Invest Northern Ireland

Supports Invest Northern Ireland, the regional agency helping firms grow, compete globally, and attract new investment.

Invest Northern Ireland is the regional business development agency for Northern Ireland, operating under the Department for the Economy. Its mandate is to grow the local economy, help businesses compete internationally, and attract investment into Northern Ireland.

Its support mix is broad and practical: innovation vouchers, R&D grants, business innovation grants, agri-food capital support, cluster development, and the Techstart proof-of-concept route all sit alongside the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme. The published support set also includes funding for capability development, business loans and equity, and cross-border activity where the programme is designed for all-island delivery.

The agency works with partners including Innovate UK, InterTradeIreland, and Enterprise Ireland, and some routes are funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund or the Irish Government's Shared Island initiative. That makes Invest NI especially relevant for Northern Ireland companies that need staged support, from small innovation vouchers to larger capital or growth programmes, with geography and collaboration shaping eligibility as much as sector fit.