Belfast’s City Innovation Office and colleagues from Belfast City Council’s Economic Development Team are working with Belfast company Xpand who are making it easier for local businesses to find and receive support and finance to help them grow.

Signing up to the new XpandAccess® app provides each business with a view of the latest funding and business support services available across Northern Ireland and the UK. There are over 1,300 finance and support options available including funding, advice, events and webinars.

The app tailors information to the specific needs of each business depending on their industry, type and location. For example, the app can help a business identify a suitable UK funding source to support a project proposal and relevant upcoming events.

Businesses can also receive analysis and reports on their competitors and target market to help identify opportunities to grow their business.

The app also enables organisations providing funding and support to better understand the unique needs of businesses and different industries. We are working with Xpand to gather insights from participating businesses to help inform the design of new support programmes for the city’s growing FinTech sector.

To register on the XpandAccess® app, visit https://access.xpandapp.com/sign-up/belfastfintech

Belfast City Council provides a range of support and information for businesses in Belfast. To find out more, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/businessinfo

People cycling using Belfast's public bike hire scheme, Belfast Bikes.

Using machine vision to manage active travel routes in Belfast

This pilot is looking at how machine vision and machine learning can help to identify obstacles along Belfast routes that can reduce the capacity for more active travel.

Innovative Procurement Challenge – Belfast and Sejong

Belfast City Council worked with Connected Places Catapult and the South Korean city of Sejong to develop an Innovative Procurement Playbook to better understand the challenges related to innovative procurement.

Open Data Fund winners

Belfast companies win funding for innovative open data projects

Belfast City Council is working with locals companies Xpand and Allstate NI on two innovative data projects.