30 Irish companies participated in the recent Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission to Canada led by Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. The aim of the trade mission was to cement existing business and open new doors for increased trade between Ireland and Canada.
Pictured (L-R): Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Callie Woodward, Director Continuous Improvement Tim Hortons, Minister Richard Bruton TD, John Whelton, VP North American Operations Leading Edge Group
30 Irish companies participated in the recent Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission to Canada led by Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. The aim of the trade mission was to cement existing business and open new doors for increased trade between Ireland and Canada.
Exports to Canada by Enterprise Ireland clients rose by 19% to €224m in 2011. Frank Ryan, CEO, Enterprise Ireland commented: ’Canada is an extremely important market for Irish companies, and the expected 20% growth in exports to Canada by Enterprise Ireland client companies in 2012 clearly demonstrates that there are significant, tangible opportunities for increased trade and partnerships between Irish and Canadian companies.’
The clients came from a variety of sectors including mobile, telecoms and financial software, infrastructure, business process outsourcing, agri-tech, consumer products, and education services.
Speaking following his return to Ireland Minister Bruton said: “Central to the Government’s plan for jobs and growth is creating a powerful engine of indigenous enterprise. Indigenous exporting companies currently directly and indirectly employ over 300,000 people in Ireland. If we are to create the jobs and growth we need we must build on this to improve the performance of our domestic industries, and through the Action Plan for Jobs we are providing a range of improved supports to help achieve this.
“The intensive programme of trade and investment missions which I – along with many other Ministers – have led since taking office is a major part of this. The 30 companies who accompanied us on this mission to Canada have seen significant benefits in terms of new business won and new contacts made which will lead directly to increases in exports and ultimately more jobs in Ireland. Through continued strong implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs I am determined to ensure that we can continue our strong export performance, create a powerful engine of indigenous enterprise and create the jobs we need”.
A total of €8 million in new business contracts were announced by Irish companies during the Trade Mission to Canada along with a further five significant new Irish – Canadian partnerships. Ten Irish companies set up offices in Canada this year, nine of which are in the Great Toronto area.
A total of €8 million in new business contracts were announced by Irish companies during the Trade Mission to Canada along with a further five significant new Irish – Canadian partnerships. Ten Irish companies set up offices in Canada this year, nine of which are in the Great Toronto area. Some key announcements included:
Waterford based Zolkc announced that over 20,000 tourists have used their vGuide, a handheld video and audio guide for visitor attractions in Canada, most significantly at the CN Tower. At the touch of the screen, visitors are immersed in richly interpreted multimedia stories about the view they are looking at. Minister Bruton tried the vGuide at the CN Tower, where the CN Tower went green for the occasion.
Millmount Healthcare, an Irish pharmaceutical packaging company, announced the completion of its first major order with major Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex Inc. for the contract packaging of their high-value pharmaceutical products.
Lincor Solutions, a life sciences company based in Cork, announced over $4 million CAN in new business with hospitals in Quebec and Newfoundland.
Leading Edge Group (Cork), a business process and consultancy company announced several major contracts worth over $350,000 CAN with new clients including the Ministry of Health in Alberta and Toyota dealerships in Quebec and Ontario.
FINEOS Corporation, based in Dublin, a provider of claims management software, announced a significant contract with the Manitoba Teachers Society, to manage claims and payments from its employee benefits plan.
Dundalk-based Multihog Ltd announced a significant deal with Vancouver Airport to supply three Multihog base vehicles and a wide range of attachments. The machines supplied for Vancouver will primarily be used for snow clearance and de-icing around parked aircrafts.
13 of Ireland's leading travel technology and services companies descended on Scottsdale, Arizona this November for the PhoCusWright Conference. Attended by C-level executives from every major name in the industry, the PhoCusWright Conference is the premier event for the travel and hospitality industries in the US.
13 of Ireland's leading travel technology and services companies descended on Scottsdale, Arizona this November for the PhoCusWright Conference. Attended by C-level executives from every major name in the industry, the PhoCusWright Conference is the premier event for the travel & hospitality industries in the US. The conference involved three days of unparalleled industry insight and partnership opportunities for our Irish clients.
