Enterprise Ireland exports to US recorded phenomenal growth in 2012 increasing by 20% while Canadian exports jumped by 26% during the same period. The impact of export success in North America on the Irish economy is significant, and has a positive knock on effect in creating jobs in Ireland.
On a recent visit to New York the Minister for Small Business John Perry TD, met with a number of Irish companies based in New York who are developing export business in the USA. Pictured Left to Right: Noel Kilkenny, Consul General; Gerard Bermingham, Information Mosaic; Neil Cullen, Interactive Services; Gerry Murphy, Director Enterprise Ireland; Joanna Gardiner, Ovelle; John Perry TD, Minister for Small Business; Molly Dineen, UCD; Jim Milliard, Information Mosaic; Cillian Kieran, CKSK; and Mark Dorosz, Interactive Services
Enterprise Ireland exports to US recorded phenomenal growth in 2012 increasing by 20% while Canadian exports jumped by 26% during the same period. The impact of export success in North America on the Irish economy is significant, and has a positive knock on effect in creating jobs in Ireland.
Enterprise Ireland client companies achieved record global exports in 2012 breaking €16bn for the first time, up from €15.2bn in 2011. The main growth sectors were software, lifesciences, including medical devices, business services and advanced engineering. Forty two percent of all software exported by Irish companies is sold in USA.
Executive Director for North America Gerry Murphy said: “This was an outstanding achievement by Irish owned companies in a year of sluggish economic growth in the US. As the world’s largest technically advanced economy, the United States is a key trading partner for Ireland and offers a relatively low-risk operating environment for Irish businesses. 2012 also saw significant growing interest in the Canadian market from Irish business”.
He thanked the members of the Irish Diaspora who continue to provide a crucial role in mentoring and advising Irish companies and linking them with business opportunities.
Enterprise Ireland is increasing its activities to support clients win new export business and build business networks and partnerships across North America. 2013 will see a record number of trade missions and trade fairs in sectors as diverse as Financial Software, Telecommunications, Digital Media, Oil and Gas, Animation, Information Security, Education and Healthcare, all aimed at linking Irish companies to American and Canadian buyers.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD visited Seattle, Washington on the 22nd of March to view technology from Irish hygiene company SureWash which was being displayed in an innovative new health and wellness exhibition at the “Wellbody Academy” at the Pacific Science Center.
Sean Bay, Sales Director and Co-Founder demonstrating the SureWash technology to An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD at the Pacific Science Center
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD visited Seattle, Washington on the 22nd of March to view technology from Irish hygiene company SureWash which was being displayed in an innovative new health and wellness exhibition at the “Wellbody Academy” at the Pacific Science Center.
Dublin-based SureWash have developed an interactive hand-hygiene training system that can save money, time and lives – which the company now intends to leverage in the US market. SureWash’s technology reduces the labor needed to train and audit hand-hygiene compliance and significantly, it promotes effective hand-hygiene techniques which can lead to a reduction in hospital acquired infections and ultimately save lives. An Taoiseach acknowledged SureWash as an example of an Irish technology company that had developed an innovative solution for a global problem.
The importance of hand-hygiene in the US hospital environment should not be underestimated – it is estimated that approximately 100,000 Americans die annually from hospital acquired infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that 50% of these hospital acquired infections could be prevented by better hand-hygiene – validating the need for SureWash’s technology in the US hospital environment.
Dublin-based health technology start-up, GetHealth has been announced as one of 10 international companies picked as a ‘healthcare transformer’ by New York-based program, StartUp Health Academy. Each transformer chosen will participate in a 3 year program run by Start-Up Health.
Chris Rooney (Co-Founder and Head of Sales) and Liam Ryan (Co-Founder and CEO).
Dublin-based health technology start-up, GetHealth has been announced as one of 10 international companies picked as a ‘healthcare transformer’ by New York-based program, StartUp Health Academy. Each transformer chosen will participate in a 3 year program run by Start-Up Health.
GetHealth Limited, started in 2011 by two undergraduate students, developed a mobile app which makes getting healthy simple and fun for users. The app enables users to check-in and earn points for their daily health achievements, such as eating their 5 fruit and vegetables or doing 30 minutes of exercise. The app also allows users to connect with other like-minded individuals so that they can support and motivate one another in achieving their health goals.
