Serial entrepreneur Niamh Bushnell has been announced as the first Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups, a position which has been funded privately through the Dublin City University Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs.
Serial entrepreneur Niamh Bushnell has been announced as the first Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups, a position which has been funded privately through the Dublin City University Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs. Drawing on her extensive experience of the start-up sector, from co-founding her first company, Pan Research, in Dublin in 1996 to her recent appointment as Entrepreneur in Residence at Talent Tech Labs in Manhattan, Niamh will assume strategic responsibility for making Dublin the best place in Europe to start and grow a tech and innovative business.
The new Commissioner will work in conjunction with Dublin City Council and Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices to maximise the potential of Dublin’s existing business ecosystem which already supports a wide range of tech and innovative start-ups and acts as a base for many global tech companies. A key responsibility in the position will be to develop international recognition of Dublin as an innovation hub where companies will start-up, scale faster and create long-term sustainable jobs and added value to the economy.
The role of Dublin Commissioner for Start-Ups was created on the recommendation of the Activating Dublin Initiative spearheaded by Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Dublin City Council. As Commissioner, Niamh will help generate a higher level of start-up activity in the Dublin region and position Dublin as a leading global innovation and tech start-up centre.
Speaking about her new role as Start-Up Commissioner for Dublin, Niamh said: “It’s been so exciting to see the Dublin tech scene rise up over the last few years. We have the opportunity to build on the success to date and become one of the great start-up capitals of the world and I’m looking forward to helping us get there and stay there.”
Check this Enterprise Ireland ‘Start in Ireland’ page:
The week of September 7th – 11th 2014 saw Enterprise Ireland Canada host a market study visit for six of our finest agri-tech clients. The objective of the visit was to increase knowledge of the agricultural industry in Canada and to evaluate opportunities for Irish companies in the Canadian agri-tech market.
The week of September 7th – 11th 2014 saw Enterprise Ireland Canada host a market study visit for six of our finest agri-tech clients. The objective of the visit was to increase knowledge of the agricultural industry in Canada and to evaluate opportunities for Irish companies in the Canadian agri-tech market.
The agricultural sector in Canada contributes $100BN annually to Canadian GDP and Canada is the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world. The largest agricultural production sectors include: dairy, grain & oilseeds and red meat (livestock). Canada has 12,529 dairy farms with almost 1 million cows and industry programs are in place to evaluate and improve dairy cattle. Quebec and Ontario are the major dairy producing provinces with 49% and 32% of the farms respectively. There are 12.6M beef cattle in Canada which produce approximately 1.6 BN kg of beef annually. A large portion of the farm machinery purchased for Canadian farms each year, including combines, are imported.
Ontario is Canada’s most productive province, generating 35.6% of the country’s GDP. Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show hosted in Woodstock, Ontario is an international affair with farmers travelling from afar to see the latest agricultural technologies in action. Last year there were over 42,000 attendees with 700+ exhibitors. The Outdoor Farm Show provides opportunities to visit displays specializing in livestock, field & horticulture crops, equipment and forestry, with a special focus on demonstrations of dairy equipment. This year there was also an International Business Centre for the first time which was of great value to the Irish delegates for meetings.
The packed itinerary covered; a morning with representatives from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and the Canada East Equipment Dealers Association (CEEDA) who provided an overview of agritech in the Canadian market, a visit to two operating dairy farms in the Guelph region – Summitholm and Hoenhorst Farms, two full days to walk the Outdoor Farm Show, one-to-one dealer and company meetings at the show and a networking event on the Wednesday evening.
Enterprise Ireland Toronto brought three high profile members of Canada’s vibrant animation industry to Ireland on August 11th to 13th. VP Development, DHX Media - Stephanie Betts, Director Acquisitions and Business Development, Tricon Films – Ashley Rite and Founder & Partner, Industrial Brothers – Matthew Fernandes travelled to Ireland and met with a wide selection of our finest animation studios including studio tours in Kilkenny and Dublin.