Two CEOs of Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start Up (HPSU) clients Jonathan Ruane, Eventovate and Dave O'Flanagan, Boxever, were selected as the first European entrepreneurs to take part in the prestigious PhoCusWright Class of 35 Young Leaders Summit. This was a proud achievement for the Irish delegation, and a major boost to the country’s reputation as a hotbed for technological innovation in the travel industry.
As a market study visit, the PhoCusWright Conference proved invaluable to participating clients as a source of cutting edge industry research, in identifying opportunities and requirements for growth in the US, and positioning Ireland as a stronghold in the travel industry.
Irish companies at the PhoCusWright Conference included:
Bookassist - booking technology and online strategy for hotels
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD has announced the 11 companies that will participate in the Enterprise Ireland SuperValu Supplier Development Programme. The programme, now in its sixth year, aims to assist emerging Irish food companies to achieve retail listings with supermarkets. To date, previous participants have benefited from €15 million in direct sales from SuperValu and created hundreds of jobs.
Pictured at the launch of Enterprise Ireland SuperValu Supplier Development Programme are (L-R): Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, Claire Dalton from Kilbeg Dairies- Co. Meath, and Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD has announced the 11 companies that will participate in the Enterprise Ireland SuperValu Supplier Development Programme. The programme, now in its sixth year, aims to assist emerging Irish food companies to achieve retail listings with supermarkets. To date, previous participants have benefited from €15 million in direct sales from SuperValu and created hundreds of jobs.
Developed by Enterprise Ireland in conjunction with SuperValu, and assisted by Bord Bia and Teagasc, the Programme delivers support for small or emerging food companies to achieve the product quality, service standards and technical innovation necessary to reach supermarket shelves.
The six-month long programme consists of both workshops delivered by SuperValu and industry experts and one-on-one mentoring. This year’s participants are: Kilbeg Dairies, Clotilde’s Fruit Compote, Drombeg Spirits, Biddy Gonzales, Simplee, Jack Molloys, Flatbread Company, Pure Brazen, Kavanagh’s Fine Foods, Bombay Pantry and Pie Irish.
Launching the programme Minister Coveney said: “The market know-how of a company such as SuperValu is a huge benefit to food producers seeking to reach more consumers and to grow their businesses in line with Food Harvest 2020. A comprehensive retail programme such as this equips participants with skills required to secure and maintain a listing and so build a high profile route to market for their products.“
In 2011 the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu, was worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector.
Enterprise Ireland has established a new Micro Enterprise and Small Business Division to spearhead the delivery of an enhanced national enterprise support model to entrepreneurs and small businesses in 2013. This is a key part of the Government’s plans to restructure the support infrastructure for small businesses and represents delivery of a key action under the Action Plan for Jobs 2012. The announcement was made by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and the Minister of State for Small Business John Perry TD.
Pictured at the launch with Minister Richard Bruton (right) and Minister John Perry (2nd from left) were Colm MacFhionnlaoich, Enterprise Ireland Manager, Get Export Ready (left) and Tom Hayes, Enterprise Ireland Head of Micro Enterprise and Small Business.
Enterprise Ireland has established a new Micro Enterprise and Small Business Division to spearhead the delivery of an enhanced national enterprise support model to entrepreneurs and small businesses in 2013. This is a key part of the Government’s plans to restructure the support infrastructure for small businesses and represents delivery of a key action under the Action Plan for Jobs 2012. The announcement was made by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and the Minister of State for Small Business John Perry TD.
The Micro Enterprise and Small Business Division will develop a world-class Centre of Excellence providing best-in-class support to entrepreneurs and small business in the execution of a national micro enterprise policy. The new business support model will also see the establishment next year of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in the local authority network and these new offices will deliver services and support to the micro and small business sectors on behalf of Enterprise Ireland.
The Centre of Excellence will:
Operate Service Level Agreements between Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities
Drive progression of high potential companies from the LEO network to Enterprise Ireland
Develop and train LEO staff to ensure that core enterprise support skills are maintained and enhanced
Establish a new online support system which will respond to the needs of all entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises throughout the country
Making the announcement Minister Bruton said: ‘Micro and small businesses are the engine of the Irish economy, and employ over 650,000 people. If we are going to create the jobs and growth we need we must provide better supports to this sector so that more of these businesses can start-up, grow, export, and create the jobs we need. That is why as part of the Action Plan for Jobs we have introduced a range of new measures aimed at micro and small businesses, including the €90million microfinance scheme and the €450million credit guarantee scheme.
