Innovations Into Success Summer 2016 | Page 70

Attendees at the 2016 Generation Innovation Night of Ambition trying out the technology !
The Innovation Centre in Derry / Londonderry software , ICT , digital media , health & bioscience , clean tech and television production .
The anchor tenant is Derry-born 8over8 , now part of the Aviva Group , a spin-out of Ulster University and a leader in contract risk management software for the global oil and gas industry .
The cross-border reach of of Catalyst Inc is further enhanced through its partnership with Letterkenny Institute of Technology ( LYIT ) in Donegal , where a 20,000 square foot extension to its successful CoLab opened in the summer of 2015 .
CoLab is LYIT ’ s incubation , research and innovation centre . As well as housing LYIT ’ s postgraduate research community , it is currently home to 30 high-growth , technology-based , internationally trading enterprises , employing 120 people .
ECOS Innovation Centre , Ballymena Due to open in December 2016 , the ECOS Innovation Centre will provide approximately 20K sq . ft . over four floors with shared and private workspaces , formal and informal meeting spaces and conference facilities alongside quality catering and business support .
Common space on the ground floor and particularly the circular vestibule will be equipped with interactive digital systems to allow visitors to explore the science , technology and enterprise of the region , past and present , especially in the context of the global issues of sustainability .
Supporting Entrepreneurship Uniquely , Catalyst Inc provides much more than state-of-the-art facilities . We are a not-for-profit organisation that invests the surplus generated from our agile workspace and facilities to provide the underwriting necessary for the community-led development of our entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem providing expert mentorship , fast-track programmes , a connected network and smart investment through Connect and the Halo Angel PLUS Network .
With Connect , we believe that entrepreneurs are the most important people to the future of Northern Ireland ’ s economy . We also know that being an entrepreneur is lonely , hard and nearly everyone is winging it .
So , we provide a way for our most experienced people to volunteer their time to share their experiences , contacts and collective intelligence to give our entrepreneurs an advantage .
The result is a powerful network ; a community of researchers , experienced entrepreneurs , executives , investors , legal and financial experts and our diaspora united together to help make our most promising entrepreneurs more successful .
With Connect we enable our most experienced people to share their experiences , contacts and collective intelligence to give our entrepreneurs an advantage
Generation Innovation Inspiring and engaging teenagers , Generation Innovation is a peerdriven movement of Northern Ireland ’ s most innovative , creative and entrepreneurial young people . Its mission is to make every young person aware of the attractive opportunities available in Northern Ireland ’ s entrepreneurial Knowledge Economy , to inspire them , connect them to the networks of opportunities and give them the confidence to succeed .
Future Plans Catalyst Inc has demonstrated a successful sustainable model of passionate and effective support to cultural and economic change but most commentators recognise NI needs to speed up . This sets the platform for Catalyst Inc ’ s dynamic vision to realise one million square feet of profitable property infrastructure ultimately acting as a stimulus to achieve the vision that will see Northern Ireland as one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial knowledge economies in Europe by 2030 .
68 UKSPA Directory 2016 / 17 Full Member • Northern Ireland