2022 Golden Bridges Sponsors
Tourism Ireland
Tourism Ireland is the organisation responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination. It was established as one of the “six areas of co-operation” under the framework of the Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998. Tourism Ireland’s remit is to increase tourism to the island of Ireland and to support Northern Ireland to realise its tourism potential.
Tourism Ireland delivers world-class marketing programmes in over 20 markets across the world. Targeted marketing activity includes TV advertising, outdoor media, print, digital advertising, social media, influencer marketing, overseas publicity, co-operative marketing with carriers and other partners, and promotions to the travel trade and consumers.
In 2019, the island of Ireland welcomed almost 11.3 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of over €5.8 billion which supported 325,000 vital jobs in communities across the island.
North West City Region – Your Gateway to Growth
With a global outlook, exceptional industry strengths, a competitive edge and a superb quality of life, Ireland Northwest is enterprising and business-friendly. Comprising of Donegal County Council Area and Derry City and Strabane District Council Area with the city of Derry-Londonderry and Letterkenny as its linked gateways, the region enchants visitors with its breath-taking landscapes, its welcoming people, a spirit of entrepreneurship and ‘can do’ attitude.
The region has been recognized as the number one location in Northern Ireland for remote working, among the top 5 remote working locations across the UK and the “coolest place on the planet”. Situated right at the gateway into Ireland, the UK and the Continent, with daily flights across the Atlantic into East Coast US, Central and South America our location is a strength.
The primary reason why companies select the North West City Region is due to their ability to secure talent from across the Ireland Northwest cross-border city region and industry led training. The reason why companies thrive is because of the people and support they receive from a strong cross-border network of partners and collaborators and a familiarity operating across jurisdictions.
We are a destination of choice for life and health sciences, creative companies, financial and business technology services, greentech and advanced manufacturing and engineering
With a global outlook, exceptional connectivity, research and innovation strengths, and a superb quality of life, the North West City Region provides a hot bed of opportunity. The North West City Region Investment Service will provide free, bespoke and confidential packages of advice for companies interested in expanding into region, reducing risk, saving you time, effort and money http://irelandnw.com/ .
Derry City a
nd Strabane District Council
Derry City & Strabane District Council area comprises the fourth largest city on the Island of Ireland. Our geographical location situated right at the gateway into Ireland, the UK and the Continent ensures we are the only functional economic city region of its scale which straddles the border into the Republic of Ireland.
We are now the number one location in Northern Ireland for remote working, and among the top 5 locations across the UK.
The primary reason why companies select Derry City and Strabane District is due to their ability to secure talent from across the Ireland Northwest cross-border city region. The reason why companies thrive is because of the people and support they receive from a strong cross-border network of partners and collaborators.
We are a destination of choice for technology, financial services, professional and business services and advanced manufacturing and engineering.
With a global outlook, exceptional connectivity, research and innovation strengths, and a superb quality of life, Derry City & Strabane provides a hot bed of opportunity. Council’s Investment Service will provide free, bespoke and confidential packages of advice for companies interested in expanding into region, saving you time, effort and money www.investderrystrabane.com
Donegal County Council
Everything that is great about Ireland can be found right here in Donegal. We are a fast growth business region, with global tech giants and remote working hubs. We’ve boundless opportunities for adventure and relaxation. Our bright young things are digital natives. We are steeped in history and heritage and preserving our cultural identity through the thriving Gaeltacht region.
We have an excellent track record in inward investment with leading global businesses such as Tata Consultancy Services, Optum, Randox, and SITA based here as well as an abundance of skills, drive and ambition. Donegal is a hub for tech, engineering and life sciences. Our high-capacity networks meet the needs of international companies who need fast, low latency bandwidth. We’ve evolved our property offer to include a range of digital hubs which provide a flexible solution for companies setting up in Donegal.
Every major company that has located in Donegal has significantly increased its workforce and commitment to our region, testament to the excellent skills and can do attitude of our people. Our economic development teams across the region work collaboratively with businesses and educators to ensure we support business as effectively as possible. Our larger corporate employers have encouraged and supported a raft of indigenous businesses, developing our sector capability and capacity.
We are diverse, natural and authentic. Ireland’s DNA, coded in Donegal.