‘A key part of this plan is ensuring that micro and small businesses throughout the country have access to the best possible range of supports at all stages of their developments. Today’s announcement represents the latest stage in the delivery of that plan. The creation of a Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland will drive the delivery of best practice supports across the country, ensure that entrepreneurs and small business people have access to the supports they need so that they can expand, grow and create the jobs we need”.
Irish animation studio JAM Media, an Enterprise Ireland client, won a BAFTA Drama Award for their long-standing CBBC series ‘Roy’ at the prestigious British Academy Children’s Awards.
Irish animation studio JAM Media, an Enterprise Ireland client, won a BAFTA Drama Award for their long-standing CBBC series ‘Roy’ at the prestigious British Academy Children’s Awards.
Shot as a fly on the wall documentary, cartoon character Roy lives in the real world. The series lets kids gain access into Roy’s unique life and see that despite his obvious physical differences, inside, he is just the same as they are. They see too how being “different” gets Roy tormented and makers of the show say it magnifies every child’s desire to fit in and be accepted.
"The series speaks to all children in that everyone has at one time or another felt different. Roy is a humorous take on this theme,” said John Rice, JAM Media CEO and ‘Roy’ exec producer.
“The competition was stiff and this award, coming just after the re-commission of a double series of Roy by CBBC, proves that the series and the character of Roy really seems to resonate with viewers in the UK, Ireland and beyond.”
The company earlier announced that the BBC had commissioned a second series of Roy. The decision is worth €8.5 million to Jam Media and will lead to the creation of 60 new jobs.
2012 has been a good year for JAM Media as earlier this year, the company also won the Cartoon Forum Producer of the Year Award.
Dublin based Boulder Media also won a children’s BAFTA’s for writing and animation on its co-production ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’.
‘The Amazing World of Gumball’ combines 2D and 3D animation in a live-action setting, and follows the misadventures of 12-year old Gumball and his family in the town of Elmore. The series received its international debut in May and is the first full-length animated series to emerge from Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe.
Helix Health selected as National Champion in highly-competitive European Business Awards
Irish business lands 3D printer contract
Clean Tech Company Receives Energy Boost
Enterprise Ireland client company Wattics has been named the Best Emerging Company at the 2012 InterTradeIreland (ITI) Seedcorn Business Competition.
The UCD-CLARITY spin-out, established in 2011, received an energy boost as it picked up a winner’s cheque for €50,000 at the awards ceremony in Belfast’s Titanic museum in November.
Wattics’ software connects to off-the-shelf smart meters and discreetly decodes energy patterns of individual electrical loads demonstrating energy savings for businesses.
Antonio Ruzzelli, CEO and Co-Founder of Wattics commenting on company growth and industry recognition said: “Our focus over the past 18 months has been to transform the company from a seed start-up into a significant commercial entity. We know the implications of Wattics solutions for energy saving and for appliance manufacturers globally are immense. Future plans are now firmly focused on bigger market share and a massive growth to bring the company to €10M sales by 2015. The team is thrilled to have received this award, market validation and scalability for our product.”
Helix Health selected as National Champion in highly-competitive European Business Awards
The European Business Awards has announced that Helix Health is to represent Ireland as a National Champion in the prestigious 2012/13 Awards programme. Helix Health has been selected as one of just eleven National Champions and will now compete for the coveted Ruban D’Honneur status in the next round of the competition.
Between now and January 2013, National Champions will be reassessed by a third panel of judges made up of Europe-wide business leaders, academics and entrepreneurs who will award the top organisations the coveted Ruban d’Honneur status. Finally, after face-to-face presentations, the Ruban d’Honneur recipients will be honoured and the names of the overall winners will be revealed at a Gala awards ceremony in April 2013.
An Irish company has landed a contract to supply 3D printers to one of the world’s biggest office supply chains.
