Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is an ideally positioned economy allowing businesses across a range of sectors to benefit from a business-friendly environment, top talent pool, leading research institutions and robust infrastructure.
It is an integral, uniquely positioned part of the UK and is the ideal location to grow your company. Its combination of a business-friendly environment, highly skilled workforce, quality skills pipeline, excellent infrastructure, and unique market access offer a compelling proposition for your business. Over 1,300 international companies across a range of sectors are based in Northern Ireland (NISRA, 2023). The region has a long-standing history of international trade performance, hosts globally recognised universities and offers investors unfettered access to both the UK and European Union markets.
Expanding your business
Northern Ireland offers more than just high-quality talent and great infrastructure; it’s a location that delivers altogether more for investors.
Northern Ireland has exactly what investors are looking for – a workforce that is educated, innovative, resilient and results-driven. People who will go the extra mile to make sure your operation is a success. Combine this with a superb infrastructure and bespoke support packages and you have the ideal location for expanding your business.
Northern Ireland is host to 2 leading global universities and is home to a uniquely supportive business ecosystem built on close partnerships between companies, academia and government.
The Windsor Framework positions Northern Ireland as a unique gateway for the sale of goods to 2 of the world’s largest markets, as well as access to global markets through the UK’s new free trade agreements (FTAs). Northern Ireland is now the only place in the world from which businesses can move goods to both the UK and the European Union free from customs declarations, rules of origin certificates and non-tariff barriers. In addition, the UK’s Corporation Tax is the lowest out of the G7 economies.
The infrastructure and connectivity of Northern Ireland is one of the best in Europe, with the largest high-speed fibre network in the UK, and exciting road, rail and sea connections across the globe.
Get practical guidance and insights to help you successfully set up in the UK.
Investing capital
Northern Ireland offers an attractive proposition for investors, as well as providing genuine commercial opportunities with attractive returns. The region offers favourable market conditions, growing demand and growth potential, a strong network of professional advisors and transparent regulatory and governance systems.
Regeneration investment opportunities are available across a range of sectors including commercial, retail, residential, mixed-use and hotel.
Buying goods and services
Products, services and technologies from Northern Ireland are exported to across the globe, with goods from Northern Ireland exported to over 100 countries. Northern Ireland has expertise across a range of sectors, including deep-tech such as artificial intelligence, AR/VR and photonics; in digital technologies such as cyber and wireless; in advanced manufacturing sectors like aerospace and materials handling; and across a wide range of financial and professional services.
Other opportunities
- 1.9 million
- population (Source: ONS, 2021)
- About 90 minutes
- from Belfast to Dublin
- Only UK land border
- with the rest of Europe
- 50%
- of the population are under the age of 40 (Source: ONS, 2021)
- 2
- world-leading universities and a network of regional colleges
- Over 1,300
- international companies (Source: NISRA, 2023)
Strategic markets
Technology
Northern Ireland is a region of expertise and knowledge in tech development. Northern Ireland is the number one international investment location for US cyber security firms. Belfast has been named as one of the UK’s top ten leading regional tech cities outside of London (GOV.UK, 2021). The city is one of the world’s most concentrated cyber security clusters, with more than 100 cyber security businesses and teams (Queen’s University Belfast, 2023).
Life and health sciences
Northern Ireland is the ideal location for cutting-edge healthcare R&D and innovations. With world-leading research centres at both Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, delivering major breakthroughs for the future from studying the coronavirus (COVID-19) to psychology (Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University).
Advanced manufacturing
Northern Ireland has a vibrant and highly sophisticated advanced manufacturing and engineering sector. The region’s track record of engineering excellence has attracted global investors including innovative companies at the forefront of sustainable transport solutions.
Case Studies
Citi
Leading global investment bank, Citi, established a technology centre in Belfast in 2005. The centre has grown to over 3,200 employees delivering critical services to the bank and its global customers in 100 countries across the globe in 21 distinct functions including markets, legal, risk, HR, operations and technology.
Aflac
In 2019 Fortune 500 company Aflac Inc. opened a Global IT and Cyber Security Innovation Centre in Northern Ireland, committing to create 150 jobs over five years. After conducting extensive research NI was chosen as the ideal location because of the established cluster of technology companies, accessibility to US & other markets and access to the right talent and skills. Aflac have availed of the Assured Skills programme, NI’s 100% free, customisable training programme available to investors to ensure they have access to a workforce trained for their specific needs. The programme has helped Aflac more than double in size during the pandemic with current employment ahead of their stated goal.
Artemis Technologies
Experts in green maritime innovation, digitalisation and autonomy.
Building on its high-performance background, Artemis’ mission is to lead the decarbonisation of the maritime industry through the design and development of transformative zero-emission vessels. At the forefront of maritime engineering, the company utilises its specialist expertise to provide tailored services to both high-performance and commercial clients, as well as developing unique products like its disruptive Artemis eFoiler® electric propulsion system.
Artemis leads the Belfast Maritime Consortium, which brings together industry, academia and public bodies to design and build zero-emission high-speed ferries.