future’ by Cognizant, alongside global tech hubs like São Paulo and Toronto.
Dundee’s gaming industry continued to thrive in the 2010s, 4J Studios, based in Dundee, helped develop the console editions of Minecraft.
Water’s Edge opened at City Quay, providing office space for gaming and tech startups.
And into this decade, Abertay University repeatedly ranked among the best institutions in Europe—and the world—for studying computer games design, according to Princeton Review.
Abertay University also recently opened their Computer Games Lab, further demonstrating Dundee’s growing gaming scene.
Entering the esports scene
With gaming came esports. Although plans for a dedicated esports arena have never materialised which was promised to open at the waterfront by 2027, this wasn’t going to have an abrupt end.
Dundee and Angus College stepped up, opening Scotland’s first dedicated esports studio and degree—a move reminiscent of Abertay’s groundbreaking games design course in 1997.
Today, Dundee is a growing esports hub and a top destination for aspiring professionals in the industry.
The next steps
The next step in Dundee’s technological evolution arrives this year with the CoSTAR Visual Effects Lab, a new tech hub that will further cement Dundee’s influence as a global tech hub.
Opening at Water’s Edge, this new facility will push the boundaries of real-time CGI, gaming, and virtual production, helping Dundee break into the film and TV industries.
All these developments have cemented Dundee as the UK's very own Silicon Valley.
Dundee is now Scotland’s tech capital
The city's ability to innovate across various industries - gaming, life sciences, clean energy, and technology - has put it at the cutting edge of digital and scientific progress.
For this reason, Dundee is now Scotland’s tech capital. For a place which has for a long time been mocked and laughed at, those who have done so in the past aren’t laughing now.
With investment continuing to flow in and new ventures launching, as well as the anticipated opening of Eden Project in the 2030s, Dundee is demonstrating that it possesses the vision, talent, and drive to be a world leader in tomorrow's industries.
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