THE WEST - A NERVE CENTRE FOR INNOVATION

Midlands Innovation and Research Centre at Athlone Institute of Technology

Education and industry have come together to promote and nurture innovation in the West of Ireland, Linda Pearson reports.

The growth of the knowledge-based economy in the West is creating opportunities for partnerships between academic institutions and industry, not only in education provision but also in the development of research and consultancy activities.

Galway-Mayo Institute Of Technology

GMIT is involved in a range of innovative activities. Many of their post-graduate students work directly with research teams involved in high-level collaborations with other centres of higher education and with the research and innovation centres of major industries.

They work in partnership with business and community organisations to provide higher education throughout the region and promote the economic, social and cultural development of the west of Ireland.

Marion Coy, director of GMIT said, “our strategic plan is centred on people, not businesses. It is deliberately designed to encourage innovation and responsiveness.” GMIT actively tries to devise ways to facilitate innovation in programme design, delivery, and assessment. By doing so, it stimulates innovation in the students.

Starting this month, GMIT School of Business will deliver a new innovation programme titled the Higher Certificate in Business in Enterprise Development, in Tuam and Ballinalsoe. The two-year part-time programme is designed to appeal to mature applicants including owners and managers of small businesses, those with a business idea, the farming community and people working full-time or part-time in existing enterprise.

Larry Elwood, head of school of business, GMIT, said “the Enterprise Programme will give learners in both Tuam and Ballinasloe the know-how to run or improve a business and they will also receive a recognised level six academic qualification, which is Hetac-approved.”

Letterkenny Institute of Technology

The Business Development Centre (BDC) is located on the campus of LYIT and is a focal point for linking the expertise and resources of institute with the development needs of the commercial sector and the wider community in the North-West of Ireland.

It’s mission is to stimulate innovation and nurture the growth of knowledge based business in the region. The BDC provides flexible space arrangements from which to grow or develop new products or services. It also offers campus based incubation facilities to start-up companies, facilities for industrial research, and commercial services to local industry.

Links with industry and the commercial sector provide opportunities for LYIT to fulfill its obligation as an engine for economic growth. The institute is committed to the encouragement and advancement of learning, research and innovation for the economic, social and cultural benefit of the North West region of Ireland and its community.

The BDC aims to provide a development environment, which incubates business projects in a proactive environment. The occupants of the BDC will consist of projects with a technology knowledge base, developing innovative products or services that have a potential for growth in employment and revenue. The Business Development Centre will be the focal point for linking the expertise and resources of LYIT and the development needs of the commercial sector and the wider community in the region.

National University Of Ireland - Galway

In the last year, NUI Galway has invested in a new Technology Transfer Office (TTO). The aim of this incubation centre is to create an environment which promotes entrepreneurship and new business growth. The centre offers suitable incubation space and support services for new knowledge intensive companies in sectors such as the biotechnology and biomedical sector.

Priority is given to companies spinning off from activity on campus, research and to other external start-up companies with the potential to benefit from close contact with the biosciences’ groups on the NUI Galway campus. Today NUI Galway offers a total of 23 incubation units ranging in size from 300 – 750 sq. feet with all the necessary infrastructure to support biomedical and biotechnology start up companies. Over the next three yrs the university will spend over €120 million on research and development.

The TTO, NUI Galway manages on behalf of Lionra the Enterprise Development Programme funded by Fas and Enterprise Ireland. The Enterprise Development programme offers participants an opportunity to realise their concept potential in a structured supported environment. In the first year of operation, the programme already has 25 budding entrepreneurs housed in the Incubation Centres of the Líonra network of colleges.

Institute Of Technology - Sligo

Sligo IT is committed to supporting the development of the North West Ireland. According to their mission statement, ‘it has a particular duty to support the development of its region in economic, social and cultural terms.’ Jannette Gillan, BIC manager at Sligo IT explains how education and industry have come together to promote and nurture innovation in the West. “The concept of mixing the academic and business users is a deliberate one to encourage a cross flow of ideas, attitudes and methodologies. It is therefore an aim of the Institute to attract viable operators who contribute to the totality of the education, training and research capacity of IT Sligo and to produce successful companies who will leave with essential business development skills.”

“More and more people are looking to return to the West because it now can offer a location where new businesses can access the resources necessary to develop and sustain their business,” said Gillan.

IT Sligo secured more than €2.5 million funding from Enterprise Ireland to construct a 1,177m² extension to the current Business Innovation Centre (BIC) on campus. This development allows the Institute extend the range of facilities and services on offer to businesses located in the BIC to other businesses in the region. It will make the BIC one of the largest innovation centres the Institute of Technology sector.

Athlone Institute Of Technology

The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre (MIRC) at Athlone Institute of Technology is a converging hub for innovation, research and enterprise in the BMW region. MIRC provides incubation facilities for innovative and knowledge-based enterprise, an enterprise programme for entrepreneurs and start-ups, and makes available the resources and expertise of the Institute to support client companies.

On the issue of collaboration between education and industry MIRC manager Michael Lonergan said, “the exploitation of knowledge and commercialisation of research must become embedded in the culture and infrastructure of the higher education system. This requires continued emphasis on new campus company start-ups, a pro-innovation culture of intellectual property protection and exploitation, programmes in entrepreneurship, consulting services, information services, new forms of graduate development programmes and greater links between higher education institutions and private enterprise. This role should be actively encouraged and incentivised.”

The MIRC, along with the Innovation in Business Centre at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, is launching a new enterprise programme for entrepreneurs, starting in February. The Midlands & West Enterprise Programme (MWEP) is a one-year programme that provides entrepreneurs with the business skills, networks, facilities and supports necessary to navigate the business start-up process. Participants receive a training grant of €6,600 and eligible participants may also apply to Enterprise Ireland for CORD funding which could provide up to 50% of previous year’s salary.

The MIRC/MWEP has incubated and supported 24 start-ups since 2003. “If you are a prospective entrepreneur with industry experience and an innovative business idea, the MWEP will provide you with the business skills and support necessary to transform your idea into a successful business,” said Lonergan.