Innovate NI

Three innovative start-ups in Northern Ireland have been awarded a share of £24k in Grant Funding through Techstart’s "Ethnic Minority Innovators Grant Competition", ran in partnership with Minorities Recognition Awards NI We had a fantastic night celebrating with the winners on Friday evening at Titanic Belfast, as part of the annual MRANI Awards ceremony. 👏 Please join us in congratulating: Ying Gao | Dental Click Carlos Latcham | MyFlexx Alicia Esambe | HYMN Tech We look forward to seeing how your ideas continue to develop! Techstart Grants | Invest Northern Ireland | nibusinessinfo.co.uk | Minorities Recognition Awards NI

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 Innovate Tourism launched in February of this year and was extremely well received by tourism businesses. Tourism NI is delighted to partner with Innovate NI once again to deliver our next wave of Innovate Tourism regional roadshows running from 5th – 7th November 2024. Over 30 Tourism businesses have now received an Innovation Recognition, with 100% of previous roadshow participants committing to take positive action within their business as a direct result of attending. Join us at one of our upcoming sessions to learn more about the importance of innovation for your business, what innovation means in a tourism context, and how to turn your ideas into tangible added value for your business. When and Where? These workshops will run from 10am – 2.30pm*, including a working lunch, and will take place across three locations as follows: •   Tuesday 5th November: Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh •   Wednesday 6th November: Dunadry Hotel And Gardens, Antrim •   Thursday 7th November: Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry *Please note timings are provisional and subject to change Why attend? Innovation is the key to staying competitive and relevant in the ever-evolving tourism landscape. These are interactive “learning in action” workshops which aim to help you understand the importance of innovation to ensure your business thrives. Join us for one of the above sessions to hear more about: ▶ The Innovation Fundamentals of the Innovate NI Framework through immersive, hands-on activities. ▶ Support to effectively recognise and capture innovative work and achieve official innovation recognition. ▶ Help and guidance on how to avail of the wide range of innovation support available from a range of partners. ▶ Skills and methods to optimise your current offerings, transforming your business into an innovation powerhouse. Who should attend? Open to all NI Tourism and Hospitality businesses who want to learn how to grow and succeed in a busy and highly competitive market. Don’t miss this opportunity to boost your business through innovation. Visit https://lnkd.in/eDqRiJWi to select your preferred location and secure your spot.

Tourism Northern Ireland hosts celebration event for innovative tourism businesses Tourism Northern Ireland has hosted a celebration event for tourism businesses in the region which recently achieved an Innovate NI recognition. Around 20 businesses attended the `Innovate Tourism Recognition’ event, which took place at the Galgorm Resort near Ballymena. The gathering was the closing event of Northern Ireland’s first Tourism and Hospitality Week, organised to shine a spotlight on the importance of the sector to the local economy. Innovate NI is a Department for the Economy NI initiative which is delivered by Invest Northern Ireland in partnership with councils, further education colleges and Tourism Northern Ireland. The aim of the programme is to increase the number of businesses in Northern Ireland engaged in innovation and to ensure businesses have access to the right advice, guidance and support at each stage of their innovation journey. Earlier this year, Tourism Northern Ireland, in partnership with Innovate NI, ran a series of regional roadshows as part of its `Innovate Tourism’ programme. The roadshows, which took place in Belfast, Derry and Banbridge aimed to demonstrate how innovation is key to business growth, while also increasing awareness and knowledge about what innovation means in a tourism context. During today's event, businesses which had successfully reached stages of the Innovate NI programme were recognised for their achievement and presented with a certificate. Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development at Tourism Northern Ireland, said: “From visitor experiences to unique accommodation, the sector has clearly demonstrated the high level of innovation that has contributed to the impact of our sector - £1.2b in 2023. "This will serve us well as we strive to succeed in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. “Innovation is key to productivity and our Innovate Tourism programme seeks to connect tourism and hospitality businesses with a range of available support. “Once again, I would like to congratulate the recipients today and look forward to connecting with more tourism businesses at our forthcoming `Innovate Tourism' roadshows in November.” Dr Vicky Kell, Director of Research & Development at Invest Northern Ireland said: “By fostering a culture of innovation, businesses can enhance their competitiveness, improve productivity, and create unique visitor experiences that attract tourists from around the globe. “The businesses recognised at this event have embraced innovation and set a benchmark for others to follow." **Tourism Northern Ireland is delighted to once again partner with Innovate NI to deliver a new series of Innovate Tourism regional roadshows. The roadshows will take place in Omagh, Antrim and Newry in November. Further information is available at https://lnkd.in/eGW5aXRe