Smart Nano NI awarded £42.4m funding from UKRI
by Startacus Admin
Major boost for the NI economy as nanotechnology consortium, Smart Nano NI awarded £42.4m by the Strength in Places Fund to support development of new technology for medical devices, communication and data storage.
Fantastic news for Northern Ireland nanotechnology consortium, Smart Nano NI with the announcement that they’ve just been awarded £42.4m by the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strength in Places Fund.
Smart Nano NI is led by data company Seagate Technology in collaboration with Analytics Engines, Causeway Sensors, Cirdan Imaging, Digital Catapult NI, North West Regional College, Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University and Yelo.
The funding provides a huge boost for Northern Ireland’s nanotechnology and manufacturing sector and will help to scale up capacity in device manufacturing as well as support the development of hundreds of jobs across the sector.
The Smart Nano NI Consortium will use it to accelerate the work of developing transformative advanced prototyping and smart manufacturing methods as well as building capacity and new prototypes in the spheres of medical devices, communication, and data storage.
The Consortium’s partners form a corridor of expertise from Derry~Londonderry to Belfast and their collaboration will also enable the establishment of a Centre of Excellence, which will support advances in the Life and Health Sciences as well as helping to exploit the potential of photonics and nanotech in other high-growth sectors through knowledge transfer.
Smart Nano NI’s Dr Mark Gubbins said: “We are delighted and honoured to secure this investment which will deliver significant benefits for the economic growth of the region and the “corridor” of businesses from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry ensuring a levelling up of shared opportunities. We can now advance Northern Ireland’s niche capability around smart nano manufacturing and world-leading knowledge in photonics to create a self-sustaining local industry. It allows us to capitalise on the combined expertise of our companies and the availability of trained researchers and resources across our academic institutions”.
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said: “I wish to congratulate and acknowledge the outstanding team behind this achievement. Securing this funding through UKRI Strength in Places is a major boost for our economy and our post Covid recovery journey and is a testament to the power of collaboration and the calibre of Northern Ireland companies. It will create new commercial opportunities, will drive economic growth and help tackle productivity challenges, and invigorate our manufacturing sector.”
Fab news for the local economy and exciting times ahead!
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Published on: 22nd July 2021
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