The StartUp Health Academy represents a significant opportunity for a company such as GetHealth. The Academy bases itself on a simple premise: the best way to improve healthcare in America is to provide health and wellness entrepreneurs with inspiration, education, and access to customers, capital, and other critical resources. With this support, start-ups can innovate more quickly and build new solutions that will improve care and reduce out of control healthcare costs.
CEO of GetHealth, Liam Ryan said on this most recent success: "When we started GetHealth we could see that healthcare, particularly in the US, was starting to change focus away from reactive initiatives towards more preventative programs. Here we saw the opportunity to leverage the growth in mobile technology to provide an app which makes health simple and fun, and ultimately help people improve their lifestyle. In GE and StartUp Health Academy we are delighted to have found partners who understand our vision and want to work with us to help realize it".
About GetHealth GetHealth is a mobile and online platform which helps people improve their health through social interaction and gameplay with their family and friends! Their beta users describe them as the “Foursquare for Health”, allowing people to check-in to the healthy tasks they do each day, earn points, and motivate their friends to a healthier lifestyle.
About Start-Up Health Start-up Health is a new model for helping innovation succeed in the health sector. Part community, part Academy, and 1,000% passion, they provide health and wellness innovators with a structured curriculum designed to help navigate the unique challenges of building a sustainable growth business. StartUp Health was founded in 2011 by health tech entrepreneurs Steven Krein and Unity Stoakes and is Chaired by former Time Warner CEO Gerald Levin.
In June, 15 Irish companies will take part in the Enterprise Ireland Trade visit to Western Canada which will be led by Joe Costello, TD, Minister of State for Trade & Development. The delegation will visit Calgary and Edmonton, and will explore the opportunities that exist in the Natural Resources sector in Canada, which centers around the oil sands in Alberta. The visiting companies represent many sectors including engineering, software, construction management and recruitment firms. The program of events will include meetings with industry experts and the top Natural Resource companies. The Minister will also take part in a number of political engagements. For more information on the Alberta Trade Mission please contact: avril.murphy@enterprise-ireland.com
Irish companies continue winning new export business and building international networks and partnerships. In 2012 for the first time Enterprise Ireland firms hit record €16bn in exports, up from €15.2bn in 2011.
Enterprise Ireland client companies achieved record exports in 2012 breaking €16bn for the first time, up from €15.2bn in 2011. Greatest wins came from sectors such as Engineering, Software, Internationally Traded Services and Medical Devices, while the outstanding geographical performance came from USA, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Throughout the year Irish companies continued to broaden their export footprint and increase their sales, in the face of increasing challenges across all global markets. The world economy is predicted to grow moderately (3.3%) in 2013 (Source: IMF April 2013) and the strong performance by Irish companies over the past year puts them in a very healthy position to capitalise on this growth.
Enterprise Ireland is increasing its activities to support clients win new export business and build international networks and partnerships. 2013 will see a record number of ministerial-led trade missions with an increased focus on high growth economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. This will be backed up by a wide range of inward buyer visits, study visits, trade fairs, Embassy events and knowledge seminars, all aimed at linking Irish companies to international buyers, leading to increased exports and jobs for Ireland.
Making the announcement, Frank Ryan, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: ”In Enterprise Ireland we are proud of the companies we work with and their tremendous achievement in continuing to increase export sales. These companies are responsible for 300,000 jobs and spend over €18bn in the Irish economy each year by winning business all over the world. It is especially encouraging to see significant gains in established markets like North America, the High Growth Economies of Asia Pacific and record performances from advanced engineering, software and medical device sectors”.
Commenting on the results Minister Bruton said: “Dynamic and innovative Irish companies are central to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs and these results today confirm that they are continuing to deliver for the Irish economy. Exports create jobs and the record figures announced here today are very promising for employment growth over the coming years. I congratulate all Irish exporters on this performance and credit also to Frank and his team at Enterprise Ireland”.
After the successful events in Budapest and Copenhagen, this year Dublin is hosting the largest pan-European eHealth conference. eHealth Week 2013 is taking place in the Convention Center in Dublin from 13th to 15th May as part of the Irish Presidency of the EU. Over a three day period, Ireland will be the eHealth capital of Europe.
