Innovation City Belfast joins our 'Student Cities' discussion this February

Image: Dr Adrian Johnston MBE - courtesy of Innovation City Belfast / Belfast City Council

Dr Adrian Johnston, MBE, Innovation Commissioner for Innovation City Belfast ('ICB'), will be contributing to our 'Student and University Cities' discussion this week.

Previously he was Director of Strategic Business Development at Catalyst, and a former director at Digital Catapult NI, Adrian brings over 25 years of industry and innovation experience to the role.

ICB is a partnership formed in 2021 by the leaders of seven of the city’s key institutions, working together to drive innovation and attract investment: Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour, Belfast Metropolitan College, Catalyst, Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, with Invest Northern Ireland as an advisory partner. 

Adrian will be speaking about the impact of university research and innovation on the city region and international profile..

Construction has begun this year on Momentum One Zero -Queen’s University Belfast’s business-led innovation centre focused on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and wireless technologies, delivered as part of the £70 million Belfast Region City Deal investment in digital innovation.:

Queen University Belfast says:

'Since launch, the centre has been actively working with companies, researchers, and engineers to translate advanced research into practical, scalable solutions for industry. 

'Scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2027, the expansion will significantly enhance this capability, delivering purpose-built labs, co-location space for industry partners, secure compute and testing environments, and collaborative zones designed to accelerate product development, skills growth, and commercialisation.

'The development builds on Northern Ireland’s established strengths in cybersecurity, software, and data-driven technologies, while creating a stronger pipeline of industry-ready talent, including graduates, researchers, and engineers with hands-on experience of real-world delivery. 

'The expanded Momentum One Zero facility will act as a focal point for industry-led digital innovation, supporting collaboration across sectors including health, agri-food, financial services, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. 

'As part of the Belfast Region City Deal, Momentum One Zero complements Queen’s other innovation centres, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) and iREACH Health, forming a connected portfolio designed to drive inclusive economic growth across the region.'