Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a great place to invest and grow a business internationally thanks to its highly skilled talent, excellent infrastructure, competitive costs, and supportive, business-friendly environment.
More than 1,100 international companies across a range of sectors are based in Northern Ireland. The region is home to a highly skilled and talented workforce, with a strong business-friendly environment and competitive operating costs, that’s why 70% of new investors choose to reinvest in this region.
Expanding your business
Northern Ireland offers more than just skilled people, competitive costs 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, competitive costs and bespoke support packages and you have the ideal location for expanding your business.
Operating costs are up to 30% lower than other locations in the UK and Europe.
Northern Ireland has 2 leading global universities, with strong collaborative networks between industry, government and academia, to support business growth and success.
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU), Northern Ireland continues to have access to the Great Britain (GB) and the EU markets for goods. This means that Northern Ireland is a gateway for the sale of goods to two of the world’s largest markets and the only place where businesses can operate free from customs declarations, rules of origin certificates and non-tariff barriers on the sale of goods to both GB and the EU.
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 over 100 countries across the globe. Northern Ireland has expertise across a range of sectors, including digital technologies such as fintech, cyber security, AI and in advanced manufacturing sectors like aerospace and materials handling and across a wide range of professional services and life and health sciences. Find out more at Buy from Northern Ireland.
Other opportunities
- 1.9 million
- population
- 30%
- lower operating costs than in other UK and European locations
- About 90 minutes
- from Belfast to Dublin
- Only UK land border
- with the rest of Europe
- 53%
- of the population are under the age of 40
- 2
- world-leading universities and a network of regional colleges
- Over 1,100
- international companies
- Over 70%
- of new companies choose to reinvest
Strategic markets
Technology
Northern Ireland is a region of expertise and knowledge in tech development and has one of the fastest growing tech sectors in the UK. Northern Ireland is the number one international investment location for US cyber security firms and the world’s top region for financial services technology inward investment projects. Belfast has been named as one of the best cities in the UK to work in tech.
Life and health sciences
Northern Ireland is the ideal location for cutting-edge healthcare R&D and innovations. The region has 17 world-leading research centres with more than 1000 researchers and both Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University rank in the top 10 in the UK for bioscience research.
Advanced manufacturing
Northern Ireland has a vibrant and highly sophisticated advanced manufacturing and engineering sector, with higher concentration of manufacturing businesses than in the UK as a whole. 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.
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The government is identifying new projects across the whole of the UK. Investors who are interested in our projects can find out more by contacting us.
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