After the successful events in Budapest and Copenhagen, this year Dublin is hosting the largest pan-European eHealth conference. eHealth Week 2013 is taking place in the Convention Center in Dublin from 13th to 15th May as part of the Irish Presidency of the EU. Over a three day period, Ireland will be the eHealth capital of Europe. Attracting more than 2,500 international delegates and 100 exhibitors, the eHealth Conference is the biggest eHealth event in Europe.
eHealth Week features two main events: the High Level eHealth Conference co-organised by the European Commission and the Irish Department of Health, and the World of Health IT Conference and Exhibition organised by HIMSS Europe.
The theme of this year’s eHealth Week is “Delivering Innovative Healthcare and Well-being”. The event will highlight the potential for eHealth development and showcase the very best that Ireland has to offer in this area, while also supporting the broader EU objectives of economic stability and sustainable growth.
Europe at national as well as cross-border level is facing challenges such as ageing society, chronic disease management, patient and professional mobility, health professional shortages, that eHealth could help to improve.
E-health provides a new method for using health resources – such as information, money, and medicines and is a recognised tool in enhancing the modernisation of national healthcare systems.
The EU e-Health sector includes large companies, but is particularly characterised by a very large number of SMEs.
In Ireland, Enterprise Ireland proactively engages with clients and the research community in exploiting opportunities in a sector which has huge potential. Enterprise Ireland has a client base of approximately 40 companies focused on this area across Lifesciences, Software and International Services. Companies operating in the eHealth space include Lincor, S3 Group, Rigney Dolphin, Vitalograph, Shimmer Research, Valentia Technologies, Radisens Diagnostics, to name just a few.
Connected Health (which encompasses eHealth) has been designated as one of the 14 prioritised research areas. These priority areas should deliver sustainable economic return through their contribution to enterprise development, employment growth, job retention and tangible improvements in quality of life. The development of Connected Health technologies requires a cross disciplinary approach involving many research disciplines and sectors. As such, recently, there have been a number of key strategic research investments:
Year 1 of a Technology Centre in Connected Health (ARCH - Applied Research in Connected Health) under the Technology Centre Enterprise Ireland/ IDA Initiative
The HIH (Healthcare Innovation Hub which is an interface between enterprise and the healthcare system and is supported by Enterprise Ireland)
INSIGHT (National Centre for Data Analytics – an SFI Centre) which will specialise in data analytics and deriving value from Connected Health data
Ireland has proven expertise in R&D and advanced manufacturing in medical technologies, embedded software systems and wireless communications. The Government continues to make significant investment in building the research capability in the eHealth arena and Ireland is now developing rapidly as an eco-system for eHealth solutions which will enable Irish companies to supply innovative products and services to global markets.
Cloud services are reshaping the way companies do business and manage their information. The Irish Internet Association, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and sponsored by Microsoft, is holding a series of Cloud Awareness and Adoption events for summer 2013 aimed at helping Irish SMEs assess the potential of using cloud-based business models to support their export growth.
Pictured (l-r): Claire Dillon, Microsoft Ireland; Lavinia Morris, Friends First; Frank Ryan, Enterprise Ireland; and Joan Mulvihill, Irish Internet Association
Cloud services are reshaping the way companies do business and manage their information. The Irish Internet Association, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and sponsored by Microsoft, is holding a series of Cloud Awareness and Adoption events for summer 2013 aimed at helping Irish SMEs assess the potential of using cloud-based business models to support their export growth.
The first Cloud Adoption Event will take place in Galway on Thursday, 30 May, with further events planned for Dublin and Cork early this summer.
This Cloud Awareness series is specifically designed to help companies to assess the benefits of cloud computing while managing any potential risks. Delegates will hear from other SMEs on how, why and what they moved to the cloud as well as from security and service contract experts who will guide delegates through the process.
“This is an important move to help increase the number of Irish businesses, small and large, who successfully adopt cloud computing, and is an important element of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs,” said Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland. “A central part of this plan is targeting key sectors where Ireland has competitive advantage and the potential to foster growth. One such sector is cloud computing, and a number of studies have reported that Ireland has potential to create high levels of growth and jobs in this sector if we move early.”
This series of IIA and Enterprise Ireland events were announced during National Cloud Week – a week of activities organised by Microsoft to drive cloud awareness and adoption. “There is enormous potential for the cloud to play a central role in driving economic growth and job creation but for its potential to be fulfilled it is critical that small businesses understand how they can tap into the benefits of cloud to help them scale for growth,” said Clare Dillon, developer and platform group lead with Microsoft Ireland.
