INNOVATORS entering Northern Ireland Science Park's Invent 2014 competition will be in with a chance of securing a place on a lucrative visit to the United States.
Category winners will each be given two places on a trip to California where they will connect with some of the world's top people in science and technology. The week-long visit will take in San Diego which, as well as being home to many of the world's top business clusters in biotechnology, wireless communications, biofuels ad sports technology, is also the location for the elite fighter pilot academy on which the movie Top Gun was based.
NISP Connect director Steve Orr said it was a "money-can't-buy opportunity". "California is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the science and technology world. Northern Irish entrepreneurs will benefit enormously from this direct bridge to the world's most influential and advanced players," he said. "This is like the Top Gun Academy for our local innovators. They will get the chance to meet real players, build invaluable links and bring their contacts home to help cultivate and develop Northern Ireland's science and technology industries.
The Invent 2014 awards (former £25K Awards) are looking for Northern Ireland's next big idea with commercial potential. They are open to individuals or small companies (less than five employees) with an innovative idea, from farmyard engineers to garden shed inventors, research scientists and high-tech kids programming games and apps in their bedroom.
Julie-Ann O'Hare, director of business banking at Bank of Ireland UK which supports the awards said: "This is a really amazing opportunity for some of Northern Ireland's best and most promising inventors to connect with global leaders of innovation in their fields of expertise."
* Initial applications for the Invent 2014 Awards must be submitted by Friday April 4. For information on the awards, go to www.invent2014.co.