Do business in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a great place to grow a business thanks to its resilient workforce and infrastructure, talent availability and cost-effectiveness. It has one of the fastest-growing technology clusters in the UK, and offers some of the best financial incentives in Europe for inward investors. More than 1,100 international companies successfully operate in the region, including Aflac, PA, PwC, Teleperformance and Concentrix.
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Business Friendly
We are one of Europe's most business-friendly regions of our size.
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Competitive Costs
Operating costs are up to 30% lower than other locations in the UK and Europe.
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Guaranteed talent
Investors benefit from Assured Skills: a 100% free, customised training and recruitment program.
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Global tech leaders
Northern Ireland ranks globally for software development, fintech and cybersecurity investment.
Sector Expertise
Technology
Area of sector expertise
- Cyber security
- Financial software
- Mobile telecoms
- Healthcare IT
- Network management
- Data analytics
- Payments technology
- Northern Ireland is the #1 international investment location for US cyber security firms.
- 100+ international technology investors.
- 70% of our IT & telecoms professionals hold a higher education qualification – the highest in the UK.
Businesses here include:
What others are saying
“The most passionate, devoted, educated and skilled people I have ever worked with.”
Paul Vienneau
Chief Technology Officer
TSYS
Financial services & fintech
Area of sector expertise
- Financial services technology
- Capital markets technology
- Fund administration
- Risk, regulation and compliance
- Asset and wealth management
- Actuarial & analytics
- Marketing & research
- Consultancy
- Northern Ireland is the world’s top region for fintech inward investment.
- $500 billion flows through Belfast each day, representing 10% of the global FX market.
- Belfast is ranked 3rd in fDi Markets Global Fintech Locations of the Future 2019/2020 list.
Businesses here include:
What others are saying
“As a result of being here over the last 15 years we have saved the company more than a billion dollars.”
Suren Gupta
Executive Vice President
Allstate Technology & Strategic Ventures
Professional & legal services
Area of sector expertise
- Legal technology
- Captive legal services
- Shared services
- Legal process outsourcing
- In-house counsel
- Software solutions
- Management consultancy
- Two of the top 15 law schools in the UK are in Northern Ireland.
- The City UK has acknowledged Belfast as a leading center for legal innovation, with a strong talent pipeline combining legal expertise with technology and innovation skills.
- Operating costs for a legal services center in Northern Ireland are up to 50% lower than London and 40% lower than New York.
Businesses here include:
What others are saying
“A high-quality, well-educated workforce was one of the most compelling reasons for choosing the city. [Belfast] staff have made a huge contribution in shaping the firm’s global landscape.”
Jason Marty
Global COO
Baker McKenzie
Global business services
Area of sector expertise
- Shared services
- Knowledge services
- Customer experience
- Recruitment services
- Staff augmentation
- Management consultancy
- Operating costs are 33% lower than London, 11% lower than Dublin and 51% lower than NYC.
- 13,000 people employed in 40 shared services, contact or knowledge centers.
- Each year we produce 5,000 graduates with degrees in finance, accounting, business, economics, maths, law and computing.
Businesses here include:
What others are saying
“The support provided by Invest NI, the quality of people and the cost-competitive business environment makes Northern Ireland a very attractive location for us.”
Philip Cassidy
Senior Vice President
Concentrix Corporation
Explore our other sectors
Key sectors include:
- Life & health sciences
- Materials handling
- Aerospace and defence
- Advanced engineering & manufacturing
- Green growth and renewable energy
- Creative & digital
- Food & drink
- Construction
- International education
Businesses here include:
How we can help
Invest Northern Ireland is the economic development agency for Northern Ireland. We help investors scale internationally by introducing them to Northern Ireland’s resilient, high-quality, cost-effective, scalable talent pool, while providing guidance and support throughout the lifespan of their investment.
We offer tailored overseas expansion guidance, financial incentives and soft landing support, which can include:
- Employment incentives
- Training incentives
- Market development
- Property selection
- A dedicated project team
Contact Us
Get in touch to discuss how Invest Northern Ireland can help support your company's growth. Fill out the contact form below or connect with a member of our team via LinkedIn.
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United Kingdom
Belfast Office
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London Office
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Republic of Ireland
Dublin Office
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Looking for other Invest NI contacts globally?
Please visit our Locations Directory
