b'32 Partner News Spring 2021EnterpriseIt will deliver significant benefits for the local economy and create a legacy of collaboration across the region, and the corridor of businesses from Belfast to Londonderry ensures a levelling up of shared opportunities. We look forward to developing detailed project plans for the next phase of the funding grant application.One of the consortium members is IET Partner Yelo, a company that develops photonics testing equipment. Yelos managing director, Richard Furey said:Yelo are excited to be a part of the Smart Nano-Manufacturing Corridor Consortium, the technology we are dealing with has huge potential. A photonic device is something that transforms light, creates light or receives light. Many people might guess that photonics is all about transmitting light and data down an optical-fibre cable but its much broader, taking in healthcare diagnostics, creating Northern Ireland nanosafer, more reliable autonomous vehicles, defence, as well as telecommunications. Photonics is everywhere and opens a world of far-reaching opportunities. technology consortiumIf successful, the consortium will secure funding to establish a unique Northern in race to secureIreland cluster of expertise in this field. The collaboration will establish a centre of excellence with wide reaching benefits for the technology sector and provide major investment opportunities for knowledge transfer enabling advances in the Life and Health Sciences as well as exploiting the potential of photonics and nanotech in other high-growth sectors across the whole of the UK. The Smart Nano-Manufacturing Corridor A Northern Ireland nano technologyThese will have applications across medicalConsortium (Smart Nano NI) members consortium has been awarded seed cornresearch, data storage and data analysisare Analytics Engines, Causeway funding of 50,000 to develop a bid toas well growing innovation and scaleSensors, Cirdan, Digital Catapult NI, compete for a share of a 186m fund. up capacity in device manufacturing.North West Regional College, Queens University Belfast, Seagate Technology, The funding which will take the consortiumThe Consortium is led by data companyUlster University and Yelo.to the next stage of the competitiveSeagate Technology Ireland, in collaborationTo follow the Smart Nano NI process, has been awarded by the UKwith five leading local companiesjourney visit smartnanoni.comResearch and Innovations Strength inand educational partners Queens Places Fund, which is aimed at drivingUniversity Belfast, Ulster University andsmartnano-ni economic growth in specific areas of thethe North West Regional College.UK and enhancing local collaborationsSmart Nano NIs bid leader, Mark Gubbins involving research and innovation. said: This is a significant and exciting opportunity to secure funding which would The Smart Nano-Manufacturing Corridorestablish Northern Irelands niche capability Consortium (Smart Nano NI) is in a racearound smart nano manufacturing and to develop game-changing advancedworld-leading knowledge in photonics and prototyping and smart manufacturingcreate a self-sustaining and world leading methods to deliver new technologies.local industry.'