PVC Research Liam Maguire was joined by colleagues from the Engineering Composites Research Centre (ECRE), Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC), and the Research and Impact Directorate at the Northern Ireland Business & Innovation Showcase in London this week. This invitation-only event featured the best of Northern Ireland’s innovative businesses, start-ups and universities, showcasing what Northern Ireland offers as an inward investment location and as a trade partner.
Speaking from London, Dr. Alexander Chacko, Head of Innovation & Impact at Ulster University said,
“The Innovation strand of the event focused on high impact technologies and entrepreneurs, and spread the message that Northern Ireland’s innovators, tech start-ups, and Universities are leading the way in post pandemic recovery.
Everyone was delighted to be meeting and networking in person again, there was optimism about the economic future of Northern Ireland (including from NI and UK Gov politicians), and there was huge enthusiasm to build new commercial partnerships and promote our businesses across the globe”.
The Northern Ireland Office, the Department for International Trade and Invest NI partnered to host a Northern Ireland Business and Innovation Showcase in London to promote Northern Ireland as:
An inward investment location
Northern Ireland may be a small region but it punches well above its weight on the inward investment landscape. The region is home to more than 1,200 international companies and when international investors set up in Northern Ireland, their experience is so positive that almost 75% of these companies go on to further invest in the region.
The reasons why so many global companies choose Northern Ireland include; talent availability, excellent infrastructure, cost-effectiveness and a supportive, business-friendly environment. It also has one of the fastest-growing tech clusters in the UK and ranks globally for software development, cyber security and fintech investment.
The best place to source products and services from
Northern Ireland also has a global reputation as a trusted business partner. Companies from the region have an established track record in international trade, exporting to over 100 countries.
The region’s expertise spans everything from cyber security to data analytics, diagnostics to precision medicine, agricultural to waste handling equipment, craft beer to artisanal spirits, and much more.
Amongst the Ulster University centres represented at the event were:
- The Engineering Composites Research Centre which is a multi-disciplinary research team based at Ulster University. The aim of the centre is to design, manufacture and study advanced textile composite structures.
- C-TRIC, a state-of-the-art research institute and not-for-profit company and personalised medicine institute based on the Altnagelvin Hospital site in Derry – Londonderry. The C-TRIC team is involved in the planned THRIVE City Deal Innovation project.
- The Research & Impact Directorate which oversees Ulster University’s international reputation for research excellence, at a time when UU is in the top 25% of UK universities for world-leading research based on research power.
Get more information about the City Deal Innovation Projects.
Photograph: UU at the NI Innovation Showcase. Photographed (l-r) are: Mark Watson, Scientific Lead at C-TRIC, Sonya Leitch, Commercial Manager at C-TRIC, Alex Chacko, Head of Innovation & Impact and Professor Alistair McIlhagger, School of Engineering.