Mcor Technologies has signed a deal with Staples, that will offer instore 3D printing for customers in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The deal puts Mcor to the forefront of one of the most hyped areas in technology. It means Staples customers will be able to order any object they like and the printer will create it for them as they wait.
Mcor Technologies chief executive Conor MacCormack said: “Staples is uniquely positioned to become the pre-eminent service bureau to the world and we will help them deliver highest quality and value. Staples Easy 3D is a breakthrough service in innovation and access for consumers and businesses alike.”
Mr MacCormack said he expected Staples to bring 3D printing to other countries within months.
Irish companies participating in Enterprise Ireland trade mission to South Africa, led by Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD in November secured new contracts totalling over €6m and agreed significant business alliances across a range of business sectors.
Pictured in South Africa are: Ian Dodson, President and CEO Digital Marketing Institute; Dr Carla Ensin, co-founder Vega School of Brand Leadership and Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello TD
Irish companies participating Enterprise Ireland trade mission to South Africa, led by Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD in November secured new contracts totalling over €6m and agreed significant business alliances across a range of business sectors.
Minister Costello also launched two industry expert panels that will support Irish companies seeking to win new business in South Africa in the financial services and telecommunications sectors. These announcements underline the growing opportunities for Irish companies in the very important South Africa market, a priority market under the Government’s Trade Strategy, which is also considered to be the gateway to Sub- Saharan Africa.
The trade mission involving 35 companies, which was primarily focussed on the ICT, international education and financial services sectors, was organised by Enterprise Ireland in close cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria.
Minister Costello described the trade mission as very important in terms of deepening Ireland’s trade and economic ties in the region, as well as supporting the aims of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Africa Strategy.
“This was a highly successful mission both in terms of business secured and in terms of the introductions and connections made. It is tremendously encouraging to see Irish companies winning new business in South Africa. Enterprise Ireland opened a new office in Johannesburg in February of this year that acts as a hub for supporting Irish companies in growing their trade relationships and export sales in South Africa and in the wider Sub-Saharan African market of over 900 million people. My Department, the Embassy Network and Enterprise Ireland are working closely together to ensure that Irish exports to these increasingly important markets continue to grow, in line with the aims of my Department’s Africa Strategy and the overall Government Trade Strategy”.
Among the contracts and alliances agreed were:
Digital Marketing Institute agreed a partnership with Vega School of Brand Leadership that will see over 3,000 students undertake digital marketing training in South Africa. Vega School will deliver the Digital Marketing Institute’s Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing programme. The Institute forecasts that the South Africa market will generate revenues in excess of €3m by 2015.
The Now Factory signed a new contract with Vodacom for its Mobile Moments Vantage solution, enabling the South Africa-based operator to accurately measure the performance of its data network in real time and optimise the customer experience of its 31 million subscribers.
Druid Software, the Irish mobile network software development company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jasco, the South African owned ICT converged solutions provider, to supply Fixed Mobile Converged solutions to enterprise customers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Minister Costello also inaugurated Enterprise Ireland’s Expert Panels in Financial Services and in Telecommunications to support Irish companies in these sectors increase their business presence and win new export contracts in the growing South African market. These expert panels are made up of industry experts in South Africa with extensive expertise and knowledge of the market and industry institutions. They will provide strategic planning support, advice and introductions for Irish companies seeking to enter or expand their business in the market.
Enterprise Ireland’s Big Ideas Showcase at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, the largest gathering of inventors and investors in the country, this year introduced 19 inventions, developed by publicly-funded research, to more than 300 possible investors and business partners.
Enterprise Ireland’s Big Ideas Showcase at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, the largest gathering of inventors and investors in the country, this year introduced 19 inventions, developed by publicly-funded research, to more than 300 possible investors and business partners.
Among the ‘Big Ideas’ pitched to potential investors at the event were technologies capable of raising IQ, improving hygiene in hospitals, halving hot water bills, and reducing horse-breeding costs.
Minister for State for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock, said: "The Government is striving to create the right environment where ideas can be identified, protected, and commercialised, leading to the creation of much-needed jobs for this economy.
"Since 2007, Enterprise Ireland has provided €30m under the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative to the third-level sector and this is having a real and tangible effect.
