Economy Minister launches new £11 million Cluster Acceleration Programme

The programme has been designed by Invest Northern Ireland to support businesses, in particular SMEs, to work together to achieve shared goals or address common problems.

Minister Murphy said: “Businesses that participate in clusters have higher levels of innovation, productivity and resilience.

“The aim of the new programme is to develop priority clusters across the north. It will provide financial support to groups of SMEs and stakeholders to carry out projects that could not be achieved by individual companies on their own.

“In particular we want to develop clusters in areas where we have existing expertise – like Advanced Manufacturing, Life and Health Sciences and ICT which includes software and cyber. We must also prepare for future economic growth in new industries, not least green technology.”

The Minister continued: “I am committed to creating economic prosperity that is felt across the region. Today’s announcement provides strategic, tailored support for industry, academia and investors that will create good, highly skilled jobs and increase productivity across the north.”

The Cluster Acceleration Programme is based on the ‘Super Cluster’ model which is defined as combining industry, government and academia, capital investors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. These groups come together to collaborate on new products or processes, address challenges such as skills and employment gaps, or increase export capabilities and improve productivity.

Steve Harper, Executive Director, International and Skills, Invest NI said: “Our previous Collaborative Growth Programme operated for six years and supported 70 collaborative projects and over 600 businesses from across NI. It helped them to tackle challenges, embrace enabling technologies and exploit new market opportunities.

“The success of this programme clearly demonstrates the value of cluster working and has seen a number of successful cluster groups set up, including Manufacturing Engineering Growth Advancement (MEGA), Generating Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence (GEMX), Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore (NIMO) and Advanced Food Drink Network (AFDN).

“These groups have worked together to share best practice, develop new ways of working, address skill pressures and access new markets.

“This new programme is specifically to fund SMEs that can demonstrate a willingness to work together to scope and exploit opportunities which will enhance both their individual competitiveness and that of the region.”