A new competition has launched to give Northern Ireland start-ups the chance to win a £75,000 proof of concept grant.

Launched today by Techstart Ventures and Belfast Harbour, with support from BT, innovative thinkers are invited to submit ideas for new technology solutions to assist lone workers at Belfast Harbour or for new Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that can deliver value to Belfast Harbour.

The winner will receive £75,000 of grant funding from Techstart, with Belfast Harbour providing an environment to develop, refine and test their innovations. The winners will also get a package of support from BT including access to its 5G network.

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The initiative is being launched as part of Belfast Harbour's key strategic ambition to stimulate innovation and support its employees, customers and visitors through innovative digital solutions.

Trevor Anderson from Belfast Harbour said: "Our 2035 vision set out our goals to become a smart port and to support the development of the local economy through partnerships that encourage R&D, introduce new skills and support innovative businesses.

"As such, Belfast Harbour is seeking to engage with SMEs in the local knowledge economy to deliver world-class solutions for the operation and control of the Port’s activities. We are inviting applications with a particular focus on the areas of lone working and industrial IoT as we feel that these areas offer real scope to employ innovative concepts."

Robyn Wilson from Techstart, said: "Starting a business is hard. We have found that building early versions of product with the close involvement of a first customer can really help. We think that this initiative has the potential to play a role in the creation of a new and exciting business with high growth potential. We are delighted that Belfast Harbour and BT share this vision."