Enterprise Ireland Toronto brought three high profile members of Canada’s vibrant animation industry to Ireland on August 11th to 13th. VP Development, DHX Media - Stephanie Betts, Director Acquisitions and Business Development, Tricon Films – Ashley Rite and Founder & Partner, Industrial Brothers – Matthew Fernandes travelled to Ireland and met with a wide selection of our finest animation studios including studio tours in Kilkenny and Dublin.
The past few years have seen some great partnerships form between Irish and Canadian studios with projects such as the feature length animation “The Breadwinner” currently in full production. The Breadwinner, a collaboration between Kilkenny based Cartoon Saloon and Toronto live action producer Aircraft Pictures is based on the best selling book by Canadian author Deborah Ellis. It is the story of a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan who disguises herself as a boy so she can work to feed her family when her father is imprisoned for being an intellectual. Aircraft Pictures acquired the rights to the book intending to make a live action adaptation. However, it soon became apparent that an animated feature was the most suitable for this project. The only problem was their zero experience in animation, which meant they needed an expert partner. The studio reached out to Cartoon Saloon after seeing Tom Moore’s feature length “Secret of Kells”, impressed by the way Cartoon Saloon had managed to make a film which was stylized and artistically compelling yet still accessible to families. An EI funded visit to Ireland in 2013 allowed Aircraft to visit the studios and finalise the deal, worth in excess of €10m.
Co-production arrangements of a similar scale are now in negotiation following the recent Canadian visit, the future of Irish animation is bright.
Dublin Aerospace the award winning MRO provider of Base Maintenance, APU and Landing Gear services based in Ireland has introduced yet another enhancement to its already extensive service capabilities with the addition of Airbus A330 base maintenance approval.
Dublin Aerospace the award winning MRO provider of Base Maintenance, APU and Landing Gear services based in Ireland has introduced yet another enhancement to its already extensive service capabilities with the addition of Airbus A330 base maintenance approval.
Dublin Aerospace has received both EASA and FAA approval for the base maintenance services on Airbus A330 aircraft including all engine types to fully complement its existing and internationally renowned Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 product lines. The A330 capability was developed to support the growing market that exists worldwide.
Donal Rogers Chief Executive Officer Commented “Over the past 5 years Dublin Aerospace has offered dedicated base maintenance services for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families to leasing companies and airlines from all over the world. The addition of the Airbus A330 model to our capability portfolio highlights Dublin Aerospace’s ongoing investment in capability and demonstrates our commitment to ensure we have the latest and most advanced capabilities.”
Frank Burke Head of Sales commented “This new expansion was customer driven as many of our existing leasing company and airline customers also operate the A330 model and to be able to provide this service is another big and exciting milestone in the expansion of the products we can offer our customers.”
RadioShack, one of America’s best known retail brands, has signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Cork-based start-up Trustev to deploy anti-fraud technology across 4,000 stores in the US and online.
RadioShack, one of America’s best known retail brands, has signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Cork-based start-up Trustev to deploy anti-fraud technology across 4,000 stores in the US and online.
Trustev will deploy its new integrated sales solution at RadioShack locations to enhance the customer experience when buying a mobile phone. Trustev’s “data fingerprinting” technology will ensure these transactions are convenient for customers, and validated and protected for RadioShack.
When a customer makes an in-store purchase, Trustev’s software instantly scans approximately 260 online data points to ensure the buyer is legitimate and confirm their identity. Additional enhancements through the Trustev platform include an integrated activation portal for credit authorization, as well as future online mobility sales for omnichannel capability.
The Enterprise Ireland Seed & Venture Capital Programme 2013 Report published by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, shows a continued upward trend in the level and value of activity in venture capital funds supported under Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital Programmes.
The Enterprise Ireland Seed & Venture Capital Programme 2013 Report published by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, shows a continued upward trend in the level and value of activity in venture capital funds supported under Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital Programmes.
