Belfast City Council has launched an initiative to become a Smart City, looking at new and innovative ways to tackle traditional urban challenges and support the city’s aims and ambitions. The council is working with the Future Cities Catapult and city partners to develop a long-term road map towards a smart Belfast. [...]
Women with potential to be successful entrepreneurs and leaders in innovation can apply for support and funding to help them to succeed. Innovate UK has up to £200,000 and a package of tailored support to award to businesswomen who have exciting ideas and the potential to become leaders in innovation [...]
Innovate UK has published its delivery plan for the year 2016/17 outlining its intentions to promote and accelerate business innovation and to drive and support economic growth across the whole of the UK. This is Innovate UK's first delivery plan in the new Spending Review period, and marks some significant changes in the way it [...]
A unique partnership between industry, government and research has resulted in a group of engineers receiving specialist training that will enhance Northern Ireland’s skills base in hard metal machining. NIACE, the Northern Ireland Advanced Composite and Engineering Centre, based in Belfast, has formed a strategic partnership with Mills CNC, and [...]
MATRIX Chair Bryan Keating has been talking to Wendy Austin about apprenticeships in Northern Ireland and how his new role as Chair of the Strategic Advisory Forum on Apprenticeships is helping to shape the workforce to meet current and future economic requirements. A few years ago apprenticeships were in the [...]
The Northern Ireland Science Park is expanding in a £6.5m investment part-funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. This could mean that Belfast Titanic Quarter development will be able to accommodate another 500 technology jobs. Around 2,600 people currently work at the science parks in Belfast and Londonderry. The latest development [...]
The Northern Ireland Polymers Association (NIPA) is one of 5 organisations chosen to test new ways to develop skills for innovation in manufacturing. NIPA, in conjunction with CITB Northern Ireland, is collaborating to develop innovation skills between the polymers and construction industries in Northern Ireland. Both industries have complementary skillsets [...]
Do you work in Advanced Manufacturing, Materials or Engineering? We want to hear your thoughts on the future of your sector in Northern Ireland. It is just under 7 years since MATRIX completed its original Advanced Materials and Engineering studies. We are now undertaking a comprehensive review of the conclusions and [...]
The new Matrix website has been nominated for two categories in the Irish Web Awards 2015. The nominations are for Best Government Website and Best Science & Technology Website. Judging will take place over the next few weeks. Previous winners of Web Awards have included IrishTimes.com, Luas.ie, Broadsheet.ie, DoneDeal.ie, Siliconrepublic.com and thejournal.ie. [...]
Innovate UK and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) are to invest up to £20m in collaborative research & development projects to significantly reduce the mass of road-going vehicles. The aim is to bring together and develop the best UK supply chain capability and expertise in the areas of advanced lightweight materials, [...]
The European Commission has unveiled its detailed plans to create a Digital Single Market, helping to remove the online barriers which mean citizens miss out on goods and services. Only 15% of internet users currently shop online from another EU country, meaning internet companies and start-ups cannot take full advantage of growth [...]
Local entrepreneurs could win up to €280,000 through InterTradeIreland’s Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition 2015. The competition is now in its 13th year and is looking for young companies from all business sectors to apply. The Seedcorn competition mirrors the real life investment process and is aimed at early and new start [...]