Since its launch in 2013, Enterprise Ireland’s specialist tech support programme has delivered over €75m in R&D, completing around 8,500 projects with 5,800 companies
Since its launch in 2013, the Network has delivered over €75 million worth of research completing around 8,500 projects with 5,800 companies across the country. It welcomes new contacts from businesses of all sizes looking to explore new ideas, solve technical challenges, or bring innovations to life.
Spanning Ireland, the network has 17 centres of R&D excellence in the five Technological Universities and Dundalk Institute of Technology.
These centres are home to over 300 industry-focused researchers with specialist equipment and facilities.
They can help businesses to develop new products or services, optimise existing processes or otherwise innovate in how they operate.
Gateway can help companies identify technical needs and match them to researchers who can help
The centres give start-ups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fast access to expertise and specialist equipment they may not have in-house. Larger companies and multinationals can also tap into the expertise of the network.
Each Gateway is a research centre based in one of Ireland’s technological universities or in Dundalk Institute of Technology, and is home to specialist R&D teams and cutting-edge facilities.
The Gateways also act as a bridge between academia and industry – helping companies identify technical needs and matching them to researchers who can help.
The first step is to contact your local Technology Gateway. If your local centre isn’t the right fit, they’ll connect you with another in the network whose specialism aligns with your needs.
The Smarter Factory Gateway at the Technological University of the Shannon in Limerick is a centre of excellence for Industry 4.0/5.0, for example. Its researchers help manufacturers looking to innovate with automation, data analytics, robotics and more.
Many companies start with Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers, which offer up to €10,000 worth of researcher time. Illustration: Getty
CREST in TU Dublin specialises in coatings innovation solutions for industry in the engineering, construction, healthcare and biomedical industries. These could include anti-bacterial, anti-microbial or anti-rust coatings, for example.
Meanwhile, Nimbus in Munster Technological University Cork develops Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber Physical System prototypes for a broad range of companies, connecting everyday objects and systems and making them smart.
To date, the average project value has been €10k but the largest single Technology Gateway project to date was worth €907k
While Enterprise Ireland funds the facilitation of these collaborations, companies typically fund the R&D work itself. Many start with Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers, which offer up to €10,000 worth of researcher time to help develop an idea or product, or crack a business or technical challenge.
They can apply for four vouchers in total, but the fourth must be co-funded by the company, although it can cover costs up to €20,000.
Other businesses use funding from the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnerships Programme for their Technology Gateway research costs, but ultimately most fund most of the costs themselves.
To date, the average project value has been €10,000 but the largest single Technology Gateway project to date was worth €907,000.
The Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme is co-financed by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 and the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-27.
Find out more about the Technology Gateway Network and how to get started with requesting R&D support on TechnologyGateway.ie. Mark Whelan is the Technology Gateway Programme Manager at Enterprise Ireland.
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