Invest NI is partnering with the Northern Ireland Office and Department for International Trade to host a Northern Ireland Business and Innovation Showcase in London.
This invitation-only event will feature the very 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.
To find out more about the event and who’s attending, please click here.
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.
Source products and services from Northern Ireland
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.
Sector expertise
Advanced manufacturing and engineering
Area of sector expertise
- Aerospace and defence
- Automotive
- Construction
- Materials handling
- Electronics
- Green growth and renewable energy
- Consumer products
- Manufacturing accounts for 11% of employment and over 15% of GVA, making it a key sector in the Northern Ireland economy.
- Employment in the Northern Ireland manufacturing sector has in recent years grown more than four times faster than the rest of the UK.
- The region is home to a range of indigenous and international companies, engaged in the full range of activities from R&D through new product development to manufacturing.
Aerospace and defence
Area of sector expertise
- Interiors
- Structures
- Supply chain
- The sector provides revenues of GBP £1.5bn and and employs an estimated 8,000 workers directly.
- SC21 (Supply Chains for the 21st Century) programme - NI Aerospace has 5 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze awards, with more Golds than any other UK region.
- 1 in 3 aircraft seats are manufactured in Northern Ireland.
Creative technology
Area of sector expertise
- Animation
- Gaming
- EdTech
- Interactive content
- Film & tv production
- Northern Ireland has a vibrant creative technology industry where companies work with global clients and international partners to deliver creative solutions.
- Northern Ireland enjoys global recognition as an important production centre for film and television with recent productions from HBO, Universal Pictures, BBC and Disney.
- Game of Thrones was largely filmed in Northern Ireland.
- Sixteen South has won over 50 international awards including two Emmy nominations.
Construction
Area of sector expertise
- Construction contractors
- Manufactured construction products
- Construction services
- The Construction Sector represents the third-largest industry sector in Northern Ireland at 14%.
- NI has 10,000 firms within the sector of which 215 achieved sales in excess of £5M per annum.
- Northern Ireland firms have worked on major projects such as: London 2012, Crossrail and Titanic Signature Project.
Financial services
Area of sector expertise
- FinTech
- Asset and wealth management
- Banking and capital markets
- Governance, risk and compliance
- Insurance and assurance
- Northern Ireland is the world's top region for FS technology inward investment (FT fDi Markets, 2021).
- $500 billion flows through Belfast each day, representing 10% of the global FX market.
- Belfast is ranked 3rd in fDi's Global Fintech Locations of the Future (FT fDi Markets, 2020).
Food and drink
Area of sector expertise
- Meat
- Dairy
- Drinks
- Other
- Northern Ireland is a world leader in traceability and food security. We created APHIS, an electronic cattle tracing database.
- We sell food and drink products to over 70 countries worldwide.
- Agri-Food is Northern Ireland's largest manufacturing industry.
Global business services
Area of sector expertise
- Customer experience
- Financial services
- Technical support
- Northern Ireland is one of Europe's most Business Friendly regions of its size.
- 20,000 people employed in 40 shared services, contact or knowledge centres.
- Each year we produce 5,500+ graduates with degrees in finance, accounting, business, economics, maths, law and computing.
Green growth and renewable energy
Area of sector expertise
- Low carbon energy (including onshore/ offshore wind)
- Energy efficiency
- Energy storage and intelligent energy systems
- Water and waste water
- Low carbon transport
- Data centres
- Waste and resources
- The low carbon sector employs more than 12,000 people in over 300 companies
- Northern Irish companies have the capability of providing a range of innovative products and services to address the specific needs of the various energy, water and transport supply chains
- The industry has an annual turnover in excess of £1.7bn
Life and health sciences
Area of sector expertise
- Precision medicine
- Pharma and biotech
- Clinical trials
- Diagnostics
- Med-tech
- Over 17 world-leading research centres with more than 1000 researchers.
- 10% of the world's cholesterol tests are made in Northern Ireland.
- Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University rank among the Top 10 in the UK for bioscience research.
Materials handling
Area of sector expertise
- Mining and construction
- Recycling
- Handling equipment and vehicles
- Agri-machinery
- Supply chain
- 40% of the world’s mobile stone crushing and gravel screening equipment is made in Northern Ireland.
- The sector employs more than 8,000 people in over 100 companies.
- When you buy from Northern Ireland you buy 60 years of leading the world in Mobile Bulk Materials Processing equipment.
Professional and legal services
Area of sector expertise
- Legal services
- Accounting
- Management consultancy
- Tech for professional services
- Legal Services is one of the fastest growing sectors in Northern Ireland’s economy.
- Belfast has been identified as one of the top 10 global emerging lawtech scenes alongside London, San Francisco, Singapore & Tel Aviv (Law Society England & Wales, 2019).
- PwC and Google’s first European Innovation lab was established in Belfast in 2015 (PwC).
Technology
Area of sector expertise
- Cyber security
- AI and data analytics
- Sports technology
- Telecom, mobile and data networks
- IT services
- GovTech
- Smart cities
- Belfast is Europe’s leading FDI destination for new software development.
- 70% of our IT & telecoms professionals hold a higher education qualification – the highest in the UK.
- Belfast has been named one of the world’s top 10 Digital Economies of the Future and ranked 2nd in the UK (9th in Europe) in a poll of Top 25 Tech Cities of the Future (Financial Times fDi Intelligence).
Get in touch
Whether you’re interested in setting up operations in the region or buying products or services from Northern Ireland, Invest NI’s London team can offer help and guidance. Get in touch today.
