The preferred state is where the ecosystem has passed through a “tipping-point” in its development, which is the point at which the ecosystem hosts a critical mass of viable start-ups and scale-ups. Technology ecosystems exist in one of two states. The review’s recommendations are intended to significantly improve upon current outcomes against this goal that is to say, our recommendations are intended to increase the creation rate of profitable, scaled tech businesses and to reduce the time taken for viable individual start-ups to reach scale. The output of this ecosystem should be a stream of technology start-ups that reach sustained profitability, including a significant proportion that do so at scale with consequent benefits in opportunity for our people, in job creation and in tax revenues. By this we mean the system, in its widest sense, that supports and nurtures technology businesses in Scotland, from the early start-up phase through to fully scaled maturity. The review’s recommendations are primarily concerned with stimulating and accelerating the maturity of Scotland’s “Technology Ecosystem”.

Finally, we summarize the current applications of 4D printing.In May 2020, Mark Logan was commissioned by Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, to undertake a short-life review into how Scotland’s technology sector can contribute to the country’s economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. We then look into the main factors composing 4D printing technology such as smart materials and designs. In this review, we first compare the similarities and differences between 3D printing and 4D printing. Recently, rapid advances in printing processes and materials development for 3D printing have allowed the printing of smart materials or multimaterials designed to change function or shape.

4D printing allows a printed structure to change its form or function with time in response to stimuli such as pressure, temperature, wind, water, and light.

In this context, although similar to 3D printing technology, 4D printing technology adds the fourth dimension of time. With a great potential to change everything from our daily lives to the global economy, significant advances in 3D printing technology have been made with respect to materials, printers, and processes. 3D printing has been recognized as a disruptive technology for future advanced manufacturing systems.

Technology review