Catalyst (science park)

Catalyst, formerly known as the Northern Ireland Science Park, was established in March 1999 to create a self-sustaining, internationally recognised, knowledge-based science park in Northern Ireland offering a commercial and research driven centre for knowledge-based industries. The park is headquartered in the Titanic Quarter, Queen's Island, Belfast and hosts a range of international and local technology related companies.[1] It currently has seven buildings in operation offering 210,000 square feet (20,000 m2) of workspace Belfast's Titanic Quarter. 2700 engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs and executives work across the four Catalyst sites in Belfast, Derry and Ballymena.[2] The longstanding Chief Executive Dr Norman Apsley retired in November 2018 and was replaced by Steve Orr. 2008 marked the first year of commercial independence from Government.[3] The Park was re-branded Catalyst Inc in 2016[4] and Catalyst in 2019.

Catalyst - Titanic Quarter Belfast

History

The Science Park was initially conceived under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which designated funding for such a park in Northern Ireland. The not-for-profit NISP Foundation was founded in 1999 by the University of Ulster and Queen's University Belfast (with both Vice Chancellors, Gerry McKenna and George Bain being founding board members), along with representatives of the business community. Most initial funding came from UK government economic initiatives, with the intention that the park would become self-sustaining. It was planned that the 24-acre (97,000 m2) Queen's Island site would eventually be occupied by twelve buildings, including an Innovation Centre for small tech firms and start-ups, the Queen's University Institute for Electronics, Communications and Information Technologies (ECIT), as well as larger companies and light manufacturing firms.[5]

Companies based at Catalyst

In November 2009 it was announced that software developers SAP were entering into strategic research collaboration with Intel at the site. At the same time, BroadSoft, which opened its European headquarters in the Science Park in 2006 and has since more than doubled its space requirement, announced further expansion to eventually bring total employment there to 23.[6]

References
  1. "NI Science Park". NI Science Park website. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  2. "Northern Ireland Science Park". UK Science Park Association. Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  3. "Dr Norman Apsley: Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Science Park". Belfast Telegraph (2 June 2009). Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  4. Mulgrew, John (20 June 2016). "Northern Ireland Science Park rebranded Catalyst Inc as 10-year plan seeks to be the catalyst for economic boost". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  5. "New Century Cities, Case Studies - Northern Ireland Science Park". MIT Center for Real Estate. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  6. "Northern Ireland Science Park welcomes software giant". UK Science Park Association. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2009.

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