Northern Ireland

Supporting business growth

Northern Ireland has the right blend of talent, innovation, expertise, and resources to help your business succeed. With world-class products and services and a proven track record, we are an ideal trading partner and a top choice for companies looking to expand their operations.

Who is Invest Northern Ireland?

Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) is the region’s economic development agency.  We help companies from the US, Canada & Latin America scale internationally into Northern Ireland, providing tailored overseas expansion guidance and soft landing support. We also introduce companies from the US, Canada & Latin America to world-class products and services from Northern Ireland exporters.

We have six offices dotted around this diverse region in Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto and Santiago. The offices are ably supported by experienced in-market staff and advisors in key markets with relevant market and sector expertise.

Contact us to find out how we can help your company grow

  • Locate in Northern Ireland

    Northern Ireland, the UK region uniquely located on the island of Ireland, is the ideal location for foreign direct investment (FDI). More than 1,200 international companies already operate there, benefiting from our talented workforce, competitive operating costs, and world-class infrastructure. They also enjoy our high standard of living, business-friendly support packages, and easy access to global markets.

    Download our This is Northern Ireland brochure (PDF) for more information.
    (also available in Español)

  • Buy from Northern Ireland

    Northern Ireland supplies world-class products and services to more than 100 countries. Our engineering and manufacturing expertise solves the most difficult challenges. Our life science innovations shape tomorrow’s healthcare. And our tech know-how is building the future of fintech, cybersecurity, and data analytics. Our experienced exporters are keen to develop new trade partnerships across the US, Canada & Latin America.

  • Business friendly

    We are home to one of Europe’s most business-friendly cities of our size and offer financial incentives for employment, training and R&D.

  • A wealth of talent

    Northern Ireland boasts highly skilled, loyal and motivated people who always go the extra mile.

  • Competitive costs

    Operating costs are up to 30% lower than other locations in the UK and Europe.

  • Global exporter

    We have an established track record as a global business partner, exporting to over 100 countries.

How we can help your business

  • Talent validation

    We’ll help assess whether the talent you need can be found in Northern Ireland and make relevant introductions to help you source it, including to our world-leading universities and colleges.

  • Property search and selection

    We can help with your search for suitable premises, connecting you to relevant databases and property agents in the region.

  • Financial incentives

    Our financial support includes grants for employment, R&D and training.

  • Exhibitions & trade shows

    Our trade team can connect you with Northern Ireland exporters taking part in sector trade shows around the world. 

    View our trade calendar

  • Meet the buyer events

    Meet the buyer events organized by our trade team offer an opportunity to meet and talk to our trusted exporters in your sector.

    View our trade calendar

  • Business networks

    We can help connect you with business networks across a range of sectors including technology, financial, professional & business services, advanced manufacturing and life & health sciences.

Our sectors

Technology

Area of sector expertise

  • Cyber security
  • AI & data analytics
  • Sports technology
  • Telecom, mobile & data networks
  • IT services
  • GovTech
  • Smart cities
  • Northern Ireland is the world's top destination for Financial Services technology investment and the number one international investment location for US cyber security firms (fDi Markets FT, 2023).
  • Belfast is one of the best cities in the UK to work in tech- and the best place to work as a software developer (TechNation).
  • Belfast has been named one of the world's top 15 Digital Economies of the Future and ranked 2nd in the UK (11th in Europe) in a poll of Top 25 Tech Cities of the Future (Financial Times fDi Intelligence).

Businesses here include

  • Rapid7 company logo
  • Imperva
  • Proofpoint logo
  • Puppet company logo
  • Payroc company logo
  • Bazaarvoice company logo

Financial services

Area of sector expertise

  • Fintech
  • Asset and wealth management
  • Banking and capital markets
  • Governance, risk and compliance
  • Insurance, assurance and insuretech
  • Northern Ireland is the world's top region for fintech inward investment (fDi Markets FT, 2023).
  • $500 billion flows through Belfast each day, representing 10% of the global FX market.
  • Belfast is ranked in the top 3 Global Fintech locations of the future after London and Signapore (fDI Intelligence Fintech location of the Future 2019/20).

Download our Financial Services brochure

Businesses here include

  • CME Group logo
  • Cowen Group company logo
  • Peak6 company logo
  • Allstate logo
  • Alfac company logo
  • Agio company logo

Legal and professional services

Area of sector expertise

  • Legal services
  • Legaltech
  • Accounting
  • Management consultancy
  • Tech for professional services
  • Two of the top 15 law schools in the UK are in Northern Ireland.
  • Belfast has been identified as one of the top 10 global emerging lawtech scenes alongside London, San Francisco, Singapore and Tel Aviv (Law Society England & Wales, 2019).
  • PwC and Google's first European Innovation lab was established in Belfast in 2015 (PwC).
  • Operating costs for a legal services center in Northern Ireland are up to 50% lower than London and 40% lower than New York.

