Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub sets up first regional base in Northern Ireland

The Royal Academy of Engineering has today established the first regional base for its Enterprise Hub – in Belfast. The Enterprise Hub: Northern Ireland, supported by Invest Northern Ireland, is based at Ormeau Baths co-working space in Belfast.

Senior Regional Business Development Manager Gillian Gregg will be based at the Belfast hub to champion ambitious engineering entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland, supporting the region’s brightest technology and engineering entrepreneurs to realise their potential. She will be growing a local network of engineering entrepreneurs, mentors, institutions, accelerators and investors.

The Academy established its Enterprise Hub in 2013 to run programmes for entrepreneurial engineers at different career stages. Each one offers equity-free funding, an extended programme of mentorship and coaching and a lifetime of support through connection to an exceptional community of engineers and innovators from among the Academy’s Fellows, many of whom have set up highly successful companies.

The Enterprise Hub currently supports more than 200 engineering and technology entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth SMEs who have attracted over £200 million in external funding. Only seven of these entrepreneurs are based in Northern Ireland, and the Belfast hub is looking to significantly grow this number by providing financial support, training and coaching to early stage and scale up entrepreneurs as well as exceptional connections to the nation’s best engineering minds. According to a report[1] by Beauhurst there are 612 active, ambitious companies in Northern Ireland, and 35% of these are at seed stage. Only 32% of high-growth companies in Northern Ireland have raised equity investment, which is far lower than the UK average of 52%.

David Cleevely CBE FREng, Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Committee and serial entrepreneur and investor, said:

“There is a great entrepreneurial culture in Northern Ireland with strong focus on engineering and technology, building on its rich innovation heritage. The Enterprise Hub can add value here by providing specialist support to entrepreneurs and giving them access to the Royal Academy of Engineering’s network of world-leading engineers. We want to help this vibrant start-up community to grow.”

Stephen Wightman, Director for Technology Solutions at Invest NI, said:

“We are pleased to welcome the establishment of the Royal Academy’s first regional hub to Northern Ireland. Our team has helped to bring the investment here, and we have offered support towards the Senior Regional Business Development Manager role. Northern Ireland has a vibrant and diverse engineering and technology sector, exporting to all corners of the globe. The addition of the Royal Academy’s facilities, connections and mentoring will support and enhance the development of new and existing Northern Ireland entrepreneurial talent in the field of engineering and technology.”

Notes for Editors

The Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub supports the UK’s brightest technology and engineering entrepreneurs to realise their potential.

Our goal is to encourage creativity and innovation in engineering for the benefit of all. By fostering lasting, exceptional connections between talent and expertise, we aim to create a virtuous cycle of innovation that can deliver on this ambition.

The Enterprise Hub was formally launched in April 2013. Since then, we have supported over 130 researchers, recent graduates and SME leaders to start up and scale up businesses that can give practical application to their inventions. We’ve awarded over £4 million in grant funding, and our Hub Members have gone on to raise over £100 million in additional funding.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.

Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

For more information please contact: Jane Sutton at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. 0207 766 0636; email: [email protected]

[1]https://www.beauhurst.com/research/high-growth-northern-ireland/