In 2013 these Funds made 153 investments with an investment value of €59 million in 94 Irish-based companies, representing a significant increase on the €54million invested in 84 Irish companies in 2012 under the schemes.
The capital under management through Enterprise Ireland’s Seed and Venture Capital Programme 2007-2012 has now reached close to €700 million. Cumulatively over the lifetime of this scheme 50% has been invested in the software sector and 35% in the life sciences sector. A separate analysis shows that Irish companies in receipt of investment under this Programme are employing over 2100 people in Ireland. A number of the Funds under the scheme are still investing in start-up and scaling companies.
Enterprise Ireland partners with the venture capital sector in a wide number of programmes and initiatives aimed at improving access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises and to further develop the seed and venture capital industry in Ireland. This industry plays a vital role in supporting innovative companies to grow, expand internationally and create jobs. The strong level of activity in 2013, and continued in the first half of 2014, confirms the readiness and commitment across the sector to bring an increase in venture capital funding being made available to meet the urgent need for capital.
Over 400 participants attended an information event in Dublin for suppliers in the construction sector to learn how to become part of the supply chain for the €200m Central and East Quads PPP development project at DIT’s new education campus in Grangegorman, Dublin 7.
Pictured (l-r) are: Michael Hand, CEO, Grangegorman Campus Development, Brian Murphy, CEO, National Development Finance Agency, Ged Nash TD, Minister for Business and Employment, and Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland.
Over 400 participants attended an information event in Dublin for suppliers in the construction sector to learn how to become part of the supply chain for the €200m Central and East Quads PPP development project at DIT’s new education campus in Grangegorman, Dublin 7.
This August ‘Meet the Buyers’ event also gave participants access to representatives from the three shortlisted building consortia to promote their offer in a series of short 5 minute ‘pitch meetings’, and the opportunity to network with other suppliers with the aim of partnering and maximising the business potential from this major construction and development project.
The event was officially opened by Ged Nash TD, Minister for Business and Employment and was hosted by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) in partnership with Enterprise Ireland. The Minister referred to the event (fourth such event promoting supply chain opportunities organised by the NDFA and Enterprise Ireland) as an example of concrete actions taken to demystify the world of public procurement and stimulate increased business for potential suppliers.
The Grangegorman re-development is a flagship Government project and its reach can be felt far beyond the Dublin 7 area. This phase of DIT’s new campus at Grangegorman will accommodate approximately 11,000 students and staff when completed and occupied in September 2017. Construction has already commenced on the broader campus with work scheduled to begin on the Central and East quads development in 2015. The overall strategic regeneration project at Grangegorman will deliver in the region of 4,500 construction jobs and a further 1,000 when complete.
The Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway and Irish start-up Poly-Pico Technologies Ltd. have successfully executed a new and exciting scientific proof-of-concept involving the use of sound waves to dispense living stem cells. Using the Poly-Pico micro-drop dispensing device, the researchers were able to isolate individual adult stem cells from a bone marrow sample.
The Poly-Pico Team pictured at third annual conference and exhibition of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) in San Diego, California
The Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway and Irish start-up Poly-Pico Technologies Ltd. have successfully executed a new and exciting scientific proof-of-concept involving the use of sound waves to dispense living stem cells. Using the Poly-Pico micro-drop dispensing device, the researchers were able to isolate individual adult stem cells from a bone marrow sample.
The ability to isolate individual stem cells in a quick, scalable and cost-efficient manner is attractive to scientists working in the field, as current methods are often time-consuming and costly.
Poly-Pico Technologies Ltd. is an Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-up (HPSU) company, which spun out from the University of Limerick and is now based in Galway. The company has developed a unique, accurate and highly versatile device, which uses sound energy to accurately dispense a wide range of fluid / materials at very low volumes.
Now, for the first time, REMEDI scientists have successfully used the same technology to dispense stem cells, thereby demonstrating a capability of the instrument which will open up further applications in life sciences.