“This event is about turning publicly-funded research into companies, spin-outs, intellectual property and jobs. It’s about cultivating the investment by the taxpayer in our third level institutions, and harvesting the rewards”.
Greg Treston, Head of Research and Innovation at Enterprise Ireland, said: "The focus of the Big Ideas event is to get deals down between the inventors and investors during the 150+ one-to-one meetings that take place”.
The Minister also presented Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Awards to three individuals who earned the award by exhibiting a strong commitment to commercialisation, showing innovation in their approach to commercialisation and demonstrating success in commercialisation.
The Winners of the Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Awards were: Dr Alan Holland, ICT. Professor Dolores O’Riordan, Lifescience. Stephen Daniels, Manufacturing, Engineering and Energy.
More about the winners:
Dr Alan Holland: Winner of the Enterprise Ireland ICT commercialisation award: Dr Alan Holland is receiving this award in recognition of his success in bringing his publicly funded research idea from University College Cork into business reality, through the start up company – Keelvar. The company has developed and launched ‘smart’ procurement software which can find substantial cost savings for public sector and other large clients.
Professor Dolores O’Riordan: Winner of the Enterprise Ireland Lifescience Commercialisation Award: Professor Dolores O’Riordan, Deputy Director at UCD’s Institute of Food and Health, is receiving this award for her contribution to innovation in the food sector through collaboration with industry. She is Principal Investigator in the collaborative research centre Food for Health Ireland and has been instrumental in developing a new strategy for University College Dublin to facilitate establishing industry partnerships for food product development.
Stephen Daniels: Winner of the Enterprise Ireland Manufacturing, Engineering and Energy Commercialisation Award: Stephen Daniels, Senior Lecturer in the School of Electronic Engineering at DCU, is receiving this award for his outstanding entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to commercialising research. Stephen has been instrumental in the formation of several technology businesses including Arann Healthcare Ltd, Qualflow Systems Ltd, Lexas Research and Sonex Metrology. As well as his post at DCU, Stephen leads a multidisciplinary research team in plasma technology and energy systems.
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD launched the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4), a new government-funded technology centre in Dublin City University to drive cloud computing innovation in Ireland.
Pictured at the launch of the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4) are Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD with Professor Brian MacCraith, President of Dublin City University
The centre’s aim is to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud technology in Ireland, develop and showcase Ireland’s capabilities in this field and ultimately benefit the Irish economy through job creation and increased revenues in the ICT sector. The industry-led centre has a strong industry panel that includes Microsoft, Fujitsu, Intel and IBM. It will build on Ireland’s substantial research base in this area and focus on partnering researchers with industry in order to turn good research ideas into good jobs in the Irish economy.
Launching the centre, Minister Bruton said: “Cloud computing is already a significant part of the overall market for information technology and services and is now one of the fastest growing segments of the market. That's why as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs we have specifically targeted this sector for jobs and growth in the coming years.
“A major part of supporting job creation in this sector is ensuring that we derive the greatest possible benefit from the major state investment in scientific research over the past decade. We must ensure not only that we continue to support cutting-edge scientific research, but also that we put in place measures to ensure that we can turn the good ideas emerging from that research into good jobs. That is why we have developed this industry-led technology research centre, to bring industry and researchers together so that they can focus on creating viable businesses and ultimately create the jobs we need”.
Gerard Lande, senior commercialisation specialist at Enterprise Ireland added:
“Cloud Computing transcends traditional business boundaries and opens up many new opportunities in service sector with global value chains. Developing capability in this area is increasingly important as cloud computing proliferates into other business domains.
“This centre is a significant step for SMEs and multinational companies in Ireland’s technology sector. It enables Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support the large client base companies currently operating in this vibrant and diverse sector. Also, by its multi-disciplinary nature, this centre leverages the capabilities of business researchers and computing technologists providing significant opportunities to innovate on the fringes of both domains.
Theo Lynn, Principal Investigator at DCU, said:
“Cloud computing represents a huge growth opportunity for both the EU and Ireland. A recent IDC report suggests that it could contribute up to €250 billion to EU GDP in 2020 and over 3.8 million jobs. The government’s commitment to establishing this new technology centre in this area shows vision and provides a platform for government agencies, industry and the university sector to collaborate to ensure Ireland is well placed to exploit the opportunities that will emerge over the coming years in this space.”
