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ATU partners in Ulster‑led €6.7m PEACEPLUS digital transformation initiative to support SMEs across the North West
Atlantic Technological University (ATU), through the leadership of Dr George Onofrei, Head of the OSCAR Research Centre and Senior Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management in the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, is a key partner in a major new cross-border initiative led by Ulster University and funded through the PEACEPLUS programme. E-DATA (Enterprise Digitalisation And Transformation Alliance) is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Atlantic Technological University (ATU), through the leadership of Dr George Onofrei, Head of the OSCAR Research Centre and Senior Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management in the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, is a key partner in a major new cross-border initiative led by Ulster University and funded through the PEACEPLUS programme. E-DATA (Enterprise Digitalisation And Transformation Alliance) is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The initiative will deliver bespoke, fully-funded digital transformation support to SMEs in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, helping businesses overcome key challenges such as limited technical expertise, infrastructure constraints, and evolving workforce needs.
The €6.7 million project will support the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the North West, with a focus on enhancing competitiveness, building resilience, and fostering innovation. ATU will work closely with Ulster University, Sustainable NI, Manufacturing NI and Innovate NI to deliver tailored supports that enable SMEs to adopt and embed advanced digital technologies towards enhancing their sustainability.
Dr George Onofrei, E-DATA Project Lead at ATU, said:
“We are delighted to collaborate with Ulster University and our regional partners on this strategic initiative. The OSCAR Research Centre at ATU brings applied research expertise that will support the practical development and deployment of digital solutions, particularly in areas such as operations, supply chain innovation, AI, and data analytics. This project provides a unique opportunity to co-create with SMEs, ensuring that solutions are grounded in real operational needs and capable of delivering long-term impact.”
Through a blend of research, training, and enterprise engagement, the project aims to build a sustainable digital innovation ecosystem across the North West Region and surrounding areas. Supports will include digital diagnostics, mentoring, and the development of tailored tools and resources to enable digital readiness and growth.
Delivered in collaboration with regional partners, E-DATA will:
- Provide impartial digital transformation advice tailored to SME needs;
- Deliver hands-on support to implement new technologies at no cost;
- Help businesses analyse and reduce energy usage and carbon outputs;
- Promote innovation-led product and process improvements;
- Create new cross-border business networks and collaborative clusters.
Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, commented:
“This is a truly collaborative, cross-border partnership that reflects ATU’s mission to lead on regional transformation through innovation and applied research. By contributing our strengths in digital supply chain and enterprise engagement, we are helping to ensure that SMEs across the North West are supported not only to survive in the digital age, but to lead within it.”
With a strong grassroots and co-design approach, E-DATA will work directly with SME staff to embed innovation within their organisations. The project will also help businesses access open-source tools and cloud-based platforms to continue their digital transformation independently after the project concludes.
By adopting a cross-border model, E-DATA aims to strengthen economic links, promote peace and prosperity, and contribute to a shared, sustainable future for all communities in the region.
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “This funding announcement will lead to welcome support for SMEs to engage in commercially led innovation and research, which will result in the development of new products and more efficient processes.
“SMEs are vital for our economy and future prosperity and this in turn is critical to a thriving, peaceful and inclusive society. This funding is an example of the PEACEPLUS ecosystem in action – targeting key areas of need to bring about improvements to the daily lives of our citizens. It will boost SMEs as they transition to a low-carbon and circular economy through the development of sustainable manufacturing practices. We look forward to seeing how these two projects progress.”
- The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
- PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14 billion.
- PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
