A new initiative to introduce entrepreneurs with a new pioneering idea, technology, or innovation, to third-level researchers has been launched in Ireland’s southeast.
The Ideagen initiative is a collaboration between Enterprise Ireland, the South-East Spirit of Ireland initiative and the four third-level colleges in the southeast; NUI Maynooth – Kilkenny Campus, IT Carlow, Waterford IT and the Tipperary Institute.
Speaking at the launch, Martin Doyle, regional director south/southeast of Enterprise Ireland, said, “Ideagen is seeking entrepreneurs who have a vision to build new businesses” to take part in a series of four idea-generation events throughout the southeast region.
“Ideagen will introduce entrepreneurs in the southeast who have a business plan built on a pioneering idea, technology or innovation to some of Ireland’s brightest third-level researchers based in local higher education institutes,” Doyle explained.
Ideagen is now calling on local entrepreneurs and businesses with serious intentions to build a high-growth new business to make contact and express their interest in participating.
The people attending Ideagen will be selected for their expertise, industry knowledge and commercial track record.
Each event will be dynamic and interactive, with structured brainstorming and information-sharing sessions facilitated by Innovation Delivery, a specialist business innovation consultancy based in Dublin and San Francisco.
Four Ideagen events will take place, each focusing on a specific sector, between October and December of this year.
The four sectors and their respective events are:
- Converging Technologies in Telecoms, Internet, Media and Education (Waterford Institute of Technology, Carraiganore Campus, 15 October)
- Renewable Resources, BioEnergy and Cleantech (Institute of Technology Carlow, 19 November)
- Engineering, Manufacturing and Energy Efficiency (Tipperary Institute, Clonmel Campus, 26 November)
- Consumer Foods (NUI Maynooth, Kilkenny Campus, 3 December)
By John Kennedy
Photo: From left to right, Martin Doyle, Enterprise Ireland; Kathryn Kiely, WIT; Michael Maddock, Spirit of Enterprise; Sean McKeown, Spirit of Enterprise; Maeve O Byrne, NUI Maynooth; Michael Moroney, Spirit of Enterprise; and Mary McEvoy, Enterprise Ireland.
