Consultation launched on approach to 10X Technologies and Clusters

The Department for the Economy has launched a public consultation on the approach to 10X Technologies and Clusters.

Approach to 10X Technologies and Clusters consultation launched.

The 10X Economic Vison, published in May 2021, highlighted the need to focus on technologies and Unique Selling Points (USPs) within priority / high potential sectors, in which Northern Ireland has established strengths and the potential to be globally competitive if not already.

These technologies and USPs (including their application within and adoption across priority sectors), the potential for scale impacts across the wider local economy and the development of clusters, are all key components of the virtuous cycle of activity that we aim to build here. This focused approach will be instrumental to drive forward progress towards achieving the Department’s 10X Economic Vision for a decade of innovation and a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable Northern Ireland economy.

Permanent Secretary at the Department for the Economy, Mike Brennan, said: “This consultation sets out in more detail the 10X ambitions around focus and scale, providing greater detail on our plans for priority sectors of the economy as part of our Technologies and Clusters work. We hope to support activity within priority sectors by focusing our efforts on promising technologies and USPs within each, and using this focus to drive benefits at scale for the wider economy. Through this, we seek to target activity to stimulate innovative, sustainable and inclusive economic growth, providing benefits for all of society.”

The consultation sets out the approach for three key areas:

• Identification and prioritisation of technologies and USPs where Northern Ireland can be globally competitive, the growth of which can drive benefits at scale across the economy;
• An indication of the policy actions the Department and partners may use to drive the growth, uptake and scaling of these technologies and USPs; and
• How identified technologies and USPs could be integrated into a future Sub-Regional Economic Plan

Responses to the consultation will help to develop and refine our approach to 10X Technologies and Clusters.

The public consultation is open for 8 weeks until Friday 24 November 2023.

Copies of the consultation documents, along with details on how to respond, can be found on the Department's Approach to 10X Technologies and Clusters page.

Notes to editors: 

1. Following consideration of all responses, a summary Departmental response will be drafted and published on DfE’s website.
2. The primary method to respond to the consultation is via the online survey page. 
3. To keep up to date with news from the Department you can follow us on the following social media channels:

• Twitter – @Economy_NI
• Facebook – @DeptEconomyNI
• Instagram – economy_ni
• LinkedIn – Department for the Economy NI

4. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office at pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk
5. The Executive Information Service operates an out-of-hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

Share this page