The 10 other industry-led research centres in the Technology Centres Programme are:
Irish exporting companies Combilift, Dennison Trailers, Cupprint and the Irish Dairy Board are the winners of “Irish Exporter to Germany Awards”. The awards were presented by the Minister for Education and Skills Mr Ruairi Quinn at a ceremony in Enterprise Ireland.
Pictured (l-r): Deirdre McPartlin, Manager Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Enterprise Ireland, Holger Erdmann, German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and Martin McVicar – CEO, Combilift, who won Best Overall Irish Exporter to Germany Award.
Irish exporting companies Combilift, Dennison Trailers, Cupprint and the Irish Dairy Board are the winners of “Irish Exporter to Germany Awards”. The awards were presented by the Minister for Education and Skills Mr Ruairi Quinn at a ceremony in Enterprise Ireland.
The awards are sponsored by German freight forwarding and logistics solutions provider DB Schenker and were organised by Enterprise Ireland and the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The aim of the awards was to mark 50 years of Irish export success to Germany and the 50th anniversary of the opening of Ireland’s first trade office in Frankfurt in 1962.
The Best Overall Exporter to Germany Award went to Combilift from Gallinagh in Co. Monaghan. Combilift manufactures customised forklifts and material handling solutions. Naas-based Dennison Trailers won “Best Emerging Exporter” on the back of their targeted approach to entering the German marketplace. The jury awarded the “Best German Online Presence” to Cupprint from Ennis, Co. Clare which offers bespoke branded paper cups and winning most of their 1,000 German customers from their German language web shop.
The Irish Dairy Board received a special ‘Outstanding Achievement’ award for its outstanding performance for over 40 years in the German marketplace, becoming the number one branded butter in Germany with Kerrygold and effectively being a trailblazer for many other Irish exporters who followed.
Announcing the winners, Minister Quinn said: “Germans call the small and medium enterprises and family-owned companies which form the backbone of the German economy their “Hidden Champions”. These awards celebrate Ireland’s own “Hidden Champions” who are well on their way to becoming European or global leaders in their sectors. Success in Germany - a market which sets the highest possible standards for suppliers – is hard won and requires a truly high-quality offering. With three of the four winners coming from outside Dublin and all increasing their employment, these are success stories for the whole country to celebrate.”
Frank Ryan, CEO Enterprise Ireland added: “Enterprise Ireland clients had their strongest year ever in 2011 and indications are that 2012 will be an even stronger year. Germany has played a central role in this growth. Our clients’ exports to Germany grew by 22% in 2010 and 17% in 2011. It is a reflection of the ever increasing sophistication achieved by Irish companies that they are growing strongly in a mature market like Germany where they face competition from both local players and other highly skilled economies”.
Equinome, a leading Irish equine genomics company, has opened a sales and marketing office in Sydney in response to rising demand for its equine genomics services in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia and New Zealand are world leaders in the bloodstock industry and home to many of the world’s finest Thoroughbred racehorses.
Pictured are Dr Emmeline Hill, a University College Dublin (UCD) genomics scientist, and Irish racehorse trainer and breeder Jim Bolger, co-founders, Equinome, the UCD equine genomics company with the racehorse Banimpire.
Equinome, a leading Irish equine genomics company, has opened a sales and marketing office in Sydney in response to rising demand for its equine genomics services in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia and New Zealand are world leaders in the bloodstock industry and home to many of the world’s finest Thoroughbred racehorses.
Equinome’s latest development follows the launch in 2010 of their first test, the Equinome Speed Gene Test and subsequent launch of the Equinome Elite Performance Test in 2011.
Equinome, an Enterprise Ireland client company, has already secured clients in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Ireland, UK, France, Russia and Singapore. In recent months, major Australian stallion farms Widden Stud and Swettenham Stud have publicly begun to market their stallions with their results from Equinome’s genetic tests.
University College Dublin spin-out, based at NovaUCD, Equinome was established in 2009 by Dr Emmeline Hill, a UCD genomics scientist, in partnership with Mr Jim Bolger, the renowned Irish racehorse trainer and breeder.