A number of Enterprise Ireland client companies have brought us these positive jobs announcements in the past few weeks – investing, innovating, creating jobs. Take a look:
FeedHenry: 100 jobs over the next two years as part of a €7 million investment in the firm
Pictured at the announcement from left was Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Minister, Richard Bruton TD, FeedHenry CEO Cathal McGloin and Damien Callaghan, Investment Director at Intel Capital.
Waterford-based FeedHenry, a provider of cloud-based mobile enterprise application solutions has secured €7M ($9M) in a funding round led by Intel Capital and it plans to create 100 jobs over the next two years, with the majority located in its Waterford and Dublin offices.
The funding includes a seven figure investment from existing investor Kernel Capital. Other existing investors VMware Inc., Enterprise Ireland and private investors also participated and were joined by new investment from ACT Venture Capital. The new funding will provide FeedHenry with additional capital to accelerate the international roll-out of its award-winning cloud mobile application platform.
The investment was confirmed as Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Minister, Richard Bruton TD, and the new investors visited the Waterford office where the core research and development work is carried out in the 40-person company. The company has been supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland.
MicksGarage: €2.3 million investment and 65 new jobs
Pictured are MicksGarage.com's managing director Ciaran Crean and online and technology director Michael Crean, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, at the opening of MicksGarage.com’s new warehouse and office facility in Dublin.
Irish car parts and accessories e-commerce retailer MicksGarage.com is to create 65 new jobs over the next two years on the back of a €2.3m investment to expand the business. The announcement was made as the Taoiseach Enda Kenny opened the company’s new 32,000 square feet warehouse and office facility in Park West, Dublin 12.
Founded in 2004, MicksGarage has grown to become one of Europe’s largest car parts and accessories online retailers, delivering products across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. The business, which currently employs 34 staff, was set up by brothers, Ciaran and Michael Crean, from Ballina in Mayo.
The €2.3 million investment was made by the Ulster Bank Diageo Venture Fund managed by NCB Ventures, the AIB Seed Capital Fund managed by Dublin BIC and private investors. It will fund the business including the roll-out of localised MicksGarage websites for nine European markets including France, Germany and Sweden.
Fineos: to grow its workforce from 350 to 400 people
Pictured are (l-r): Michael Kelly, CEO of FINEOS with Minister Richard Bruton T.D.
Fineos, the Dublin-based technology company that provides claims management software for the global insurance industry, is to create 50 new technology jobs. They will see FINEOS’s workforce grow from 350 to 400.
40 of the jobs will be based in Dublin, with the balance spread between Australia, the US, and Canada. The new positions include Java software engineers, software testers, business analysts and technical implementation consultants.
FINEOS is also recruiting development and technical consultants in Poland, where it has a Software Development centre in Gdansk. The international positions reflect the key regional growth areas for the business.
Recruitment is currently underway for some of these positions and interested candidates can go to: www.FINEOS.com/about/careers
Opensky: 30 new jobs over the next 18 months
William Flanagan, CTO of Opensky Data Systems and Michael Cronin, CEO of Opensky.
Nass based Opensky Data Systems, Enterprise Ireland supported company, is to create 30 new jobs to meet the demands of new business and predicted growth over the next two years. In addition, Opensky is accelerating its expansion into Irish and international markets.
The additional jobs will now almost double the company’s current number of employees of 50, bringing the total to 80. The recruitment drive is expected to commence immediately.
Opensky provides business technology solutions, CRM, business intelligence and managed software services to the food manufacturing, retail and public sector. It has grown its revenues by 100% in the last two years and forecasts growth in the region of 60% in 2013.
Opensky Data Systems will look to recruit a wide range of staff, including software developers, project managers, support, sales and marketing and quality assurance personnel.
Storm Technology: over 20 new jobs
Pictured (l-r): Jim Cuddy, Finance and Enterprise Software Manager, Enterprise Ireland, Karl Flannery, CEO, Storm Technology and Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Storm Technology announced the creation of 21 new jobs to fuel the growth of its business technology consultancy services.
Storm Technology is a leading business technology consultancy that specializes in building solutions to help clients gain better value faster from the investments they have made in Microsoft technologies. They work with a diverse range of companies, both Irish and International, large and small and across many sectors and have offices in Dublin and Galway.
The new jobs, which are supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland, will include opportunities for senior technology consultants, experienced CRM Dynamics consultants, SharePoint and project management consultants along with roles for graduates and emerging talented software developers. The roles will be based in both Dublin and Galway.
