Conceptual rendering of the MTB Innovation Centre courtesy SOSE.

Construction is set to begin on “the world’s first MTB Innovation Centre based in Innerleithen, Scotland” this spring, 2026, with completion expected in 2027. A £15.5 million funding package (approximately $20.77 million USD) from the UK government was approved by the Borderlands Partnership Board for the development, the BBC reports. South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS), and Edinburgh Napier University have been working for years to secure £19 million ($25.5million USD) of Borderlands Inclusive Growth deal funding, but according to the BBC report, £15.5 million has been awarded so far.

The goal of the new centre is to create an estimated 225 jobs in the South of Scotland and generate £86 million ($115 million USD) in economic value over the next 10 years.

“The Centre will provide huge opportunities for academics and students to build on our pioneering mountain bike research and innovation,” said Professor Nazira Karodia, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University.

“We look forward to working with our partners over the coming months to develop a world-leading facility where expertise and initiative can have a positive impact on the global cycling sector.” 

45 MTB businesses projected to move to the South of Scotland

The new innovation centre is being built in the epicenter of UK mountain biking, and one of the top mountain bike destinations in Europe: the Tweed Valley. The region already has endless kilometers of incredible trails, and now, this innovation centre will double down on mountain bike industry support.

The centre is designed to grow a mountain bike industry cluster in the region by fostering R&D and providing commercial support to brands. “It will host bike brands with office spaces and offer a unique range of services from groundbreaking research to testing and prototyping,” according to SOSE. They estimate that 45 businesses will relocate all or part of their operations to the South of Scotland over the next 10 years. 

While the mountain bike industry in Scotland is undoubtedly strong and will only get stronger with this new investment, this news comes hot on the heels of one of Scotland’s most established mountain bike brands’ departure from the country. In January, news broke that Endura had made many of their Scottish employees redundant following two consecutive years of financial losses. They’re relocating the remaining roles to a London office.

Tweed Valley. Photo: DMBinS

Pairing tourism with industrial development

In addition to building a massive industrial complex, an adjacent bike park is also planned. However, a suitable site for the bike park still hasn’t been located. If they can find the right location, estimates call for 160,000 visits per year to “Scotland’s first bike park” and 40,000 additional bed nights. They’re calling this effort to “combine tourism with innovation” a “global first.”

The first phase of a new “trail lab” is currently under construction in a nearby forest. It will “not only facilitate easy bike testing and development but attract companies to live and work next to outstanding trails and support our rural communities to prosper in a sustainable way,” according to Edinburgh Napier University.

“The innovation centre and adventure bike park will help grow the area’s profile and encourage sustainable business growth and development,” said Ed Shoote, Economic Development Specialist for SOSE. “The adventure bike park will deliver much-needed investment in infrastructure to manage the growing number of visitors to the area, while protecting and adding to the already fantastic trail network and attractions to ensure visitors spend more time in the area.”

“There is still a lot of work to do to realise this vision, and we will continue to work with the project partners and the local community to deliver the best project for the region,” said Shoote.

Article updated at 11:30am Mountain Time on March 26, 2026, to reflect new numbers provided by DMBinS and that the bike park development is facing hurdles. The DMBinS website had originally listed the projected economic impact of the Innovation Centre at 401 jobs and £141 million ($189 million USD). That has since been revised down to 225 jobs and £86 million ($115 million USD).

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