Údarás na Gaeltachta
Údarás na Gaeltachta is the state development agency with responsibility for the economic, social, and cultural development of Ireland’s Gaeltacht (Irish Speaking) regions. The Gaeltacht regions cover parts of Counties Donegal, Galway, Cork, Kerry, Mayo Waterford and Meath.
Údarás na Gaeltachta has two key goals: the preservation of Irish as the living community language in the region, and the economic development of the Gaeltacht, to provide employment and to ensure that the Irish-speaking community can live, work and thrive in Gaeltacht areas.
The Gaeltacht is an innovative and forward-looking region with an entrepreneurial mind-set and an emphasis on promoting and supporting enterprise. The Gaeltacht is the location for a range of world-class companies selling goods and services to all parts of the world, companies such as Randox Laboratory, a world leader in healthcare technology and ProAmpac, a leading global packaging company moving strongly towards innovative sustainable packaging products, both in the Donegal Gaeltacht.
The abundant natural resources of the Gaeltacht regions on the western seaboard are becoming increasing important, particularly its rich marine resource and the opportunities afforded by aquaculture, seaweed cultivation and the many areas of added-value arising from these activities. Údarás na Gaeltachta is focusing strongly on the development of the green economy and sees a pivotal role for the Gaeltacht in the development of the bioeconomy in Ireland.
Tourism is another key resource for the Gaeltacht region with projects such as the Sliabh Liag Cliff Walk, Fanad Head Lighthouse and Earagail Mountain being examples of key tourism flagship projects in the Donegal Gaeltacht.
The development of the Gaeltacht Digital Network – gteic – is a key action in the Údarás na Gaeltachta strategy. This network consists of more than 30 digital hubs spread throughout the Gaeltacht region (including offshore islands). These hubs will provide a base and supports for enterprises, for remote workers and for companies wishing to locate elements of their operations in the culturally vibrant Gaeltacht region. GTeic Gaoth Dobhair is a flagship digital hub situated in Gaoth Dobhair Business Park in Donegal.
Ulster University
Ulster University is a modern, forward-looking institution with student experience at the very heart of everything we do. Our high-quality teaching, informed by world-leading research across key sectors, boosts the economy and has a positive impact on the lives of people around the world.
The beautiful Magee Campus is home to a wide range of health programmes enabling a rich, interdisciplinary student learning environment, as well as research collaborations in personalised medicine and cognitive analytics.
- Ulster University’s School of Nursing at Magee is the number one school of nursing on the Island of Ireland. The multi award-winning school was recently ranked 6th in the UK and among the top 50 in the world.
- The School of Nursing hosts and operates a vital Nursing Midwifery Council Competence Testing Centre; recently expanded to meet growing demand, and one of just three in the UK, supporting nursing capacity in the UK and reflecting our expertise and leadership in nursing.
- We welcomed the second intake of students to our Graduate Entry School of Medicine in August. It offers a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) medical degree programme that is unique in Northern Ireland.
- Magee is also home to NI’s first BSc Paramedic Science degree.
- Undergraduate Health Sciences programmes including physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography are now based at Magee, bringing over 800 students to the area.
- Based at Magee and Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry Londonderry, our Undergraduate Stratified Medicine course is the only course of its kind.
City Deal Investment
Unquestionably, the bold, transformational opportunities enabled by City Deals investment recognise the crucial role that Ulster University can play as part of an integrated plan, working with partners to regenerate the economy of the North West.
The City Deal has education, innovation, job creation and skills development at its core and each of these priorities are also central to our work across both teaching and research.
All four projects build upon the Magee Campus’ existing reputation as a Research and Innovation centre of excellence and an interdisciplinary hub for Medical and Health Sciences teaching:
- Centre for Industrial Digitalisation, Robotics and Automation (CIDRA)
CIDRA will support industry and commerce in the adoption and exploitation of industrial digital technologies, robotics and automation, promoting innovation and accelerating new applications in the service sectors. The creation of more innovative and competitive businesses that have adopted new and emerging digital and smart technologies will improve productivity and create new high value jobs.
- The Cognitive Analytics Research Laboratory (CARL)
CARL is a new cutting-edge Applied Research Centre that brings together data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) expertise which are key technologies for future innovation. The Centre seeks to exploit the advances in High Performance Computing by applying AI and Machine Learning techniques to sectors as diverse as health, financial technology, media, energy and public policy, ensuring industry is better equipped to grasp global opportunities, deliver businesses impact and create more high value jobs.