Ireland is emerging as a major European destination for start-ups. The green isle has already become one of the top tech destinations in Europe, with an image to match the reality. Naghmeh Reilly, Overseas Entrepreneurship Executive at Enterprise Ireland talks to us about ‘Why Ireland’…
Naghmeh Reilly, Overseas Entrepreneurship Executive at Enterprise Ireland talks to us about ‘Why Ireland’…
Why Ireland is THE place to locate a start-up? I believe that as a hotbed of entrepreneurship, Ireland is a great place to both live and work. A young, vibrant, well educated workforce, and many sources of investment mean that there are many benefits to starting your company here.
How many international start-ups have already moved to Ireland? Last year we assisted 12 companies to move to Ireland. They represent a broad range of products and services including financial services, internet and software, life sciences, emergency shelters and toys.
Where do they come from? The promoters of these companies came from across the globe from UK, to US, Russia, Australia and South Africa. Examples include Sunergen who manufacture refrigeration equipment, Camba TV who provide security systems and Eden Shelter who provide emergency shelters solutions.
Are those entrepreneurs still happy they made the move? Entrepreneurs who have moved here with the help of Enterprise Ireland, have all commented on the fact that the range and depth of support services that they have received is unique and was one of the reasons that they decided to make the move to here.
What can Enterprise Ireland offer start-ups thinking about moving here? Our support services include both financial: feasibility grant, Competitive Start-up Fund (CSF) and equity investment, as well as non financial: access to mentors, helping them with finding clients and partners overseas and introductions to research institutes, to name just a few.
How do you target the potential entrepreneurs? Enterprise-Ireland has been proactively seeking for opportunities to promote Ireland and its offerings in the US, UK, Europe and Australia. These include PR campaigns in the UK, US and Australia as well as attending events aimed exclusively at startups such as Le Web in Paris or the event organsied by the Dublin Web Summit team in London and New York.
What’s happening this year? Where will we be able to see the Start in Ireland banner? During 2013 we are involved with a number events in Dublin including IN3 conference which took place in April and the MBA World Trophy in May. In the UK we are targeting the Manchester area for a seminar in May where we invited university start-ups and the Irish Diaspora to hear about what Ireland can offer start-ups. In the US we are running a 6 month campaign aimed at start-ups in the Med Tech sector. We are also working with our start-up Ambassadors to spread the message about Ireland. For example our office in Saudi organised a seminar in Riyadh in April in conjunction with Saudi Chamber of commerce where Paul Kenny our start-up ambassador for the Middle East was on the judging panel of a start-up pitch session. We are also presenting in Warsaw in June at an event for start-ups and we are looking at running a start-up competition in London later in the autumn.
Ireland's emerging digital marketing analytics company BOSS Metrics, led by founder and CEO Conor Lynch is riding the crest of the digital wave sweeping across the Irish business landscape since forming in 2012.
Pictured (l-r): Conor Lynch and Barry O' Sullivan of BOSS Metrics Analytics Software
Ireland's emerging digital marketing analytics company BOSS Metrics, led by founder and CEO Conor Lynch is riding the crest of the digital wave sweeping across the Irish business landscape since forming in 2012. A veteran of many award winning projects for such companies as Guinness, Toyota and Vodafone to name a few, the challenge of helping businesses everywhere to easily navigate the new digital frontier was too exciting a challenge for Lynch to ignore.
Between Conor, and co-founder and CTO Barry O'Sullivan, software product developer, they have created and launched BOSS Metrics and are starting to win new clients and projects. The company has grown from the support received from both the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund and the NDRC Launchpad programme in 2012.
BOSS Metrics is a brand's best friend when navigating the sometimes choppy and unchartered waters of social media and digital marketing. The product delivers businesses easily understandable but comprehensive digital diagnostics and performance audits for any company's digital, social and mobile channel activity. It allows better course correction for any brand's online communications, pointing out what activity and content style works and what isn't getting an effective response. This digital performance audit then includes a detailed action plan so brands can optimise their efforts online and work towards enhanced return on investment.
The jewel in BOSS Metrics crown is possibly its ‘digital espionage function’. Users can access detailed competitor reports and therefore benchmark their own efforts against competing brands in terms of using their online communication channels more effectively.
BOSS Metrics has already helped Irish businesses gain a stronger and more confident position in the digital space, in many sectors such as financial services, FMCG and leisure goods, technology and hospitality. The company continues to grow nationally and are working with Enterprise Ireland to target growth in the UK market in 2013 also.
