Want to know more about our support?
Our regional business network
Our regional business network works directly and indirectly with businesses across Northern Ireland.
We offer:
- information and advice;
- business support setup and growth;
- tailored support for businesses
With dedicated teams present in five locations, Ballymena, Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, Newry and Omagh – our regional offices are available to help you on your business journey.
Our five Regional Offices are supplemented by one additional “point of presence" in Craigavon.
How we support business
What we offer includes but is not limited to support for the creation of good jobs, research and development and innovation, up-skilling of employees and trade support.
Over the past five years (2020-2021 to 2024-2025), we have offered £434m of support to 4,119 businesses. This support, alongside the companies' investment commitments, has the potential to generate a £2.51bn investment in the local economy, and create 16,974 jobs.
Download the Invest Northern Ireland Statistical Briefing (PDF) for more information about our support.
Regardless of the size of your business or the sector, we can provide you with a free advisory service. Find out more about how we support businesses and the criteria to become an Invest NI client.
Regional support
Ambition To Grow
Help for local SMEs to create jobs and sell innovative products or services beyond Northern Ireland.
Business Breakfasts
Practical advice that can help you navigate challenges, explore opportunities and grow your business.
Entrepreneurship
Our regional offices work with local entrepreneurs, start-ups and existing businesses to encourage growth through innovation and into export markets. Our regional offices work closely with key partners in the delivery of this support.
We are keen to hear from entrepreneurs who want to start, build, or scale new businesses or ideas; so, if you have an idea for a new business, a new product, service, business model or a new market opportunity, we can help.
The Regional Business Group can provide guidance or financial assistance for ambitious entrepreneurs who are planning to export or are already exporting their product or service.
Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs)
The Sub-Regional Economic Plan, launched on 1st October 2024, set out a new collaborative approach to regional economic development. It included the establishment of Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) in each council area across the region to identify specific local needs and interventions needed to aid their economic development.
Local Economic Partnerships are intended to play a key role in delivering regional balance, by bringing together central and local government, Arm’s Length Bodies, and local stakeholders to create improved economic prosperity at a local level.
The Local Economic Partnership is owned by the Local Government District (LGD) with support from DfE and Invest NI.
A £45 million fund over three years supports LEPs, allocated based on productivity, and peripherality criteria. LEPs have flexible structures, either standalone or integrated with existing Council partnerships. The full details of the allocation to each of the 11 Council areas is available here.
All LEPs at each of the 11 Council areas are now established and have developed or are currently developing local economic action plans.
Our stakeholder partners
To develop local stakeholder relationships and initiatives to meet the needs of local businesses we work with key industry partners including:
- Accelerators
- Councils
- Enterprise agencies
- Further education colleges
- Universities
- Enterprise Ireland
- Ethnic Minority Employment & Entrepreneurship Network
- InterTradeIreland
- Women in Business NI
This partnership working is key to deliver for all of Northern Ireland.
Contact us
Find out more about our regional support.
You may be interested in
- Develop products and services
Ambition to Grow
Take part in a competition to receive up to £45,000 in funding.
- Export Support
Export to Grow
Complete our Export Health Check to assess your export readiness.
- Develop products and services
Innovation Vouchers
Innovation Vouchers offers up to £5K to be used to develop innovative solutions to business issues.