In the proof-of-concept experiments, living stem cells were dispensed one at a time onto different surfaces using the sound wave technology. The delicate stem cells remained viable and continued to grow after being dispensed. “This gives us some ideas about new uses for the instrument”, says Frank Barry, Scientific Director of REMEDI at NUI Galway. If we can deliver stem cells accurately and rapidly, we can potentially engineer new tissues in the laboratory based on complex arrays of dispensed cells. If we try to look into the future, it is possible to envisage that human tissues could be manufactured using this kind of technology, thus avoiding the need to identify tissue donors for transplants.”
This proof-of-concept was carried out under the Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund. The technology was then advanced using an Innovation Voucher, an Enterprise Ireland initiative developed to build links between Ireland’s public knowledge providers (i.e. higher education institutes, public research bodies) and small businesses.
Patrick Leddy’s start-up company Pulsate, which focuses on the marketing opportunities provided by technologies like Apple’s iBeacon, has been selected to represent Ireland at the World Start-up Competition in Korea.
Patrick Leddy’s start-up company Pulsate, which focuses on the marketing opportunities provided by technologies like Apple’s iBeacon, has been selected to represent Ireland at the World Start-up Competition in Korea.
Pulsate, Enterprise Ireland supported start-up, enables direct communication with customers based on their location, context, interests and behaviours.
The judges of the finals on the 28th of August were John O’Dea (High Potential Startup Unit at Enterprise Ireland), David Bowles (Delta Capital Partners) and Cathal Dempsey (FCR Media).
On announcing the winner the judges commented: “The judges were very impressed with all the competitors and chose Pulsate as it is a company with an innovative product that is disrupting a very large market. Bricks and mortar retailers are currently searching for ways to engage better with their customers and Pulsate would seem to have a large part of the answer.”
Leddy will now head to represent Ireland and compete with 40 of the world’s best tech startups for a prize fund of $100,000 at the international final on November 24th in the Sheraton, Seoul, Korea.
The ’World Startup Competition’ is being run by Korea’s Dream Bank Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs in conjunction with the Startup Nations Summit in November.
These are some Enterprise Ireland supported client companies that have been in the news lately for their activities on the international scene or receiving new funding:
Pictured are (l-r): Niall O’Donnellan, Enterprise Ireland Head of Policy, HR and Investment, Sinead Heaney, founding Director of BDO Development Capital Fund, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD and Justin Keatinge, founder Version 1
Version 1 receives €8m to drive international expansion
The BDO Development Capital Fund has announced its first investment since the launch of the €75million fund by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD in March this year. The Fund managed by Development Capital, a 100% subsidiary of BDO, has invested €8 million in Version 1, one of Ireland’s fastest growing IT services companies.
This project is supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland.
The investment will enable Version 1’s further expansion into the UK and creation of up to 100 additional IT consultancy jobs in Ireland. The BDO Development Capital Fund provides development and growth capital for established, mid-sized and profitable companies to assist them to achieve and accelerate their export-led growth plans.
Version 1 was founded in 1996 by Justin Keatinge and is today one of the fastest growing IT services companies in Western Europe. The company has grown organically to become a trusted technology partner to major domestic and international customers across all industry sectors in the UK and Ireland. The company has doubled both profitability and revenue over the last few years, while at the same time delivering consistent improvement in customer satisfaction and world-class employee engagement.
O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt
O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt from West Cork, an Enterprise Ireland supported company, specialising in sea salt products, has won three gold stars at the prestigious Great Taste Awards this year.
O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt was set up in 2010, and landed its first gold star at the same awards in 2012. This time the company’s dill pollen sea salt landed three gold stars, with the oak smoked sea salt winning one gold star.
Only 153 products out of the 10,000 entered received the three-star accolade.
The awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food, and are widely regarded as the ‘Food Oscars’. They look to showcase the best of the British and Irish food industries.
RadioShack signs a massive security deal with Cork’s Trustev
RadioShack, one of America’s best known retail brands, has signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Cork-based start-up Trustev to deploy anti-fraud technology across 4,000 stores in the US.