According to Mike Hogan, Enterprise Ireland Manager for Poland, the trade mission provides an important platform for Irish companies wishing to expand their market footprint in Central and Eastern Europe.
An Enterprise Ireland trade mission, led by Minister for Small Business, John Perry TD will visit the Czech Republic and Poland from May 14 to 16. The focus of the mission will be to encourage more companies from the SME sector to export to these fast growing markets.
40 Irish ICT, engineering, lifesciences and internationally traded service companies will take part in the mission. The delegation will undertake a series of high level meetings with government Ministries in Prague and Warsaw, together with a number of business meetings and business networking events in both capitals. In parallel to the trade mission, two IT recruitment events are being organised in Warsaw and Gdansk, under the banner "IT - It's Happening Here" seeking to fill resource gaps in the Irish indigenous software sector.
According to Mike Hogan, Enterprise Ireland Manager for Poland, the trade mission will provide an important platform for Irish companies wishing to expand their market footprint in Central and Eastern Europe. Speaking in advance of the trade mission he said:
‘The Czech Republic and Poland were recently described by Morgan Stanley's Head of Emerging Market Equities as Europe's economic 'Sweet Spot' *, countries with medium GDP per head levels moving fast to the EU average. Indigenous Irish industry is particularly well matched to serve such middle income countries in terms of our export offering. Poland for example, is already a Top Ten export destination for Enterprise Ireland client exports, and with the last Irish census showing the Polish Diaspora to be around 3% of Ireland's population, and Polish our second most spoken language, there is certainly no storage of resources to drive exports to Poland. Irish goods and services exports to the Czech Republic and Poland are already Euro 1.9bn and this trade mission is part of our efforts to ensure Irish SMEs are part of this success story.
* Ruchir Sharma in his best selling 2012 book "Breakout Nations - In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles"
In April, twenty four Enterprise Ireland client companies were given an opportunity to showcase their products and develop new business opportunities with Turkish partners on a four-day trade mission led by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD.
Pictured L to R: John McSweeney, Head of Innovation at ESB, Serdar Bilgic, Head of Energy Generation at Unit, and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore in Istanbul at the announcement that ESB International has won its First contract in Turkey
In April, twenty four Enterprise Ireland client companies were given an opportunity to showcase their products and develop new business opportunities with Turkish partners during a four-day trade mission led by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD.
ESB International announced its first major deal in the Turkish market. Worth €30 million over the next five years, the company will operate and maintain a power station in conjunction with Turkish provider Unit Group.
Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer Combilift also signed a new a deal for new orders bringing total business with Turkish partner company Cuhadaroglu to € 1 million.
It followed the announcement of a joint venture by Meath-based steel fabricator Kells Stainless to develop biomass technology with Turkish partner UMDE.
Speaking in Istanbul, the Tánaiste said: "Trade between Turkey and Ireland has risen by 20 percent over the past three years thanks to the initiative of innovative Irish exporters who are driving that growth. This visit has been about supporting their efforts as they continue to make inroads into what is one of the fastest-growing markets in Europe. The deals they are doing here are translating into jobs at home".
At an event held at the Turkish Jockey Club in conjunction with animal feed producers Connolly's Redmills, the Tánaiste endorsed the Kilkenny-based company's work in the area of equine nutrition and welcomed the Jockey Club's continued interest and investment in the Irish bloodstock industry.
A new international scholarship scheme, aimed at attracting top students from priority and emerging markets to study in Ireland has been launched by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D.
Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, Marina Donohoe, Head of Education at Enterprise Ireland and students Himanshu Dadheech from India, studying at Waterford Institute of Technology, Xia Jiao from China, studying at Athlone Institute of Technology and Julia Daly, USA, who attends Trinity College Dublin.
A new international scholarship scheme, aimed at attracting top students from priority and emerging markets to study in Ireland has been launched by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD.
The first group of 20 international students have received their scholarships. The students from India, China and Brazil are in either their final year of undergraduate studies or at post-graduate level. Under the Government of Ireland International Scholarships they have all fees and registration charges waived and also receive €10,000 to cover living expenses for one year of study in Ireland.
A further 22 scholarships will be awarded to students from China, India, Brazil and the United States for the 2013/14 academic year.
