Twelve months after the North Wales Growth Deal was signed, the first project has been approved by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board.
The North Wales Growth Deal is a £1 billion investment to the region’s economy, £240m of which is funded by the Welsh and Ƶ governments.
The first Growth Deal project to receive funding is the Digital Signal Processing Centre (DSP) at Bangor University.
It has secured £3 million to invest in cutting-edge equipment, which will develop the facility as well as create up to 40 new jobs.
As demand for digital services continues to rise, researchers at Bangor University’s DSP Centre aim to future-proof current systems by researching how digital information is processed efficiently and reliably between devices and people.
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said: “I’m very pleased the full business case for the first North Wales Growth Deal project has been approved. The DSP Centre at Bangor has already carried out important and valuable work, and this major investment as part of the Growth Deal will allow it to develop further. It’s great to see this development on the anniversary of the signing of the deal, which has the potential to transform the North Wales economy.”
Wales Minister David TC Davies, said: “I’m delighted to see the first project in the North Wales Growth Deal receive funding. This is the start of a transformative plan for North Wales, bringing jobs and investment to our communities, and I’m proud that the Ƶ Government helping to fund this deal.
“Working with hand in hand with our partners and contributing to a multi-million-pound funding stream, we will ensure the growth deal unleashes the full potential of North Wales.”
Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn, Chair of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, said: “We now look forward to seeing the DSP Centre put North Wales on the map in terms of its ground-breaking work in the sector. It is also important that our partners, businesses and the public across the region can begin to see the real opportunities and tangible benefits that come from Growth Deal funding.”
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Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader Wrexham Council is Lead Member for the Economic Ambition Board’s Digital Programme.
He added: “I am pleased the DSP Centre has reached this significant milestone. The Centre is the only research site in Wales dedicated to addressing DSP for 5G and is currently working alongside 28 industry partners to ensure delivery."
Bangor University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Iwan Davies said: “The DSP Centre is a prime example of how Bangor University is collaborating with industry and other academic institutions to develop solutions to address real-world problems through world-class research and development.”
Having worked with big names in the industry including Ciena, Orange, Fujitsu and BT, the Centre has filed eight patents and has already secured research grants totalling £12m.
With its track record and further investment from the North Wales Growth Deal, the DSP Centre will expand its research capacity through acquiring additional equipment.
