Digital Northern Ireland 2020 takes to the road in Ballymena

In collaboration with local Councils, Enterprise Centres and Chambers of Commerce, DNI 2020 aims to engage a dialogue, which will make this transformation a reality.

Ballymena Borough Council has collaborated with Economic Development Officers in Coleraine, Ballycastle, Larne, Carrickfergus, Antrim and Newtownabbey Councils and extended the invitation to SMEs in those areas to attend the ECOS Centre seminar.

Jacqueline Reid, Ballymena Borough Council’s Economic Development Officer, said: “It is our hope that by giving the audience the opportunity to hear from and engage with these experts they will feel inspired, motivated and enabled to use digital technology to maximise on the opportunities that, for instance, the internet offers which will, in time, strengthen the local economy and create new jobs.”

According to Stephen Scullion, Manager, Ballymena Business Centre, “Over the last few years the demand for support from start-up and established businesses to get online or to utilise digital technology has dramatically increased. It is through events such as this that we can help them to address any gaps in their knowledge.”

With a shared vision and the right conditions, Northern Ireland can become one of the world’s Global Digital Economies.

That’s according to Dr Sinclair Stockman, Executive Director of Digital Northern Ireland 2020 (DNI 2020).

Dr Stockman said: “Globally, Northern Ireland offers businesses some of the best digital infrastructure available.

“Technology is of fundamental importance to businesses and will have an even bigger impact as we progress into the 21st Century, but too many businesses don’t understand how this technology can make a difference to their company. DNI 2020 is trying to change that.”

Dr Sinclair Stockman has over 30 years of technology and operational experience on the global stage and is involved in communicating the technical advantages of Northern Ireland in order to develop economic and business models that will act as blueprints to stimulate and accelerate growth.

Dr Stockman said: “This month there are a series of seminars being held across NI, with more in the planning stage, to discuss how we should be making the most of the digital infrastructure available to us and take advantage of it.

“Digital communication technology is one of the key transformational drivers of the economy and society in the 21st Century. We in Northern Ireland have the opportunity to grasp this to radically improve our economic performance and quality of life.”

Digital Northern Ireland aims to exploit proactively the potential of Northern Ireland’s digital platform, to maximise economic growth, improve quality of life and assist social regeneration.

The DNI 2020 roadshow will come to Ballymena on January 25.

It will address the following topics: Digital Platform – how businesses have transformed; doing business in a connect world – how does it work; what broadband can achieve for your business and how businesses can harness cloud services.

The seminar will be held in association with Ballymena Borough Council and the Ballymena Business Centre at the ECOS Visitor and Conference Centre, Ballymena from 0800am to 1015am.

Dr Stockman added: “Collectively we want businesses to be more technology aware and understand how it can help them make a tremendous difference to their business the DNI 2020 Roadshow will provide that opportunity.”