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 Asia Pacific (APAC) scale internationally into Northern Ireland, providing tailored overseas expansion guidance and soft landing support. We also introduce companies from across APAC to world-class products and services from Northern Ireland exporters.

Invest NI established its first office for the APAC region in Shanghai in 2005. We now have seven offices across this diverse region- Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul and Sydney. 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 in English (PDF).
    (Also available in Chinese, Korean and Japanese)

  • 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 Asia Pacific.

     

  • 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.

  • Global sourcing

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

  • Competitive costs

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

How we can help your business

  • Talent sourcing

    We’ll help make relevant introductions to help you source talent needed for your future business growth and success. 

  • 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.

  • Connections with our world-class suppliers

    Our companies supply into more than 100 countries across the world.  We can help connect you with world-class suppliers across a number of sectors.

  • Exhibitions & trade shows

    Northern Ireland exporters regularly take part in sector trade shows around the world.

  • Meet the supplier

    Meet the supplier events offer an opportunity to meet and talk to our trusted exporters in your sector.

Our Sectors

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.
  • 100+ international technology investors.
  • 70% of our IT & telecoms professionals hold a higher education qualification – the highest in the UK.

Businesses here include

  • Rakuten logo
  • Fujitsu logo
  • Intel Logo

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.
  • $500 billion flows through Belfast each day, representing 10% of the global FX market.
  • 40% reduction in typical salary costs compared to London and Dublin (Bond Search & Selection, 2020)

Download our Financial Services brochure

Businesses here include

  • Citi
  • Allstate logo
  • Santander company logo

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

Businesses here include

  • Terex
  • Caterpillar logo
  • Sandvik

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

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

Businesses here include

  • Terumo logo
  • Randox

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

  • Ryobi logo
  • Sensata Technologies logo
  • Spirit Aerosystems company logo

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

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

Global business services

Area of sector expertise

  • Customer experience
  • Financial services
  • Technical support
  • Operating costs are 33% lower than London and 11% lower than Dublin and 51% lower than NYC.
  • 20,000 people employed in 40 shared services, contact or knowledge centres.
  • Each year we produce 5,000 graduates with degrees in finance, accounting, business, economics, maths, law and computing.

Businesses here include

  • Capita
  • PwC logo
  • Deloitte logo

Professional and legal services

Area of sector expertise

  • Legal services
  • 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 alongisde London, San Francisco, Singapore & Tel Aviv (Law Society England & Wales, 2019).
  • Operating costs for a legal services centre in Northern Ireland are up to 50% lower than London and 40% lower than New York.

Businesses here include

  • Baker McKenzie logo
  • Citi
  • Allen & Overy 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

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
  • Kingspan logo
  • Harland and Wolff 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
  • Transnational education
  • 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.
  • Northern Ireland's universities operate a number of branch campuses overseas, undertake high-quality joint research activity, and deliver jointly supervised PhDs.
  • Northern Ireland's technical vocational education and training colleges are active across the world and are working overseas to help develop curricula, enhance college leadership and management capability and deliver quality assurance processes.

Businesses here include

  • Ulster University logo
  • Queen's University Belfast logo

Contact us

Get in touch to discuss how Invest Northern Ireland can help support your company's international growth and connect you with suppliers. 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:

Invest Northern Ireland Weibo    Invest Northern Ireland - Asia Pacific

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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