The First Minister, the deputy First Minister and the Minister for Economy have announced a £12.9million investment by Cirdan Imaging which will enhance the company’s innovation and skills, improve the efficiency of its laboratory information system (LIS) and create 72 new jobs in Lisburn.
Cirdan’s ‘Vision-Path’ project will update its LIS system to include new features that will differentiate it from its competitors and improve efficiencies. The company will also expand its sales and technical onboarding team and invest in the skills of its workforce.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “72 new jobs, many of them highly specialised, will provide valuable opportunities for people in the local area. This £12.9million investment by Cirdan Imaging is a strong endorsement of our Life & Health Sciences sector and the highly skilled workforce we have here. Just as importantly, this investment will support Cirdan’s continued innovation, strengthening patient diagnosis and care across the world. We are determined to back businesses to innovate, scale and create good jobs.”
READ MORE: Lorna McAdoo announced as new Chair at Software NI 2026 AGM
Deputy First Minister Emma-Little Pengelly said: “This £12.9m investment and creation of 72 new jobs in Lisburn is very positive news. Cirdan’s investment demonstrates how innovation and skills development go hand in hand to drive competitiveness. By enhancing its LIS system and expanding into new international markets, the company is building on the expertise we have here in Northern Ireland and reinforcing our reputation as a centre of excellence. This investment reflects the depth of talent we have here and is fantastic for the company.”
Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said: “This investment will help create good jobs and increase innovation in one of my priority sectors. It is a vote of confidence in our talent and R&D capabilities in the north. Cirdan is an exemplar company which demonstrates how investment across R&D and skills can help drive growth. With a focus on AI and photonics, Cirdan has a real opportunity to develop innovative products which will drive competitiveness globally.”
The Minister added: “The north is well known for advances in medical devices and innovative diagnostic products. Our strengths in Life and Health Sciences coupled with advances in AI presents the north as an exciting location for both existing and potential investors.”
Cirdan is a leading pathology company that aims to enhance diagnosis for patients with cancer and other diseases. The company's LIS makes patient diagnosis faster and more accurate by improving clinical workflows and reducing costs across the world.
Hugh Cormican, CEO of Cirdan said: “The global LIS market is highly competitive, creating significant barriers to entry. This project will address this challenge and enable our LIS to become more competitive in additional markets.”
To achieve its commercial ambitions the company will also undertake a wide range of training across its expanded team. This will support the development of its senior executives and upskilling of sales and marketing staff.
Hugh added: “Over 72 jobs will be created over the course of the project. Part of this new employment will be in our sales and technical onboarding team to help us scale globally. We are ambitious and want to grow our sales in existing markets such as the UK and Australia. And with our innovative new features we also want to break into other global markets including North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia.”
Invest NI has offered the company £1.9m of support. This includes support towards 10 of the jobs, skills development and the R&D project which is creating 26 jobs.
The project will see the creation of 72 roles which include Clinical Laboratory Analysts, Project Managers, Integration Managers, Instrumentation Engineers, AI Engineers and Software Engineers. The company hopes to fill roles by 2028.
READ MORE: Ulster University technology expert appointed to UK Medical Science Careers Taskforce
Alison Currie, Chief Development Officer at Invest NI said: “Innovation is the driving force behind Northern Ireland’s Life and Health Sciences sector, enabling breakthroughs that strengthen our economy and improve patient outcomes around the world.
“Along with supporting the company's innovation journey we’re directly supporting 10 management level roles with an average salary of £70,500. This investment will help Cirdan to scale and reinforce its position as a key player in Northern Ireland’s Life Health Sciences sector.”
Invest NI’s R&D support for this project is part funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF).
Sync NI's Spring 2026 magazine explores innovation and collaboration transforming Northern Ireland's technology ecosystem
This issue features exclusive insights from industry leaders on AI transformation, cybersecurity evolution, legal technology innovation, and how strategic partnerships between academia and business are accelerating real-world impact across the region.
Read the Spring 2026 edition free online →
Stay connected with NI's tech community:
