Enterprise Ireland in partnership with the Institutes of Technology has established a nationwide network of 15 Technology Gateways. Companies all over Ireland are using Technology Gateways to develop new or better products and services and smarter ways of doing things

Through the Technology Gateway Network, companies leverage the expertise of over 300 industry-focused researchers, together with the specialist equipment and facilities of the institutes of technology, to access near-to-market innovation and solutions. Since 2008, over 600 Irish companies have used the Technology Gateway Network on more than 1,500 innovation projects and recent research indicates that for every €1 invested in Technology Gateways Network, company turnover increased by €5.85.

Galway based Neuravi has developed an innovative clot-retrieving device designed to treat patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Ischemic stroke is characterised by the sudden loss of blood circulation to an area of the brain, resulting in a corresponding loss of neurologic function. Through an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership, MET Gateway, GMIT collaborated with Neuravi to develop an in vitro simulation system to verify the device performance prior to in vivo trials. Note: The lighted box is an in vitro silicone model of a vascular system that MET uses to mimic real life vascular systems.

For more information on the Technology Gateways visit: Technology Gateways

In April 2014 Ireland published its first National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility. A CSR Stakeholder Forum was established and is convened by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. One of the key objectives of the National Plan on CSR is to increase awareness of CSR and its benefits to business and wider society.

Carefully implemented Corporate Social Responsibility policies can deliver tangible benefits to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises helping to:

• Win new business and increase customer retention
• Develop and enhance relationships with suppliers and networks
• Attract, retain and maintain a happy workforce and become an employer of choice
• Save money on energy and operating costs
• Manage risk

As a member of the National CSR Stakeholder Forum, Enterprise Ireland is working with other Government Departments and Agencies, representatives of the business sector and civil society, as well as the wider community, to assist with achieving the objectives identified in the National Plan on CSR.  Further information can be found on our website Enterprise Ireland or through the national CSR Hub CSR Hub