Equinome researchers, in collaboration with UCD researchers, have published more scientific papers on Thoroughbred exercise genomics than any other research group worldwide. Through its associations with top-class breeders and trainers, Equinome has access to large numbers of elite horses at various stages of training and competition that provide subjects for its on-going research programme to identify and characterise the molecular genetic variants underlying key performance and health traits in the Thoroughbred.
Equinome’s latest announcement, made at an event held in Enterprise Ireland’s offices in Sydney was attended by Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, Leo Varadkar TD who was on a tourism and trade visit to Australia to promote Irish business, tourism and the Gathering Ireland 2013.
Speaking following the announcement, Minister Varadkar TD said, “Equinome’s Australasian office marks a new chapter for this pioneering Irish company. The company’s genetic tests for Thoroughbred horses are truly innovative and have the potential to make a significant contribution to the further development of the Thoroughbred industry. This new office will enable Equinome to gain a foothold in the very important Asia-Pacific region. It’s great to see a company with roots in University College Dublin, and based on Irish research, making progress into this high potential market.”
A total of €8million in new business contracts were announced by Irish companies, and a further five significant new Irish-Canadian partnerships were announced during the trade mission to Canada led in November by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD.
Pictured on the viewing platform of the CN Tower are (l-r): Gerry Murphy, Director North America, Enterprise Ireland, Paul Savage, CEO, ZolkC, Annemarie Roe, CEO, BaAM Canada, and Minister Bruton.
A total of €8million in new business contracts were announced by Irish companies, and a further five significant new Irish-Canadian partnerships were announced during the trade mission to Canada led in November by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD.
The aim of the trade mission was to cement and build on links and open new doors for increased export business. Exports to Canada by Enterprise Ireland clients rose by 19% to €224m in 2011. Significantly, it is hoped that exports for 2012 will increase by a further 20%.
The 30 Irish companies who participated on the trade mission ranged from high-potential start-ups employing fewer than five people to more established businesses employing over 3,500.
The contracts and partnerships secured during the trade mission include:
Lincor Solutions, a life sciences company based in Cork, announced over $4 million CAN in new business with hospitals in Quebec and Newfoundland.
Leading Edge Group (Cork), a business process and consultancy company announced several major contracts worth over $350,000 CAN with new clients including the Ministry of Health in Alberta and Toyota dealerships in Quebec and Ontario.
FINEOS Corporation, based in Dublin, a provider of claims management software, announced a significant contract with the Manitoba Teachers Society, to manage claims and payments from its employee benefits plan.
Dundalk-based Multihog Ltd announced a significant deal with Vancouver Airport to supply three Multihog base vehicles and a wide range of attachments. The machines will primarily be used for snow clearance and de-icing around parked aircrafts.
Waterford company ZolkC announced that they are providing interpretive audio tours for over 20,000 Canadian users at two of the top Canadian tourist sites – CN Tower and Jasper Tramway.
SAAS Markets (part of Dublin group Sysnet) launched their Software-as-a-Service App Store for Canadian Entrepreneurs. This technology offers more than 1,300 trusted SaaS applications specifically designed to meet the needs of small to medium-sized businesses.
One Posting, Co. Dublin opened an office in Toronto.
Drogheda based company, IPL, announced details of a contract with GOV Transit for the provision of their RS Sockets which were used by the organisers of the 2012 Olympic Games to easily and safely install and remove posts and signage along key traffic routes in high congestion areas.
Minister Bruton also met with leading Canadian financial services and telecoms executives at a series of advisory panels for Irish companies as well as meeting with key stakeholders in the local Irish community including the Irish Dairy Board and the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce.
Over 220 Irish companies are selling goods and services into Canada spanning a wide range of sectors including telecoms, financial services and consumer retail. To further grow and develop export sales into Canada and North America, 10 Irish companies will set up offices in Canada this year including:
It is widely acknowledged that current and former international students who have enjoyed a positive experience are the greatest ambassadors for a programme, an institution and a country. Consideration of this led Education in Ireland to establish a pilot Student Online Ambassador Programme with US university students in 2011/12.
Pictured at the Award Ceremony for Education in Ireland Student Ambassadors from the USA in April 2012 are Siobhan Allaeddinni from NUI Galway and Caela Provost from Univeristy of Limerick.
