EY partners with Catalyst to help develop NI’S innovation ecosystem

Posted By:
EY

27th Jul 2021

Catalyst has announced a new partnership with professional services firm EY, which will see the two organisations work together to grow and enhance Northern Ireland’s innovation economy.

Catalyst is an independent, not-for-profit organisation focused on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, supporting transformative businesses and developing Northern Ireland’s tech industry.

As one of Catalyst’s platinum partners, EY will engage with the Catalyst ecosystem, to learn from other partner organisations and to influence the range of programmes it runs for entrepreneurs and start-up companies at all stages of development.

EY Northern Ireland employs over 600 people and provides Consulting, Assurance (audit), Tax and Strategy and Transactions services to NI’s leading businesses, working with 78 of the top 100 companies in the region.

Ian Edwards, Tax Partner, EY Northern Ireland said: “We look forward to working closely with the team at Catalyst to support their ongoing drive to improve and enhance the local science and technology sector. Having supported hundreds of NI businesses in the past 24 years of our EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, we have seen the massive potential of Northern Ireland’s vibrant tech sector and are excited to bring that expertise to the fore in this partnership with Catalyst.

“In the past 16 months of the pandemic we have all learned that in times of crisis there are significant opportunities to transform, innovate and thrive and we’re excited to support tech entrepreneurs on their journey to reach higher and succeed faster now and into the future.”

Trudy Parry, Partner Programme Manager at Catalyst, said: “We are really happy to have EY coming on board to support Catalyst as a Platinum member company and look forward to working with the team in Belfast to benefit from their global expertise and create initiatives that will further enhance Northern Ireland’s international reputation as a tech hub.

“Catalyst has identified a number of key clusters that will drive Northern Ireland’s economy in the coming decade and we are delighted to have the support of industry partners like EY who recognise the need to embrace the opportunities created by the new technologies and new ways of doing business that are emerging.”