Minister Quinn said, “This new scholarship scheme is a key part of our efforts to promote Ireland as a centre for international study. International students contribute over a billion Euro each year to the Irish economy, and this is a priority area in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs 2013”.
“We are a trading economy, and so we need to raise Ireland’s links with major emerging markets like China, Brazil and India. By awarding scholarships to top students from these countries, we are making an investment in our future trading relationships, which will benefit Irish business, tourism and cultural interests overseas”.
Also acknowledged at the event were participants in Education in Ireland’s International Student Ambassador Programme.
Minister Quinn thanked the Student Ambassadors, nearly 40 of whom have been actively engaged in promoting Ireland through social media: “This outstanding group of young people from around the world are playing a crucial role in promoting Ireland as an education destination. Their tweets, blogs, posts and podcasts are reaching the student audiences we want to hear about Ireland”.
The International Scholars and Student Ambassadors were awarded certificates at the Department of Education and Skills and were honoured by a reception at Áras an Úachtaráin in the presence of the President Michael D. Higgins.
Marina Donohoe, Head of Education at Enterprise Ireland which manages the International Student Ambassador programme added, “Education in Ireland, the umbrella brand for promoting Irish higher education institutions in international markets, is actively targeting students in India, Brazil, the USA, China and the Middle East to encourage them to study in Ireland. The power of social media cannot be overestimated as we seek to interact with international students."
“In January 2012 we had 42,008 online interactions with the Education in Ireland brand. A year on, this number has increased to 631,000 – reflecting the success of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to promote and drive the Education in Ireland brand online using social media with significant inputs from our International Student Ambassadors. Students talk to each other online. The blogs, videos, tweets and podcasts posted by our Student Ambassadors are a great endorsement of student life in Ireland and a fantastic way to help promote Ireland as a destination for international education”.
Under the auspices of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a prestigious three day conference, ‘The Week of Innovative Regions in Europe’ (WIRE), will take place in Cork from 5 - 7 June 2013.
Pictured L-R: Prof Anita Maguire, VP Research & Innovation, UCC with Sean Sherlock TD Minister of State for Research and Innovation and Enda McDonnell, Regional Director, South & South East, Enterprise Ireland
The WIRE2013 Conference will see up to 500 delegates from 20 countries coming together to focus on regional aspects relevant to the final stages of the design and legislative process for the European Union’s next funding programme, Horizon 2020. As a result, European regional policy and regional development will be influenced by this conference.
Organised by Enterprise Ireland, the Conference will directly engage with and include the business community, SMEs and multinational corporations, bringing them together with regional, national and European stakeholders - including public organisations, policymakers, research communities and enterprises - to address, develop and progress the strengthening of regional ecosystems in the areas of research, technological development and innovation.
The theme of the Conference is ‘Regions: leading the way’ and will include high profile speakers such as Sean Sherlock TD Minister of State for Research and Innovation and Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science.
Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn will also award the winners of the first European Prize for Innovation in Public Administration. Nine local, regional and national authorities across Europe will be awarded 100 000 EUR for their initiatives that benefit citizens, firms or education and research to scale up their winning initiatives. The Prizes should highlight efficient public spending and inspire others to follow their example.
Financed by the European Commission, the WIRE Conference series is recognised as a key element in promoting regional development. The Conference will aim to identify what role there can be for regions in the Horizon 2020 programme as well as challenges, niche opportunities to add value, how to exploit opportunities as well as providing a platform to benchmark, network and establish future partnerships.
Commenting on Cork hosting this important conference, Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock said: ‘I am delighted that Cork has been chosen to host the WIRE2013 Conference. The rapid transformation of Ireland from an agriculture based nation on the periphery of Europe to a competitive, high-tech world player is typified by the Cork region. The South West Region has a highly dynamic industrial sector with many of the world's leading multinational corporations having their European headquarters in the area.
‘The role of Structural Funds here can be used as a model of success; through integration into a coherent national policy framework and prioritisation of investment, in particular human resources, education and training, which has been a key factor in making Ireland attractive for foreign direct investment. The unique internationalisation activity of the region, with 133 overseas companies employing over 21,000 people, makes it a fitting location for the WIRE2013 Conference’ Minister Sherlock added.
Seas, oceans and coasts constitute a rich and often underestimated resource. They are linked to innovation, growth and employment and they also provide invaluable ecosystem services and contribute to numerous socio-economic activities.
