The Microelectronics Applications Institute (MARI) was founded in 1979 as a non profit making research, development, and training organization in Newcastle, jointly owned by Newcastle University, Newcastle Polytechnic and Computer Analysts and Programmers Ltd (for which see BR/22/5/1). Professor Randell was a Director of the Company. The Advanced Microtechnology Applications Ltd (AMA) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of MARI, which acted as its trading and commercial arm. On 9 January 1990, the name of the company was changed to The Northern Regional Information Technology Research Institute. For the Newcastle Connection software system distributed by MARI see BR/15. For photographs of historical computers relating to the MARI 10th anniversary lecture see BR/3/21/3