23rd April 1999

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In the first economic initiative of its kind in Northern Ireland, the University of Ulster has opened a £1/4 million 'incubator' unit for businesses in the science sector.

The Unit, which will be based at the Coleraine campus, will provide support for campus start-up companies and marks the latest stage in the University's regional economic development strategy for the province.

The Incubator Unit, which has been supported by LEDU, the Industrial Research and Technology Unit, by the Coleraine Borough Partnership and the Borough Council and by the Limavady and Ballymoney Borough Councils, is to specialise in supporting businesses in the health sector.

The University of Ulster's Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research is Professor Gerry McKenna:

"We hope to create a life and health technologies cluster in the North and North West of the province. The Coleraine campus has the leading biomedical research group in the United Kingdom and its resources will be made available to support new biotechnology start-up companies within the Incubator Unit and afterwards when they are transferred to the Science Park site on campus.

"The Unit has the potential to make a significant contribution to the diversification of the local economy and to make it more competitive and dynamic. It will also help keep high quality graduates in the area and increase the attractiveness of Northern Ireland for inward investors."

The project is to be based in the first instance with the existing University area but plans are already underway for the development of a purpose built Unit with the capacity to house eight or more fledgling business operations at any one time.

It will offer a range of facilities and services including office space and support staff and will help with issues such as finding finance, bookkeeping, sales and marketing and research expertise.

The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lord Smith of Clifton said it plans to start similar units on other campuses as part of its commitment to economic prosperity throughout all parts of Northern Ireland:

"We have campuses at four locations across the province and a proposed development at Springvale in north and west Belfast. This places us in a unique position to offer tailor-made localised environments for business development and specialist services."

A unit in Londonderry/Derry will be based on the specialist Software research at Magee College, and one at Jordanstown will concentrate on new businesses in the Engineering and Information Technology sectors. A similar unit is planned for the Springvale campus.

"This approach has the potential to make significant contribution to the diversification of the Northern Ireland economy. A high technology strategy will form an important part of the process of guiding it from its present structure to a more modern, competitive model," said Professor McKenna.

The Provost of the Coleraine campus, Professor Peter Roebuck, said the new Unit will be linked to a Science Park planned for the campus and will help to generate manufacturing jobs in the region:

"With well over 1000 staff, the University is the largest employer in 'The Triangle' area. Our expenditure is among the most powerful drivers in the local economy.

"The new Incubator Unit will boost our capacity to interact further with the local economy. In addition to being, directly and indirectly a major employer in the area, we will have the means to generate further employment in that key area - manufacturing."

Professor Roebuck paid tribute to the support of the Coleraine Borough Partnership and the local councils:

"We have attracted vigorous support from the local community. Leading members of the local business sector have invested a significant amount of time and effort with the University in developing a management strategy for the Unit," he said.

The first tenant of the new Unit will be the drug delivery firm Gendel Limited which has just received funding of £900,000 and will employ 11 people in the first instance.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk