Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre

What Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre does

The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) is a £16.3 million, 5-year initiative established in 2024 and led by Ulster University in partnership with Queen's University Belfast, with funding from Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for the Economy. It operates as a publicly funded collaborative centre rather than a commercial enterprise, providing fully funded AI, machine learning, and data science consultancy, education, and community-building services to accelerate AI adoption across Northern Ireland. The organisation has been named a priority in the NI Programme for Government (2024-2027) and serves SMEs, professionals, postgraduate students, and policymakers across the region.

AICC's core product portfolio includes the Transformer Programme (up to 20 days of fully funded hands-on AI/ML/data science consultancy delivered by in-house data scientists and applied researchers), the AI Learning Lab with its Virtual Learning Environment (free online courses including Fundamentals of AI, Prompt to Prototype, and Data Readiness for AI), the Responsible AI Hub (Northern Ireland's first resource hub for ethical AI adoption), Postgraduate Scholarships delivered through QUB and Ulster University, the AI Acceleration Tour (interactive workshops across the region), R&D support (28 collaborative funding submissions totaling £21m), and the AI Capability Census (baseline assessment of the regional AI ecosystem). The underlying technology stack combines consultancy services, educational content delivered through a digital learning platform, and community-building tools.

AICC's business model is government grant funding rather than commercial revenue; all services are provided free to end users with no fees to SMEs, professionals, or students. The pricing model is effectively freemium, fully subsidised through public sector investment under a multi-year contract structure. Distribution is delivered through direct SME engagement, university partnerships, the AI Learning Lab digital platform, and a council and business partner network spanning local councils, chambers of commerce, and organisations such as Danske Bank UK and Shopping Centres NI. As of the latest reporting period, AICC has supported 260 postgraduate scholars, trained 493 professionals, hosted 961 workshop attendees, delivered 115 SME collaborations (68 completed, 47 in progress), and grown to a core team of approximately 19 members across Belfast and Derry~Londonderry campuses.

Name

Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre

Legal name

Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre

Website

https://aicc.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) is a £16.3 million publicly funded initiative led by Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast that provides fully funded AI consultancy, training, and community-building services to SMEs, professionals, and policymakers across Northern Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Adoption Consulting Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Training (611420), Software Publishers (5132), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Responsible AI, AI Governance & Compliance Services (BPAEAHAJ)

Keywords

• AI consultancy services
• AI education training
• Responsible AI governance
• AI skills development
• AI research collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The AICC is a £16.3 million initiative funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for the Economy NI. Services to SMEs and professionals are fully funded (free) as part of the government's economic development mission to accelerate AI adoption across Northern Ireland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The AICC provides fully funded AI adoption support to Northern Ireland SMEs through hands-on consultancy (Transformer Programme), postgraduate AI scholarships, professional training courses, and responsible AI governance resources. It delivers these services via the AI Learning Lab digital platform, in-person workshops, and university partnerships connecting industry with academic researchers.

