AICC and AwakenHub host UK Minister for AI and Online Safety
This visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase NI's diverse and dynamic tech ecosystem
This visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase NI's diverse and dynamic tech ecosystem
The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) and AwakenHub welcomed Kanishka Narayan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), to Ulster University’s Belfast campus on 28 November for a dynamic discussion around innovation, responsible AI advancement, and the critical role of diversity in shaping the UK’s future tech ecosystem.
Minister Narayan’s visit provided an important platform to highlight how diverse and vibrant regional tech communities — particularly in Northern Ireland — contribute to the UK’s long-term economic growth, innovation leadership and inclusion priorities.
Hosted in The Gallery at Ulster University, the fireside conversation was framed by a striking cultural setting. As part of Art Unwrapped 2025, attendees had the rare opportunity to view two iconic works by T.P. Flanagan — Autumn Lough (1961) and Weir on the Blackwater River, County Cork (1993) — presented alongside Seamus Heaney’s evocative poem Bogland.
The event opened with a welcome from Ulster University Provost, Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan, followed by remarks from Clare McGee, CEO & Co-Founder of AwakenHub, who outlined the organisation’s mission to champion inclusive innovation and widen access to AI-driven opportunity across Northern Ireland.
Professor Gormley-Heenan said:
Ulster University’s AI research is advancing rapidly across our campuses. But innovation does not flourish in isolation. Today’s conversation reflects our belief that progress requires diverse voices, shared insight and collective ambition. Inclusion is not a policy add-on – it is the engine of sustainable technological and economic growth.
This was followed by a fireside discussion chaired by David Crozier CBE, Director of the AICC, who led an insightful conversation with Minister Narayan and Professor Helen McCarthy, Chief Scientific and Technology Adviser. The discussion tackled core themes around diversity in the UK tech sector, government support for underrepresented founders, and the importance of regional leadership in enabling positive cultural and economic transformation.
Minister Narayan said:
It’s been great to see how Northern Ireland is embracing the opportunities of AI to build a more inclusive, dynamic tech ecosystem.
Northern Ireland has a crucial role to play in the UK’s tech-powered future. The innovation we see here, from research institutions to SMEs, is matched by a collaborative culture and shared ambition to ensure AI benefits everyone.
Diversity in the tech sector isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s an economic imperative. If we want AI systems to be fair, trusted and globally competitive, we need every community, every founder and every region represented in their development.
During the visit, the Minister also met with founders, entrepreneurs and stakeholders across Northern Ireland’s expanding innovation ecosystem, including participants in the new Activate AI programme — funded by DSIT and delivered by AwakenHub with support from the AICC.
Clare McGee, CEO & Co-Founder of AwakenHub, stated:
At AwakenHub, we’re dedicated to ensuring women and underrepresented founders get equitable access to investment, innovation and the opportunities that drive real productivity gains. That’s why we’re so excited to deliver Activate AI. This pilot is purpose-built to remove barriers, accelerate innovation and close productivity gaps for founders who are too often overlooked. Today’s discussion highlights just how vital it is to build strong bridges between all businesses and the tech sector, where diverse perspectives aren’t just welcomed, they’re essential. When more voices are heard, we see better ideas, better products and better outcomes. Activate AI is here to make that a reality.
David Crozier, Director of the AICC, added:
At the AICC we are building an ecosystem where AI is developed responsibly, deployed practically and adopted widely, and that can only be achieved when the sector is open, inclusive and connected. We’re proud to collaborate with partners like AwakenHub to ensure that innovation, and the economic value it drives, is accessible to founders and organisations from every background. Today’s conversation with Minister Narayan and Professor McCarthy reflects the strength, momentum and potential of Northern Ireland’s AI and tech community.
The event highlighted Northern Ireland’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence in AI and emerging technology — united in the mission to build a tech ecosystem that is ambitious, inclusive and globally competitive.
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