It is widely acknowledged that current and former international students who have enjoyed a positive experience are the greatest ambassadors for a programme, an institution and a country. Consideration of this led Education in Ireland to establish a pilot Student Online Ambassador Programme with US university students in 2011/12.
The pilot programme was so successful that in November 2012 it was expanded to include all interested Higher Education Institutions who work with Education in Ireland, and all nationalities. 40 student ambassadors from eight countries are now on board, have received their ambassadorial training, and are now blogging about their experiences in Ireland.
The internationally innovative Student Online Ambassador Programme operates as an online community of ambassadors who provide high quality, well presented blogs, videos, podcasts and articles about their experiences as students in Ireland. The ambassadors also answer enquiries from prospective students and parents, engaging positively in discussion around the Irish higher education offering. Its aim is to establish a prestigious, gold standard international communication tool with a clear emphasis on quality. The programme has the potential to provide excellent benefits for Ireland as well as for the participating students, many of whom have found that their blogs have been published elsewhere and they have been interviewed by local papers in their home area. The students are hand-picked by their institutions and often assist on campus with promotional activities. In April the student ambassadors will receive a certificate of completion from the Minister for Education.
Education in Ireland is the umbrella brand for promoting Irish higher education institutions in overseas markets, managed by Enterprise Ireland.
Technology developed by Enterprise Ireland client company Shimmer Research is being used in a TV series called ‘The Superhuman Showdown’ on the Discovery Channel. The TV series tracks down and investigates incredible people with abilities that extend far beyond that of ordinary humans.
'Uncrushable Man' Eduardo Lasaga being tested in the Lab
Established in 2008, Shimmer Research developed a bespoke analytics solution for the show to analyse data tracked from these superhumans. It’s a small wireless sensor worn on the body of each superhuman to record and transmit physiological and kinematic data in real-time to the bespoke analytics software application. This enabled a panel of experts on the show to scientifically examine the physical and mental makeup of each character and to evaluate the source of their superhuman skills.
Shimmer provided technology expert Dr. Karol O’Donovan to support the production of the show, and with his team they developed the analytics software that would be used to collect and analyse the scientific data resulting from each investigation.
Among the measurements taken using the Shimmer sensor system are angular curvature of the spine; heart rate and GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) to measure emotional state; g-Force; core and jaw muscles; gag reflex (EMG); angular velocity or revolutions per minute. The production team from Maverick TV, assembled remarkable individuals from all over the globe at a cutting edge laboratory in London, with internationally acclaimed scientists Dr Heather Berlin, Dr Rahul Jandial and Professor Greg Whyte. They categorised the superhuman feats based on unifying traits such as speed, strength, endurance, brain power, and skill and they included a Contortionist, Freediver, high G-Force tolerant pilot, Ice-cold Endurance, Uncrushable with high torso strength, head spinner, speed eater, and sword swallower.
Dr. Karol O'Donovan comments: "Involvement in a television production was a totally new environment for our engineers and presented them with challenges that we hadn't previously encountered or foreseen. This work required us to develop highly adaptable solutions which could meet the fast changing demands of TV production. While the nature of the challenge, monitoring the performance of humans, is an area we specialise in, the obscure nature of the Superhumans performances had the benefit of stimulating novel concepts in terms of solutions we can now pass onto our customers."
The Shimmer sensor worn by the superhumans in the show incorporates wireless Heart Rate, EMG, GSR, Accelerometer, Gyro, Mag , Tilt and Vibration sensors. It is an extremely extensible platform that enables researchers and industry to be at the leading edge of sensing technology.
Do you have a product or service that has impacted uniquely or significantly on a global scale?
Perhaps you have recently won an exclusive contract with a large multinational? Or you have developed a unique service or technology that is now being used by a global corporation?
If so, we’d like to hear your story and possibly, include it in our next ‘Irish business success stories’ video.
Stories should be no longer than 50 words and should include your contact details.
The closing date for receipt of proposals is Friday the 18th of January 2013.
We are limited to a maximum of 10 stories per video. So if your story is not used in this version of the ‘Irish Business Success Stories’ video, we may use it in a later version and / or in other promotional collateral.
