About Enterprise Ireland

Recent History

Established in 1998 - Merged trade promotion body, enterprise development agency and technology support agency

Created a “one-stop-shop” or “holistic approach” for Indigenous Enterprise Development

Relationships

Enterprise Ireland’s Mission

To accelerate the development of world class Irish companies to achieve strong positions in global

markets resulting in increased national and regional prosperity.

Innovation is the core element of the new Enterprise Ireland Strategy, 2008-2010; “'Transforming Irish

Industry”.

Key Objectives - Transforming Irish Industry

€3 billion new export sales by 2007

Double to 1050 the number of firms engaged in meaningful* R&D by 2013

Increase the number of indigenous enterprises performing significant** R&D to over 100 by 2013

Support the creation of 210 new High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) companies by year end 2007

Implement productivity and competitiveness improvement projects in 300+ firms by year end 2007

*In excess of €100,000 **In excess of €2million

Enterprise Ireland’s Activities with Companies

Marketing and

Int. Sales

Finance

Human Resources

Production

Research, Development and

Design

Business Strategy

Enterprise Ireland Client Companies

3,500 Companies (indigenous and natural resources)

Total employment associated with these companies is 141,000.

Total Sales €26.5 billion

Total Exports €11.8 billion

Enterprise Ireland InternationalEnterprise Ireland International NetworkNetwork

BUILDING IRELAND’S KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Develop a national plan to increase the performance, efficiency and productivity of research in the higher education and the public sectors;

Sustain Ireland’s commitment to building its international reputation for research excellence.

Turning Knowledge into Products and Services Develop the intellectual property management and

commercialisation expertise and resources necessary to ensure effective and rapid exploitation of research generated in higher education and public research sectors.

Focus of Strategy

World Class Research Capturing, Protecting and Commercialising Ideas and

Knowhow Research and Development for Enterprise, Innovation and

Growth Science Education and Society Research in the Public Sector All-Island and International STI Implementation

The EI Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy

Effective Industry Engagement With Third Level Resource.

Realising Commercial Potential Of Irelands Research Community.

Dramatically Increase R&D Activity In Our Client Base.

Building on the investment

Getting the system working right.

Quality R&D Performers

Skills to manage

The absorption of technology

Proper technology strategies – thinking ahead

Funding

Contacts

Influence

Where EI operates.

Sustained funding forinfrastructure

Effective systems to capture and protect it

Incubation space

A culture to recognise and reward commercialisation

Research Environment

The Interface Industry

Innovation Flow

Commercialisation Of Research.

Funding Advice

Funding

Technology Advice Market Info.

Milestone Funding

Technology Advice

Market Info.

Business Planning

Incubation

Significant Investment

Market Info.

Business Advice

Funding

Market Info.

Overseas Office

AppliedResearch

Idea withPotential

Campusor existingcompany

GrowingBusiness

Exporting

1. Realising the commercial potential of research

Key element of Government’s Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation 2006-2013

Significant investment in research in Ireland in recent years.

2006: Gross Expenditure on R&D €2.3bn

Higher Education Expenditure on R&D €600m (10.5% annual increase )

Recently launched initiatives:- Applied Research Enhancement in the Institutes of Technology- Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions: Cycle 4- Technology Transfer Strengthening Fund

College – Industry Interaction

Innovation Vouchers Innovation Partnerships Campus Incubation Industry Led Research Competence Centres

Innovation Vouchers Initiative

Aims to Build Links between Small Businesses and Knowledge Providers

Voucher (€5,000) can be exchanged for Advice and Expertise from the Knowledge Providers

Suitable Projects: Require Innovative Solution Provide Additional Value for the Business Have On-going Benefits

Innovation Vouchers

All Small Enterprise – Less than 50 Employees, with an Annual Turnover and / or Balance Sheet Not Exceeding €10m

Any kind of innovation such as: New Product Design / Development New or Improved Production Process New business model development; New service delivery & customer interface; New service development;   Innovation / technology audit 

Total Vouchers Issued to date: 428 Total Value of vouchers awarded to date: €2 Million

Innovation Partnerships

Collaborative R&D between Industry & Colleges

Innovation Partnerships

Collaborative R&D between Industry & Colleges

Collaborative research between company(s) and 3rd Level Institutions.

