Developments

Belfast’s colleges and universities, its strong digital tech community and low cost of living continue to attract – and grow – tech companies. This year, a new co-working space, a landmark pre-accelerator programme and emerging animation scene all testify to that.

• Ormeau Baths, a co-working space and tech community, opened its doors in an historic former bathhouse in the heart of Belfast in July 2017. The campus helps the brightest and best tech startups to access new networks, funding and expertise, giving them the tools to flourish. It was founded by entrepreneurs Jon Bradford, Mark Dowds, Aaron Taylor and Steve Pette. They had the support of tech leaders from across Northern Ireland’s digital diaspora, including FanDuel’s Nigel Eccles and Sarah Friar of Square.
  

• In January 2018, Invest NI appointed Ignite 100 to run and operate Propel, its pre-accelerator programme, until 2022. Supporting a wide range of companies including NEON, it is the only accelerator of its kind running in Northern Ireland and is a landmark tech development in the city.

• Titanic Studios, where Game of Thrones is based, has expanded. Thanks to support from Northern Ireland Screen, a burgeoning film and animation scene is developing in the city. Startups to watch include Enter Yes.

Community perceptions survey findings

The Tech Nation 2018 Survey was conducted between January 2018 and February 2018, in partnership with Streetbees. This year’s survey received the largest response yet from members of the UK tech community. In a total of 3,428 submissions, people told us about the opportunities and challenges their local ecosystems face, and the digital tech leaders they admire. The majority of respondents (33%) were founders and CEOs.

Who Belfast startups say is influential