A total of 4,000 jobs will be created as a result of the investments across Queen's £230m programme of innovation.

Construction is underway at two of the sites, the new iREACH Health clinical research innovation centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre’s (AMIC) state-of-the-art Factory of the Future at Newtownabbey. The Momentum One Zero innovation centre received full planning permission in November. 

Here’s a look back on the progress achieved this year.

Progress on planning and construction:

iREACH Health

GRAHAM was awarded a £39m construction contract to build the new iREACH Health clinical research innovation centre, with construction work now started on the site.  

Opening in 2027 beside the Belfast City Hospital, this purpose-built innovation centre will co-locate partners in the clinical research ecosystem, helping to accelerate medical breakthroughs and support the growth of clinical research in Northern Ireland. 

This centre will revolutionise Northern Ireland’s clinical trial capability to be more effective, efficient, and interconnected. As a people-focused centre, iREACH will deliver better health outcomes for the population, enhance Northern Ireland’s global reputation in the Health and Life Sciences space, create new high-value jobs, and drive inward investment. 

Momentum One Zero

Momentum One Zero received full planning approval from Belfast City Council in November. Combining industry and academic expertise at its innovation hub in Titanic Quarter, Momentum One Zero is delivering solutions through the application of secure, connected intelligence across many sectors, including health, agri-food, net zero, and fintech.

The innovation centre is working with industry - locally and globally - to thrive in a digitally connected future, with access to advanced tools, technologies, and new approaches. 

The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC)

Construction started at AMIC’s state-of-the-art Factory of the Future in Newtownabbey, with a site visit attended by US Special Envoy to NI for Economic Affairs Joe Kennedy III alongside Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer and Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Neil Kelly plus key representatives from industry, government and academia. Construction is progressing quickly at the facility and the innovation centre is already operational. 

Equipped with an expert engineering team and state-of-the-art facilities, AMIC is driving economic growth and industrial transformation, advancing innovations in areas such as smart manufacturing, automation, and sustainable production technologies.

AMIC is already operational and working with industry across the region; construction is progressing quickly at the Factory of the Future, which is set to open in 2026, offering expertise and capabilities to ensure Northern Ireland remains a leader in the advanced manufacturing sector.

Major announcements:

• Queen’s announced that its three innovation centres, through the Belfast Region City Deal, will create up to 4,000 jobs in Northern Ireland, at an event attended by over 200 stakeholders including Economy Minister Conor Murphy.
• Northern Ireland and Manchester collaborated to accelerate the inclusive impact of City and Growth Deals. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council Leader Councillor Bev Craig visited Queen’s to highlight the importance of regional collaboration and partnership during the Global Innovation Summit held at the University in November.
• Queen's secured a £6.25m award from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to transform UK supply chains in food, minerals, and fashion, led by Dr Hangfei Guo from Queen's Business School, and based at the Momentum One Zero innovation centre.
• A new Space Enterprise Lab (SEL) opened at our AMIC’s NIACE building as a collaboration between Queen's University Belfast's Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Satellite Applications Catapult, and Space NI, to provide users with access to the latest collaborative technology, resources, and expertise.
• AMIC CEO Sam Turner joined Matrix, The Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, alongside 7 other new members to enhance innovation and economic growth in the region.
• AMIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Louth & Meath ETB AMTCE – (Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence) in Dundalk, marking a significant step towards enhancing collaborative skills development on an all-island basis.
• A £2.5M UK Research and Innovation / EPSRC funding award will fuel the Digital Health Technologies Accelerator (DHTA), a new Northern Ireland-based consortium led by Ulster University with partners including Queen's University Belfast. The DHTA will support two Queen's-led innovation centres, Momentum One Zero and iREACH Health, alongside academics from Queen's University Belfast Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences to help foster a thriving digital health cluster across the region.
• The iREACH Health team attended the Ministerial launch of the Northern Ireland Partnership with the University of Oxford Centre for Research Equity at Parliament buildings earlier in the year. This key partnership, involving several healthcare organisations in Northern Ireland, including Department of Health NI, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland Research & Development Division, and iREACH Health, will help address health inequalities in Northern Ireland and look forward to building a healthier, more inclusive future for all. 

Capability growth - Queen’s three innovation centres saw significant growth in their capabilities and leadership including:

• David Quinn joining the Belfast Region City Deal at Queen’s team as Executive Director.
• The AMIC team growing by over 20 new team members, adding expertise in areas such as sustainability, digitalisation, design, and materials technology.
• Momentum One Zero adding new team members to its senior team, including the appointment of Dr Stephen McCabe as Interim Executive Director 

Visits:

• Queen’s welcomed Taoiseach Simon Harris to the University on his first official visit to Northern Ireland. Executive Director David Quinn showcased our role in the Belfast Region City Deal, including focusing on the capabilities of our Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) and iREACH Health innovation centre.
• Dr Stephen McCabe represented Momentum One Zero as part of a delegation visiting Sejong in South Korea, as part of the Innovation Twins programme. 
• Executive Director David Quinn visited Toronto as part of a Catalyst-organised delegation aimed at strengthening NI's international innovation potential and collaboration to support our region’s economic vision and ambition.
• AMIC CEO Sam Turner also visited Singapore and Malaysia as part of a 5-day Net Zero Exchange mission organised by Invest Northern Ireland, exploring potential collaboration opportunities in achieving net zero targets. The trip included a reception by Alex Bamford, Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission in Singapore, and a visit to global Malaysian energy company PETRONAS. 

Events:

• The Northern Ireland Clinical Research Facility (NICRF), which will relocate to iREACH Health, hosted two showcase days for anyone wanting to know more about clinical trial infrastructure to support clinical trials or clinical research. Attended by over 130 stakeholders from the local healthcare ecosystem, the events involved a tour of the NICRF, an exploration of the services available, and expert talks focused on research that is tackling healthcare challenges.
• AMIC was the main sponsor at the NI Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition in September, which featured over 100 trade stands, with free workshops and keynote speakers, where attendees discovered the latest technological solutions and innovations in the manufacturing sector.
• Momentum One Zero sponsored Big Data Belfast in October, with engaging discussions and workshops focused on the transformational impact of AI and big data. Professor Iain Styles, Michaela Fox, and Industry Advisory Board Chair Paul Murnaghan contributed valuable insights to discussions focused on AI drug discovery, Agri-Tech, and government policy, with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre's (AMIC) Conor Quinn also speaking about leveraging AI and digital twins.
• Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI)'s Health Tech Spring conference in Titanic Belfast was attended by the Belfast Region City Deal team, where attendees heard from experts from across the health and life sciences ecosystem, including Professor Judy Bradley, Director of iREACH Health, who spoke about exciting future opportunities with the innovation centre, and Professor Mark Lawler, Health Lead of Momentum One Zero, who chaired the closing panel at the conference.
• AMIC exhibited at the Farnborough International Airshow with Invest Northern Ireland. Farnborough is the world's leading air show which brings together innovators from global aerospace, aviation, and defence industries to collaborate and discover revolutionary new technologies.
• AMIC’s hands-on industry day at AMIC Queen’s Campus brought together local partners to discover how the latest tech advancements in CNC machine automation and precision are reshaping the aerospace manufacturing landscape – in collaboration with MSP and Productive Machines
• In December, AMIC hosted its latest Industry Board meeting at Riddel Hall, followed by a dinner to mark the second anniversary of the Board’s inception