- The School of Medicine
A game-changer for the region, the School of Medicine seeks to address the ongoing medical work-force shortage across the medical profession in Northern Ireland. The School of Medicine trains new doctors and has a far-reaching impact, contributing to the future of our health system and the well-being of the people of the region.
- Personalised Medicine Centre
Embedding world-class medical research in the heart of our community, the Personalised Medicine Centre is a visionary healthcare project which meets urgent local and global healthcare needs and will create a new healthcare quarter in the city with the development of a Healthcare Research Institute (HRI).
Croithlí Irish Whiskey
Established in 2018, the boutique Croithlí distillery is the first fully functioning licenced whiskey distillery in Donegal for 180 years. Located in Crolly, County Donegal, set between the wild Atlantic coast and the majestic Errigal Mountain, our distillery home is in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht, an area of outstanding natural beauty and steeped in history and culture. The beautiful, cut stone building has been a significant presence in the life of the community since it was built in 1901 and now, sensitively restored, finds new purpose as a working distillery, brand home and visitor experience. In keeping with local Gaeltacht distilling tradition, we use direct fired pot stills in our double distillation, sourced in the Cognac region and refurbished to produce beautiful spirit in Croithlí.
Our brand identity and values represents timeless connections formed by the history of the building, the landscape with its clean natural water and pure Atlantic air, the Gaeltacht culture and the restoration of old to new. We are passionate about creating innovative, boutique whiskeys that will generate excited anticipation amongst whiskey connoisseurs. Our first release, inspired by the townland – Coillín Darach (small oak grove) on which the distillery is located is matured in Ex bourbon casks and then finished in species specific virgin oak casks including Sessile, Alba and Robur.
The Croithlí distillery experience tells stories of local mythology, hardship, the many past lives of the historic building and Donegal’s unique connection to the invention of whiskey. Tastings include the Coillín Darach oak species series, new make spirit and small batch releases.
Buy on-line through thecrollydistillery.com
Invest Northern Ireland is the economic development agency for Northern Ireland. Our Americas team supports trade and investment between Northern Ireland and the USA, Canada and Latin America.
More than 1,100 international firms have discovered that Northern Ireland is the ideal location for business expansion.
Companies like Allstate, Rapid7, EverQuote, Cygilant, Liberty IT, HighRoads and Safety NetAccess benefit from our talented workforce, competitive operating costs, and world-class infrastructure. They also enjoy our high standard of living, business-friendly support, and easy access to global markets.
Invest Northern Ireland helps US companies scale internationally by introducing them to Northern Ireland’s high-quality, cost-effective, scalable talent pool, while providing guidance and support throughout the lifespan of their investment. We offer tailored overseas expansion guidance, financial incentives, and soft landing support, which can include:
- Talent validation
- Employment, training and R&D incentives
- Market development
- Property selection
We are the only location in Europe where investors benefit from Assured Skills: a 100% free, customized training and recruitment program which ensures appropriately qualified, skilled staff are available to businesses locating in Northern Ireland.
Visit InvestNI.com/International to learn how your company can grow in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Bureau 
The Northern Ireland Bureau is the diplomatic mission of the Northern Ireland Executive in the United States and Canada. We work to cultivate and strengthen links between various political, economic, educational, and cultural interests in Northern Ireland and North America. We also serve as a resource for individuals and organisations looking to learn and understand more about Northern Ireland, and about its relationship with the United States and Canada.
Our primary role is to promote Northern Ireland in the USA and Canada as:
- a creative, dynamic, peaceful and flourishing place, with an outward-looking, modern and resilient approach;
- a great partner for business trade and investment, for tourism, for policy collaboration and for further and higher education, including collaboration on research and development; and
- a region that is a showcase for the benefits of meaningful engagement and collaboration across the political spectrum, of the kind that helped deliver a peaceful Northern Ireland.
We work closely with a number of organisations, businesses, and institutions throughout the year to showcase the many positive developments and contributions—political, academic, cultural and civic—that are of interest to our North American audience.
T
he Irish American Partnership
Dedicated to connection Irish America and friends of Ireland to their heritage through targeted giving – we invest in education, community development, and peace initiatives across the island of Ireland. Since our inception in 1986, our supporters have raised more than $50 Million for your people and communities, North and South, empowering and education the next generation of global leaders.
The Partnership is a dynamic, grassroots organization endorsed by leaders across business, education, community, and government sectors.
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