Pictured (l-r): Barry Fennell, International Technology Programmes at Enterprise Ireland, Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock T.D. and Dr Volker Liebig, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes
Seas, oceans and coasts constitute a rich and often underestimated resource. They are linked to innovation, growth and employment and they also provide invaluable ecosystem services and contribute to numerous socio-economic activities.
Over 120 specialists from across Europe recently gathered in Cork at the “Space Innovation Powering Blue Growth” conference to discuss how space technologies can contribute to increasing the Irish maritime sector's contribution to Europe’s economic growth and recovery.
Opening the conference Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock, said: “There are over 40 Irish companies currently engaged in ESA programmes many of which are directly addressing global challenges such as climate change, sea-level rise, maritime surveillance and marine environmental monitoring. This is a growing industry and one which will guarantee high-quality jobs for Irish people and benefit our economy into the future”.
Dr Volker Liebig, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes was a key note speaker at the conference. According to him, Irish companies and researchers have distinguished themselves in European Space Agency (ESA) programmes by developing innovative maritime services using satellite derived data in areas as diverse as marine renewables, fisheries protection, aquaculture and tourism.
Outlining the potential role of space-based systems in seizing future economic opportunities in the Maritime sector, Dr. Liebig remarked “Data from satellites help identify how our oceans are used and there is a very strong demand from the marine community and operational agencies for this type of information. For example, oil spills and pollution know no borders, use of and access to shipping routes is becoming increasingly complex, and illegal activities require robust maritime surveillance capabilities.”
In outlining opportunities for Ireland in particular, Dr. Liebig points to Ireland’s extensive maritime area, which makes it one of the EU’s largest member states – “This national asset is a largely untapped source of many new business opportunities, especially for Irish SMEs".
1600 direct and indirect jobs and 450 construction jobs will be created by Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Limited (GIIL) in a Government-supported investment which will contribute an estimated €400 million p.a. to the economy, with particular benefit to farm families and rural communities. Enterprise Ireland will part-fund the development of a world-class dairy facility in Belview, on the Kilkenny/Waterford border.
Pictured (L-R): Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland; Jim Bergin, CEO of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland; Phil Hogan TD, Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government; Taoiseach Enda Kenny; Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food; Liam Herlihy, Chairman of Glanbia plc; Tom Hayes TD; Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Senator Pat O’Neill; Hugh Cooney, Chairman of Enterprise Ireland. Photo by Jason Clarke
1600 direct and indirect jobs and 450 construction jobs will be created by Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Limited (GIIL) in a Government-supported investment which will contribute an estimated €400 million p.a. to the economy, with particular benefit to farm families and rural communities.
Enterprise Ireland will part-fund the development of a world-class dairy facility in Belview, on the Kilkenny/Waterford border. Construction is set to commence on 17 May and the new facility is expected to begin production in Spring 2015.
GIIL will employ 76 staff directly at the plant with 1,600 jobs created indirectly on farms, suppliers and maintenance. Some 450 construction workers will be employed during the build.
GIIL is Ireland’s leading dairy ingredients company – processing 1.6 billion litres of milk or 30% of Ireland’s milk pool into a range of dairy ingredients for export to more than 50 countries. All produce from the new facility will be destined for export markets.
The scale and scope of Belview is extremely ambitious. As the dairy industry purchases 90% of its inputs from the domestic economy, there will be a maximum impact on the income of farm families – boosting the rural economy and the local industries that will service on-farm expansion.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny who attended the announcement said: “It is the largest single dairy investment in the history of the State and will contribute greatly to Ireland's export-led recovery."
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD stated that the announcement by GIIL is a milestone in realising the tremendous potential for dairy expansion which is a cornerstone of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy.
Welcoming the Government’s announcement CEO of GIIL, Jim Bergin added: "The Belview facility is a significant, strategic development for our business. Most of all it reflects our confidence in, and commitment to our 4,300 milk suppliers. By providing this additional processing capacity we will be facilitating milk suppliers in their ambition to avail of the opportunity presented by quota abolition post 2015".
Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: “Today’s announcement will further secure Ireland’s standing as a world-leader in the dairy industry”.
The support of Enterprise Ireland will allow GIIL to target value-added markets; further invest in technology and innovation; build organisational capability, significantly enhance sustainability and accelerate the company’s expansion plans with its 4,300 milk suppliers. GIIL is working in partnership with its suppliers on a range of programmes to prepare for expansion, including index-linked milk pricing, volatility management tools, a sustainability programme and financial training.
