Programme
Smart Nano NI
About the programme
Smart Nano NI is a Northern Ireland consortium collaborating to develop game-changing advanced prototyping and smart manufacturing methods to deliver new technologies. The consortium shares a niche capability around nano manufacturing and world-leading knowledge in photonics and aims to support innovation-led economic growth, both in the area and nationally, as well as enhancing local research and innovation collaborations. The consortium has been awarded £42.4m UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund. The total project value including leveraged funding from other sources is £63.9m. Our collaboration is aimed at driving self-sustaining local industry and economic growth through research and innovation.
The collaboration is led by Seagate Technology, a world leader in data storage and management solutions. Its facility in NI is recognised as one of the foremost 200mm wafer fabrication plant in the world and brings together leading organisations from across Northern Ireland:
- Analytics Engines – leader in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning,
- Causeway Sensors – photonic therapeutic device specialists
- Cirdan – leading provider of medical informatics and imaging solutions
- Digital Catapult – a deep tech innovation organisation
- North West Regional College – a national award-winning Business Support Centre for skills development, R&D and innovation
- Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) – leads the Centre of Doctoral Training in Integrated Photonics and Advanced Data Storage
- Ulster University – the Intelligent Systems Research Centre (ISRC) is an established Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Systems specialising in artificial intelligence (AI).
- Yelo – photonics test equipment vendor.
Consortium Partners
Digital Catapult’s Role in Smart Nano
Digital Catapult is the lead delivery partner for Smart Nano NI with two key objectives:
Accelerate the adoption of industrial 5G: Establish and lead on a new 5G testbed to be used by consortium members and local industry to explore the potential of enabling 5G technology, machine learning, sensor technology and IoT. Additionally, the testbed will be used by programme participants who wish to trial 5G enabled applications and solutions.
Accelerate the practical application of deep tech in manufacturing: Lead, set up and run a multi-threaded innovation programme for multiple cohorts of startups and SMEs primarily with an interest in nano manufacturing, digital industrialisation, and the application of integrated photonics. Innovation activities raise awareness and facilitate engagement in NI and UK industry of Smart Nano capabilities and help disseminate knowledge from consortium partners to the local eco-system.
Without Digital Catapult’s programme, we would have never been able to have access to William at McColgans and his factory. Being able to test our proof of concept on a large food production factory such as McColgan has been key for us, and it’s made the programme worthwhile. The help and guidance from the Digital Catapult team has also been brilliant. We’ve benefitted from direct access to industry leading technologists but also enjoyed insights into product design thinking and even advice on go-to-market strategies. We have gone from initial concept into full development of a new product with the potential to solve some of the food production sector’s most common challenges.
Jason McDevitt Aeroblue Software
For the four years that I’ve been here, I’ve been wanting to gather more data and be able to deploy advanced IoT and analytics technologies in order to improve the business. It’s been very challenging finding the right partner and with the right skill set to investigate these problems with us. Digital Catapult and the Smart Nano programme has given us access to engaged, motivated and expert resources to tackle these problems in CleverFoodie.
William McColgan McColgans Quality Foods Limited
We were actually made aware of companies that we probably wouldn’t have come across otherwise, which has opened up a world of opportunities for future collaborations and the technologies that they’re developing.
Rachael Lockhart Smiley Monroe
I think the Smart Nano program is very useful for businesses like us to be able to see what is out there in the rest of the industry. We’re a very specialist, company here, design, manufacturing, pediatric equipment but new technologies and emerging technologies will be important to us going forward in the future. It’s not easy to get a platform where we can explore those technologies which isn’t in a sales environment.
Wesley Henderson Leckey & Sunrise Medical
The thing I’ve enjoyed most about taking part in the accelerator, is the networking opportunities. It’s been great to share our perspectives with other local companies, and see how they do things.
Tom Dougherty Kinsetsu
How everything weaves together with photonics was eye opening for us. It’s massively benefited because we’ve now got some sort of roadmap, that we can actually practically put into place, rather than just throwing about some ideas.
Simon Hegarty InJuice
The Digital Catapult Smart Nano NI Team
Digital Catapult’s Smart Nano NI team brings together a breadth of disciplines covering expert technologists, innovation practitioners, project management, marketing, and communications.
Technologist’s share expertise, knowledge and advice to the consortium and industry across areas including:
- Photonics
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Future networks: 5G, the internet of things (IoT) and advanced network technologies
- Immersive technologies
- Distributed systems including blockchain
The Innovation Practice team, led by Senior Innovation Partner Brendan Lowry, provide a range of delivery activities including eco-system building, industry outreach, acceleration programme delivery and innovation consultancy.
Project management, led by David Gourley David plays a key role in engaging internal and external stakeholders across the consortium on these elements of the programme including timelines, work package progress and reporting functions.
The Marketing and Communications team led by Julie McCullagh, work collaboratively with consortium partners to help promote Smart Nano NI, develop industry focused case studies, blogs and digital/ hard copy materials, alongside engagement activities during recruitment for programmes and interventions.
News
Data innovator Rubik Technologies awarded £75,000 grant by Techstart Ventures and Digital Catapult in Smart Nano NI challenge
Techstart Ventures, an early-stage technology investor, and Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, have announced that Rubik…
Four Northern Ireland companies prepare to lead the way in Smart Manufacturing following graduation from Smart Nano NI programme
Four Northern Ireland manufacturing companies are preparing to transform their production operations and improve their output, after graduating from the…
Digital Catapult brings ‘light’ to Northern Ireland companies
Digital Catapult is seeking applications for FutureScope Photonics NI, a new programme offering manufacturers an introduction to photonics
Startups and industry experts work together to transform smart manufacturing in latest Smart Nano NI programme
Nine companies from across Northern Ireland commence their innovation journey on the latest Smart Nano NI Accelerator Programme, led by…
Digital Catapult kicks off five-year journey to develop Smart Manufacturing in Northern Ireland
Digital Catapult launches the Smart Manufacturing programme for startups and corporates in Northern Ireland.
Thought Leadership, Blogs and Reports
Cooking Up Innovation: Clever Foodie’s Recipe for Smart Manufacturing Success
Part of the Smart Nano NI Programne, Aeroblue Software joined the Manufacturing Innovation Challenge led by Digital Catapult. With indusrty…
Servitisation: from products, to profit
A new report for DETI explores how manufacturers could unlock new revenue streams with servitisation.
