Belfast showcased in NYC as a city where innovation thrives
27th Jun 2022
Belfast’s strong innovation credentials were showcased yesterday at the New York New Belfast conference in a bid to attract further inward investment.
This year marked the 13th annual New York New Belfast conference, which attracts key business and civic leaders from New York and Belfast – and it was the first in person event since 2019.
Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tina Black who addressed the delegation said: “New York New Belfast offers us an outstanding opportunity to showcase the best of Belfast to our NYC counterparts, extend our networks, create strategic partnerships and increase awareness and understanding of our investment proposition.
“This year, we’re taking the message that Belfast is a city where innovation thrives to a range of key investors, global banks and influencers, including Tom Di Napoli, New York State Comptroller. We’re also joined by Leigh Meyer, Site Head, Citi Belfast and Darragh McCarthy, Chief Executive FinTrU who’ll be sharing their story of why their companies chose to invest in Belfast – and how our city – and in particular our mature FinTech and RegTech sectors, have proven to be incredibly resilient and successful during the pandemic.
“It’s particularly exciting to be highlighting the planned £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal investment in our infrastructure and growth sectors – in effect, a decade of opportunity. We’re inviting NYC based businesses to take advantage of our unique geography to access European markets and to be part of our journey to become industry world leaders once again, this time, as a hub for innovation.”
Clare Guinness, Innovation District Director with Innovation City Belfast added: “The Belfast we know today is virtually unrecognisable to that of 20 years ago, it’s now home to a host of flourishing innovative sectors from financial services to MedTech, RegTech and beyond as we embrace the fourth industrial revolution.
“For Innovation City Belfast, the New York New Belfast conference gives us a tremendous opportunity to showcase that change to the world, highlighting the incredible opportunities that now exist in our city.
“At the heart of our city sits the fully digitally enabled Innovation District, comprising 400 waterfront acres, ripe for development. It’s where 30k students, academic research centres, international businesses and indigenous companies are all thriving. Belfast is continuing to invest in our tech capabilities, digital skills and high spec real estate developments to ensure future growth and investment from the United States, Europe and across the globe.”
The Belfast delegation will also be engaging in a programme of financial and tech business meetings facilitated by Belfast native Shaun T Kelly, Chair of Invest NI’s East Coast Advisory Council and Global Chief Operating Officer, KPMG, now based in Manhattan.
For more information on Belfast’s plans to make the city a destination for investment in innovation, go to www.innovationcitybelfast.com and follow #NYNB2022