Trustev will deploy its new integrated sales solution at RadioShack locations to enhance the customer experience when buying a mobile phone. Trustev’s “data fingerprinting” technology will ensure these transactions are convenient for customers, and validated and protected for RadioShack.
When a customer makes an in-store purchase, Trustev’s software instantly scans approximately 260 online data points to ensure the buyer is legitimate and confirm their identity. Additional enhancements through the Trustev platform include an integrated activation portal for credit authorization, as well as future online mobility sales for omnichannel capability.
PM Group was recently awarded the SBR (Singapore Business Review) International Business Award for their involvement in the design of projects in the Life Sciences sector in Indonesia, executed from their Singapore office. Projects include a greenfield pharmaceutical facility for Fresenius Kabi in Jakarta.
“We’re delighted to have won this award. It’s a real testament to our people and recognises our commitment to our clients in the ASEAN region. Our growing track record in Indonesia is underpinned by over 40 years’ experience delivering highly complex projects for the pharmaceutical industry worldwide”, said Pat Ryan, Operations Manager - Singapore, PM Group.
The SBR International Business Awards set out to recognise the best and brightest among Singapore’s international firms and the contributions each make to South East Asia economies.
Eight new jobs to be created in Carlow
Maven TM, a B2B telemarketing and lead generation agency to the technology industry, is expanding its international business, with support from Enterprise Ireland. This expansion includes the creation of eight new jobs in its Carlow office in the areas of Operations, HR, Training and Project Management.
Set up by Mark Cradock in 2011, Maven TM has been built largely on self-funding without external investors and has achieved strong results, growing to over 30 staff and building client base of over 60 leading technology companies across eight countries. Providing its services in 12 languages, Maven TM finds and qualifies, through data analysis, digital marketing, social media and targeted telemarketing activities, new sales opportunities for its clients, boosting their sales revenue.
Irish genetics company IdentiGEN has patented a new chemistry-based technology that it said can cut the labour cost of DNA testing by 60%.
Irish genetics company IdentiGEN has patented a new chemistry-based technology that it said can cut the labour cost of DNA testing by 60%.
Headquartered in Dublin and with offices and laboratories Wales, the US and Canada, this Enterprise Ireland supported company, offers DNA traceability services to meat producers around the world.
IdentiGEN said the novel chemistry-based approach to genotyping that it has tested and validated brings major advantages over the market leading alternatives.
“The new testing approach, for which patents have been filed, has been delivering transformational improvements in DNA sample analysis since it was put into production testing earlier this year,” said IdentiGEN founder and managing director Ciaran Meghen.
“In particular the technology can reduce the labour cost of data scoring by more than 60%. The experience within IdentiGEN’s own facilities has been a dramatic reduction in the cost of generating results.”
According to Meghan, the company’s technology – IdentiSNP – offers a clear alternative to the established approach. He said opportunities to commercialise the product are now being actively pursued on a global basis.
To support the development, the company has recruited additional staff including molecular biologists and product managers.
“While this technology has transformed our internal cost base, and will support our continued growth and development in the area of animal and meat product identification in particular, the opportunity to promote our new formulation to a wider customer base is an exciting development for our business,” said Meghen.
The new genotyping chemistry has been validated on multiple instrument systems including Douglas Scientific, LGC, Fluidigm and ThermoFisher systems.
A newly launched dedicated IdentiSNP website provides additional information and contact details. The project is being supported by Enterprise Ireland under its research and development grant scheme.
Date for your diary: Tuesday 2nd December 2014, 10.00am – 16.00pm
Date for your diary: Tuesday 2nd December 2014, 10.00am – 16.00pm
Companies interested in working with some of Ireland’s 37 research and technology centres should put the 2nd of December in your diaries. A major showcase of all State-supported research and technology centres will take place in Dublin’s Convention Centre. Companies will have the opportunity to meet with key members of these centres to discuss possible collaborative opportunities. The event will also feature “Big Ideas”, a dedicated presentation area which allows potential investors to hear pitches from individuals with potential new companies needing investment. An event not to be missed! Further details will be available in coming weeks.