Open to all manufacturing and ITS companies Industrial Research into innovative products or processes Average of 120 Proposals/ Year Average project value is €120K rising to €800K

www.enterprise-ireland.com/innovationpartnerships

R & D

Science / Technology Medium to High Risk Technically Challenging

R & D

CommercialCompany DrivenProduct & Process Innovation

In IrelandCompetitive Advantage

Project Requirements

Company

College

InnovativeIndustrialResearch Outline

proposalFull

Proposal

Feasibility

TechnicalAssessment

CommercialAssessment

OK IRCC

Assessment

4 - 6 wks

FUND

Company30-45%

Grant55-70%

Pays for College research salaries,materials, travel & other costs

OK

Collaboration

OK

Process

Enterprise Ireland(Grant)

Industrial Partner(Cash & in-kind

Contribution)

Project Costs(College)

Source of Funding

STAFFEquipment

Materials

Travel

Other

Project Cost structure

Negotiable between academic and industrial partners inline with National Guidelines

Generally Background IPR remain unchanged

Publishing of valuable IPR should not take place before adequate protection is in place

Always agree terms upfront before setting out a full agreement

Argue financial input, intellectual input and capacity to exploit

http://www.sciencecouncil.ie/reports/

http://www.innovation.gov.uk/lambertagreements/index.asp

Intellectual Property Rights [IPR]

90%+ Eligible Proposals Funded

Non - competitive

Open Call All Year

Easy to Use

Quick Response (typically 8 Weeks)

Dedicated researcher & research facilities

Access to up-to-date science / technology

Skills availability post-project

Reduced R&D costs to company

Key Features / Benefits

Campus Incubation

3. Supporting balanced regional development

NCIIT TallaghtIT BlanchardstownIADT Dun Laoghaire

Dundalk IT

Waterford ITIT Tralee

Athlone IT m

IT Carlow

Galway/Mayo (Castlebar)

Cork IT/UCC

Galway/Mayo ITNUIG

IT Sligo

Limerick IT

Letterkenny IT

DCU/ UCD/

TCD/ DIT

Early beginnings

National Technology Park Limerick Established 1984 as Ireland's first science and technology park Over 80 organisations employing over 3,000 skilled people Balanced mix of multinational subsidiaries, Irish technology companies,

R&D entities and support services Occupy more than 30 buildings with a total floor area of circa 1.5 million

sq.ft. University of Limerick is at the heart of the National Technology Park InnovationWorks Limerick - core entity is a digitally-networked Incubation

Centre. Provides an integrated system for incubating and growing knowledge-based high potential companies

Our Objectives

1. To realise the commercial potential of Ireland’s research community,

2. To foster entrepreneurship and campus company activity,

3. To support balanced regional development.

2. Fostering entrepreneurship

EI Supports Focus of EI’s Regions and Entrepreneurship Business Unit Leading to HPSUs – supported by dedicated Unit

Metrics EI 2005-2007 strategic target of 210 new high potential start-up

companies supported. 76 supported in 2006. First time in 5 years that the number of

new EI-backed HPSUs established outside Dublin exceeded those established within the Dublin region.

Our Involvement

In 2000, a focussed programme of support for incubators in Institutes of Technology was launched under the National Development Plan.

This was consistent with an earlier activity supporting incubation space in universities.

Purpose of the initiative: to build and strengthen the innovation infrastructure linked to Institutes in order to grow new high potential start-up companies in the regions.

Leading to ..

To date, Enterprise Ireland has approved funding for 20 centres in 15 Institutes of Technology or equivalent third level colleges and four universities (DCU Invent, UCD Nova centre, NUI Galway and NUI Maynooth). 17 of these are now operational.

EI has also supported 6 specialist bio-incubation facilities on university campuses.

EI-approved investment in campus incubation activity amounts to €50m (with support from the European Regional Development Fund): predominantly capital with some management support.

Results to date (Institutes of Technology)

Total

(as of end Sept 2007)

Number of enterprises in centres

160

Numbers employed in these enterprises

520

New Ideas

Industry Driven Research Groups of companies working together Research agenda created around industry threats and

opportunities Open call to research performers to undertake the work

Close and direct engagement of companies Responsive research programmes Flexible models, can be as small as 4 companies with

a common problem

Industry Lead Research Projects in Informatics

eLITe (eLearning Ireland Technologies) Project generated by the Irish eLearning CEO Forum Enterprise Ireland commitment €2 million over 3 years Began Jan 1st 2006

Mobile IMS Services Project generated by mobile software consortium Mobile services in an IP Multimedia System environment Work in progress

Examples of measures of output

Number of patents granted.

Number of post graduates trained in industry relevant research and moving into industry. Numbers of projects completed and commercialised successfully.

Examples of measures of impact

Numbers of licenses agreed and signed with companies.

Sales of products arising from technology licensed.

Number of new high potential start ups arising from research.

New funding initiative: Competence Centres

Competences Centres are major funding initiatives building on networks experience

Long-term and important college – industry relationships A number of applications to the competence centre program

have been received in areas such as Applied Nanotechnology Achieving Business Value through IT Innovation Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Advanced Manufacturing Productivity Centre BioEnergy Initiative

Transforming Irish Industry 2008-2010Transforming Irish Industry 2008-2010

Enterprise Ireland Transforming Irish Industry

2008-2010