An app created by tech firm Roam NI and aimed at boosting footfall at every retail, hospitality and public venue in Northern Ireland is investing £600,000 in its Digital High Street initiative.
More than 1,000 businesses across the north have already signed up to the platform, the brainchild of Durham-based entrepreneur Andrew Bartlett.
Mr Bartlett says there are now 180,000 users in Ireland and NI and a further 80,000 in the north east and north west of England.
“Overall, Roam, a pre-populated platform now promotes more than 70,000 independent businesses,” he says.
Roam NI is managed locally by Belfast-based businesswoman Edel Scanlon, who says she plans to double the numbers of participating businesses and organisations within the next year.
Northern Ireland entrepreneur Frank Shivers is a non-executive director of Roam NI.