Businesses here include

  • Baker McKenzie logo
  • Ogletree Deakins company logo
  • iManage company logo
  • Allen & Overy logo
  • Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Gateley company logo

Global business services

Area of sector expertise

  • Customer experience
  • Financial and accounting
  • Technical support
  • Human resources
  • Operating costs are 33% lower than London, 11% lower than Dublin and 51% lower than New York.
  • 20,000 people are employed in 40 shared services, contact or knowledge centres.
  • 5,500+ graduates with a degree in areas including finance, accounting, economics, maths, law and computing.

Businesses here include

  • Concentrix
  • OneSource Virtual company logo
  • Alexander Mann
  • Santander company logo
  • BNP Paribas logo
  • AXA Insurance logo

Life and health sciences

Area of sector expertise

  • Precision medicine
  • Pharma and biotech
  • Clinical trials
  • Diagnostics
  • Medtech
  • Vibrant cluster of 250+ businesses, international investors and indigenous companies, employing 8,500.  Exporting globally to over 140 countries.
  • Over 17 world-leading research centres with more than 1,000 researchers
  • 10% of the world's cholesterol tests are made in Northern Ireland.

Find a supplier from our life and health sciences directory

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.
  • When you buy from Northern Ireland, you buy 60 years of leading the world in Mobile Bulk Materials Processing equipment.
  • 8,000 people are employed in over 100 companies.

Find a supplier from our materials handling directory

Aerospace and defence

Area of sector expertise

  • Interiors
  • Structures
  • Supply chain
  • 1 in 3 aircraft seats are manufactured in Northern Ireland.
  • Companies are internationally accredited AS9100, ISO9001 and NADCAP.
  • SC21 - NI Aerospace has 5 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze awards, with more Golds than any other UK region.

Find a supplier from our aerospace industry directory

Businesses here include

  • Collins Aerospace
  • Spirit Aerosystems company logo
  • AVIC Logo

Advanced manufacturing and engineering

Area of sector expertise

  • Aerospace and defence
  • Automotive
  • Construction
  • Materials handling
  • Electronics
  • Green growth and renewable energy
  • Consumer products
  • Products exported to over 100 countries.
  • 44,000 employees in 2,000 companies.
  • Operating costs up to 34% lower than USA, 30% lower than France and 36% lower than Germany.

Businesses here include

  • SDC Trailers logo
  • Spirit Aerosystems company logo
  • Ulster Carpets Logo

Green economy

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 resouces
  • 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.
  • 15 competence and research centres.

Find a supplier from our energy directory

Businesses here include

  • B9 Energy Logo
  • Harland and Wolff logo

Creative technology

Area of sector expertise

  • Animation
  • Gaming
  • EdTech
  • Interactive content
  • Film & TV production
  • HBO series Game of Thrones was filmed in Northern Ireland.
  • Belfast's Titanic Studios is one of the largest film and TV production studios in Europe.
  • Oscar-winning live action short film The Shore was filmed in Northern Ireland.

Businesses here include

  • Jam logo
  • Dog Ears logo
  • Flickerpix logo

Food and drink

Area of sector expertise

  • Meat
  • Dairy
  • Drinks
  • Other
  • World leader in traceability and food security. We created APHIS, an electronic cattle tracing database.
  • Food and drink products from Northern Ireland are available in more than 70 countries.
  • Home to Bushmills, the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world.

Find a supplier from our food and drink directory

Businesses here include

  • Moy Park logo
  • Bushmills logo
  • Dale Farm logo

Construction

Area of sector expertise

  • Construction contractors
  • Manufactured construction products
  • Construction services
  • 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
    •  Titanic Signature Project
  • Northern Ireland firms have also worked on:
    •  National schools and hospitals projects
    •  Fit-out on iconic buildings such as 1 Hyde Park
    •  Fit-out on a range of retail projects across Europe

Businesses here include

  • Lagan construction logo
  • Farrans logo

International education

Area of sector expertise

  • Queens University
  • Ulster University
  • University-affiliated teacher training colleges
  • English language teaching
  • Boarding schools
  • Vocational education and training
  • Northern Ireland hosts 45,000 students from over 100 countries.
  • Northern Ireland is recognised as having one of the best education systems in Europe. We’re also renowned for our high quality of life, low cost of living, clean environment, lively social scene and the friendliness of our people.
  • Queen’s University is in the top 1% of universities in the world.
  • Ulster University ranks in the Times Higher Education Supplement’s 150 under 50 – a global comparison of young universities.

Businesses here include

  • Queen's University Belfast logo
  • Ulster University logo

Contact us

Get in touch to discuss how Invest NI can help support your company's international growth and connect you with suppliers. You can contact a member of our team directly via LinkedIn.

Keep up to date with the latest news and information by following us on our social media channels:
@InvestNI_AMER  Invest Northern Ireland - Americas

Please get in touch.  You can find a team in your region or fill in an enquiry form and a member of the team will contact you directly.

For information on how we use your personal data including your rights, see our privacy notice.

Discover how Northern Ireland can support your business growth.

Our short videos showcase why Northern Ireland is a great place to invest in, work with and live.  Find out more about our industry strengths and capabilities, what we offer international investors and get a glimpse of the beautiful landscapes and vibrant cityscapes of Northern Ireland. 

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