Product overview

The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) is a £16.3 million initiative offering a portfolio of interconnected AI support services rather than a single product. The core offerings include the AI Learning Lab (digital learning platform with Virtual Learning Environment), the Transformer Programme (hands-on SME AI consultancy), the Responsible AI Hub (ethics and governance resources), Postgraduate Scholarships, AI Acceleration Tour workshops, AI Capability Census, and Research & Development support. These services work together to provide a comprehensive ecosystem supporting AI adoption from skills development through practical implementation, connecting industry, academia, and government to drive responsible AI innovation across Northern Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transformer Programme A hands-on SME support programme offering up to 20 days of fully funded AI, machine learning, and data science consultancy delivered by in-house data scientists and applied researchers to small and medium enterprises in Northern Ireland.
• AI Learning Lab A free online digital learning platform offering courses including Fundamentals of AI, Prompt to Prototype, and Data Readiness for AI, designed to help businesses and individuals move from AI interest to practical implementation.
• Responsible AI Hub Northern Ireland's first responsible AI resource hub providing practical tools, guidance, and resources for building ethical, transparent, and accountable AI solutions.
• Postgraduate Scholarships Fully funded AI-related postgraduate courses at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast, building Northern Ireland's AI talent pipeline.
• AI Acceleration Tour Interactive workshops touring Northern Ireland to help SMEs explore practical, responsible AI adoption with expert-led sessions and real-world success stories.
• AI Capability Census First comprehensive baseline assessment of Northern Ireland's AI ecosystem, tracking the real impact of AI on revenue and GVA across the region.
• Research and Development Support Connecting businesses with cutting-edge AI technologies and expertise, enabling collaborative R&D projects and funding submissions to drive innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 260 postgraduate scholars enrolled across QUB and UU
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Momentum One ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025Strategic partnership through Memorandum of Understanding to create a unified AI innovation ecosystem in Northern Ireland. Combines AICC's SME-focused AI adoption support and talent development programmes with Momentum One Zero's research translation and advanced development capabilities backed by Belfast Region City Deal investment. Partnership aims to position Northern Ireland as a globally competitive hub for responsible AI development.
• Ulster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead academic institution for the AICC initiative. Provides academic expertise, research capabilities, postgraduate education, and campus facilities in Belfast and Derry~Londonderry.
• Queen's University BelfastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner academic institution for the AICC initiative. Contributes academic expertise, research capabilities, and postgraduate education through QUB schools including EEECS.
• Digital CatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on AI-enabled Digital Twins workshop exploring how AI-enabled digital twins are moving from experimentation to real-world industrial deployment.
• Danske Bank UKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for AI for SMEs events and workshops, including sessions at Galgorm Resort and in Omagh with Danske Bank and local chambers of commerce.
• Shopping Centres NIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to deliver AI Acceleration Tour workshop for shopping centre managers and service providers exploring how AI is transforming the retail industry.
• CoSTAR Screen Lab / Studio UlsterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivery of hands-on workshop on AI-assisted pipelines in motion capture as part of the CoSTAR Network's £1 million AI for Creativity initiative.
• CatalystminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation centre partner for events, workshops, and startup ecosystem collaboration including INVENT2025 Awards sponsorship.
• AwakenHubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Activate AI programme and regional showcase events in Derry~Londonderry supporting women-led businesses with AI adoption.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Digital Catapult: UK-wide government-backed innovation centre accelerating the adoption of advanced digital technologies, including AI, by industry. Directly comparable on mission (AI/digital adoption), public funding model, and SME/enterprise engagement, and is also a stated AICC partner.
• The Data Lab: Scotland's innovation centre for data and AI, funded by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council. Directly comparable as a regionally-scoped, government-funded AI/data adoption centre that delivers skills programmes, SME support, and ecosystem building — structurally identical to AICC but operating at Scottish scale.
• STFC Hartree Centre: UK government-funded (STFC) AI and high-performance computing centre partnering with industry on applied research, skills, and SME engagement. Comparable as a public-sector AI centre combining consultancy, research, training, and industry collaboration.
• Faculty AI: UK-based AI consultancy delivering applied AI projects to enterprise and government clients. Comparable on the Transformer Programme-style hands-on AI consulting for SMEs and public bodies, though Faculty operates commercially and UK-wide rather than as a publicly funded regional centre.

Broad incumbents

• Innovate UK: The UK's national innovation agency, funding business-led R&D and innovation across sectors including AI. Comparable as a wider public-sector innovation enabler that AICC could be seen as a regional delivery vehicle for, though Innovate UK operates UK-wide rather than regionally.
• The Alan Turing Institute: The UK's national institute for data science and AI, funded by EPSRC and university partners. Overlaps with AICC on research, responsible AI, and skills development, but operates at national scale with a stronger research focus rather than regional SME adoption.
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN): UK innovation network connecting businesses with funding, partners, and expertise across emerging technologies including AI. Comparable as a publicly funded connector that links SMEs to R&D, partners, and adoption support, though operating at UK-wide scale rather than regionally.

Emerging players

• Responsible AI Institute: Global non-profit advancing the responsible design, development, and use of AI through assessment frameworks and accreditation. Comparable on AICC's Responsible AI Hub mission of operationalising AI ethics and governance for practitioners, though RAII is a standards body rather than a delivery organisation.
• Cambridge Centre for Data-Driven Discovery (C2D3): University of Cambridge centre connecting academia and industry on data science and AI. Comparable as an academic-led AI industry engagement centre, though anchored to a single university (Cambridge) rather than a regional SME-focused public mandate.

Regional players

• Scottish AI Alliance: Scotland's national strategy body for AI, partnering with The Data Lab and government to drive responsible AI adoption. Comparable as a regional AI policy/adoption body, though Alliance is more strategy-focused and does not deliver hands-on consultancy like AICC's Transformer Programme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artificial-intelligence-collaboration-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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