Latest news

The MATRIX website is home to the latest Northern Ireland science & technology news, the most relevant reports and of course our own studies on Northern Ireland’s tech sectors and how best to grow them.

  • Matrix Plenary

AI Themed Matrix Plenary

July 3rd, 2025|

Matrix held an AI themed plenary session at the end of June chaired by Patricia O'Hagan (Matrix, Deputy Chair), at the Innovation Factory. There were insightful presentations from David Crozier and Donnacha Kirk (AICC), Henry Lane (Firetail) and Patrick McIlveen (Catalyst) to inform a lively discussion with our panel members, ex officios and guests. The AICC presentations covered case studies [...]

Matrix attends the all-Ireland Sustainability Summit

June 20th, 2025|

Matrix discussed its latest foresight report at the recent All-Ireland Sustainability Summit at ICC Belfast with over 220 delegates in attendance. The Decarbonisation of the NI Built Environment report, commissioned by Matrix NI on behalf of the Department for the Economy, outlines recommendations to further the achievement of net zero in the built environment by 2050. The report had been [...]

Minister launches report on developing a more sustainable built environment

June 18th, 2025|

  Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has launched a foresight report which outlines recommendations to move towards the decarbonisation of Northern Ireland’s built environment by 2050. The Decarbonisation of the NI Built Environment report, commissioned by Matrix NI on behalf of the Department for the Economy, sets out strategies to reduce both operational and embodied carbon emissions from homes, workplaces, [...]

What is Matrix?

MATRIX, the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, is a business led expert panel, formed primarily to advise government, industry and academia on the commercial exploitation of R&D and science and technology in Northern Ireland.

We produce regular, in depth reports which outline the work, findings and recommendations of our specialist panels. These reports are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in how new technologies and market opportunities can be developed within the Northern Ireland economy and beyond.

The Matrix panel

We have a main panel of nineteen business and academic leaders, supported by a small secretariat team based in the Department for the Economy. The Chair of the panel is Robert Hill.

What Matrix does

The MATRIX panel commissions research, analysis and studies, to help DfE build the evidence base for future science and R&D policies within wider innovation policy.

The Matrix panel advises in three main areas:

  • Key R&D and science & technology issues affecting business innovation

  • The emerging strategic technology priorities impacting on Northern Ireland’s economy

  • The promotion of a culture of innovation and the importance of R&D and science & technology in the future, particularly with business and in regard to commercial exploitation activities.

The Matrix library

This library is a collection of Matrix reports as well as documents that the Matrix panel and secretariat have used in their research. The most recent additions to the library are here – if you want to see the full collection, arranged by topic, please visit the library section.

Latest science and technology events

Live SBRIs and other funding competitions

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) connects public sector challenges with innovative ideas from industry, supporting companies to generate economic growth and enabling improvement in achieving government objectives.

SBRI provides innovative solutions to challenges faced by the public sector and generates new business opportunities for companies, providing SMEs with a route to market for their ideas and bridging the seed funding gap experienced by many early stage companies. It supports economic growth and enables the development of innovative products and services through the public procurement of research and development (R&D).

There are currently no vacancies.