Invest NI support secures £40m of investment in Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council area

Invest Northern Ireland performance results for 2025/26 show that its support has helped secure £40m of business investment in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council area. 

The agency offered nearly £6m of assistance to help businesses in the area innovate, increase productivity and create new jobs. 132 new jobs will be created in the area as a result of this support.  

Speaking about the results, Aeidin McCarter, Head of North West Regional Business said: “In 2025/26 we offered nearly 50 per cent more assistance to businesses in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council area than in the previous year. This support will help them invest in their growth and provide new opportunities in the area. 

“A large proportion of this was as a result of a major investment by Lakeland Dairies. The company is investing £24.5m to expand production capacity at its Ballyrashane site by upgrading its liquid milk packing and butter production facilities. We offered £2.5m of support towards this project through our Agri-Food Investment Initiative.

“Businesses in the area also sought our support to invest in their existing teams – with our support over £1m was invested in leadership, training and skills by businesses in the area.”

Coleraine SMEs StimOxyGen and Dia Beta Labs are also growing their businesses with Invest NI support, as the first to receive investment from the £39m equity fund, Co-Fund III, part of Invest NI's Access to Finance portfolio. The funding will help the companies to advance medical breakthroughs and bring them closer to first-in-human trials.

“We are working with more companies in the area than before, thanks to our programmes Ambition to Grow and Business Innovation Grant,” added Aeidin. “These programmes are helping us reach small businesses that previously would not have been able to access Invest NI support. We have helped 25 entrepreneurs and SMEs in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough area innovate, create good jobs and increase external sales through these programmes to date.  

“Our Business Innovation Grant has helped companies such as Dunluce Distillery who invested in innovative equipment to develop a new ready-to-drink product range, increasing sales across Northern Ireland and Great Britain.”

“Our strong relationship with the Council ensures businesses engaging with council programmes that have export potential are referred to Invest NI. In conjunction with Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, we held a regional business advice clinic and an Ambition to Grow drop-in clinic in Coleraine to help businesses of all sizes access expert guidance, explore opportunities and connect with other local business owners.”

The Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council Briefing has now been updated and includes data on Invest NI support over the past five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).