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 Report highlights local strengths in global space economy

March 5th, 2025|

A new report has identified Northern Ireland as a key player in the rapidly expanding global space economy and highlights significant opportunities for growth in advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and satellite communications. Commissioned by Matrix, Northern Ireland’s Science Industry Panel, the Space Scoping Study provides a comprehensive analysis of the region’s strengths in space-related industries and outlines a strategic roadmap for [...]

Matrix Launches Regulatory Technology – Landscape Review Report

February 11th, 2025|

Pictured : L-R Chris Hayward, City of London, Caoimhe Archibald, Economy Minister, Robert Hill, Matrix Chair The Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has launched the latest Matrix report, “Regulatory Technology – Landscape Review,” Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation, and Robert Hill Matrix Chair met with the Minister to review the sectoral opportunities highlighted by the report. [...]

Matrix panel members attend North-West RegTech Workshop

February 11th, 2025|

Picture 1: L-R Jim Harkin Ulster University, Kevin Sexton, ALPHA Innovation, Deirdre Harte, Donegal County Council, Stephen Gillespie, DCSDC, Rosalind Young, DCSDC, John Healy, Chair Invest NI/ex officio Matrix NI, Chris Hayward, City of London, Liam Maguire, Ulster University, Alexa Bhinder, City of London, Dr Ciarán o’hAnnrachain, @ATU, Eoin McFadden Department for the Economy NI, Karen Bradbury, Invest NI, and [...]

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.

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