 | | | Claire Cartmill | | Business Reporter | | Afternoon..I'm back! And it's been another bustling week across NI's business community, with landmark deals, heartfelt goodbyes and inspiring entrepreneurial stories. Making the headlines are... A Belfast-based pharma company has secured a landmark $1 billion deal, described as transformative for the life sciences sector in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, a Belfast startup tackling screen time addiction has raised £640,000 in seed funding, aiming to revolutionise how we interact with our devices and prioritise mental wellbeing. Celebrations are in order for one NI retailer, which is marking 10 years of growth, reporting revenues of £483 million and a string of five recent awards recognising both customer service and commercial success. Elsewhere, a NI tiling and stonework company is celebrating its biggest contract win to date, with directors calling the achievement 'a proud milestone' in the firm's journey from local roots to national recognition. In this week's Love Your Local, we meet the founder of one of NI's first pilates studios, who shares how motherhood, lockdown and a passion for movement led to an unexpected — but thriving — business venture. It's also been a time for reflection, as NI's oldest traditional wool shop announced it is closing its doors after 70 years, a poignant moment for the generations of customers who relied on its expert advice and heritage yarns. And finally, we catch up with two NI seafood entrepreneurs who reflect on five 'wild' years in business, growing their brand from a leap of faith into a much-loved local staple — all while, in their words, 'wingin' it'. Got a new appointment, business milestone, local story or Love Your Local you'd like us to share? Get in touch — claire.cartmill@jpress.co.uk or use our business@newsletter.co.uk — I'd love to hear from you. Until next week, À bientôt! (sorry) Claire | 
