International tech tour takes in local economy

Northern Ireland’s rapidly growing economy, coupled with an innovation led business culture, has created a global opportunity for international knowledge based industries.

That was the key message for over 60 international financiers as they were welcomed to Belfast today by Finance Minister, Ian Pearson, during the Belfast leg of the Irish Tech Tour.

The three-day tour took senior executives of international companies, venture capital organisations and investment banks such as Nokia, Microsoft, Polaris Sony and Silicon Valley Bank to Belfast, Dublin and Limerick.

Speaking at the Northern Ireland Science Park, Mr Pearson said: “It is clear that the people of Northern Ireland have found a new business confidence. In the last ten years, Northern Ireland has had the fastest economic growth of any region within the UK. This is reflected in the number and quality of new business starts, growth of existing companies and an increase in significant investments by global organisations.

“At the heart of this growth are local innovation and an entrepreneurial ethos, supported by a healthy rate of knowledge transfer between the business and education sectors. Northern Ireland has built upon the foundations of its industrial heritage and is now a modern, vibrant place to develop and grow a business.”

Previous European Tech Tours - which targeted countries including Switzerland, Germany and France - have been very successful, helping to boost the international expansion of a number of companies in a rapidly changing market place.

Each city provided a platform for leading high-growth, privately held technology companies to engage directly with key European, US and Asian investment professionals with the aim of assisting global expansion.

Four local innovative technology companies - AePona, Heartsine, Andor and Mobile Cohesion – were selected to make presentations to the Tech Tour delegates at the Northern Ireland Science Park and Andor Technology in Belfast.

The event will also provide a platform for these global companies to engage with key investment professionals from Europe, US and Asia.

However, the CBI today warned that 22,000 jobs in the UK manufacturing sector were under threat.

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