The Irish Medical Device Association (IMDA), the Ibec group which represents the medical devices industry, found in its latest survey that confidence is high and continuing to grow in the sector with 42% of companies expressing more confidence in their business than they did three months ago and 55% remain equally confident.
Launching the Medical Technology Industry Excellence Awards 2014/2015 are: Tom Kelly, Divisional Manager Manufacturing and Competitiveness, Enterprise Ireland; Andrew Vogelaar, Head of Medical Technologies, IDA Ireland; John Power, CEO Aerogen (the winner of the Medical Technology Company 2013); and Dr Sinéad Keogh, Director Irish Medical Devices Association.
The Irish Medical Device Association (IMDA), the Ibec group which represents the medical devices industry, found in its latest survey that confidence is high and continuing to grow in the sector with 42% of companies expressing more confidence in their business than they did three months ago and 55% remain equally confident.
Nearly half the companies surveyed (47%) said that they expect to hire new staff and 34% expect to increase investment in R&D in the coming three months.
The release of the survey results coincide with the launch of the Medical Technology Industry Excellence Awards 2014 - 2015.
IMDA Director Sinead Keogh, commented: "The confidence levels outlined show that the medtech sector is focussed on the future, on innovation and on expansion. The sector already employs 25,000 people in Ireland and has annual exports worth €8 billion. We are now looking for companies to tell us their story by entering the medtech awards and promote best practice across the industry.”
Enterprise Ireland Manager Manufacturing and Competitiveness Tom Kelly said “The sector involves intense collaboration between manufacturing companies, academic institutions, clinicians and government agencies. IMDA’s survey showed that 71% of medtech companies believe collaborative research initiatives are beneficial to their business. The Medical Technology Academic Award promotes interaction between companies and academic institutions.”
Now entering its eighth year the Medical Technology Industry Excellence Awards are open to any medtech company based in Ireland. Entries close on Friday 10 October 2014. The Awards are sponsored by KPMG (platinum sponsor), Teleflex Medical (gold sponsors), AIB; Bank of Ireland; and IMDA Skillnets (silver sponsors). The awards ceremony will take place at the annual CEO Forum in the Strand Hotel, Limerick on Thursday 11 December 2014.
2013 saw the best performance in over a decade in export growth and net job creation by Enterprise Ireland client companies, as detailed in Enterprise Ireland’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2013.
Pictured at the launch of Enterprise Ireland's Annual Report are: Richard Bruton TD, Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Julie Sinnamon, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Ireland and Terence O’Rourke, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland.
These companies achieved a record €17.1billion in export sales, representing an 8% increase on 2012 and created 18,033 new jobs in 2013. The Report confirms a net increase of 5,442 in the number of people employed which is the largest net increase in a decade and underscores the clear link between strong export growth in new and existing markets across the globe, and job creation here in Ireland.
Total direct employment in Enterprise Ireland client companies stood at 175,750 in 2013 (149,718 full time and 26,032 part time). By the end of 2013, companies supported by Enterprise Ireland were employing and sustaining well over 300,000 jobs (direct and indirect) in Ireland. Economic calculations indicate that for every 10 jobs created in an Irish exporting company, 13 additional jobs are created elsewhere in the economy in supply and service companies.
Latest figures show that direct expenditure by Irish-owned firms, in terms of payroll and purchases of raw materials and services produced in Ireland, account for €20.28 billion expenditure in the Irish economy.
As part of the Action Plan for Jobs, over the past three years the number of Ministerial-led trade missions has been double the level prior to 2011.
Other findings of the report include:
In 2013, close to 860 companies were involved in significant R&D projects of above €100,000 spend per annum, with almost 140 companies engaged in substantial R&D projects of over €1m spend, both results up on the 2012 figures
The number of CEOs and Managers participating in Enterprise Ireland’s leadership and management development programmes increased to close to 1,100 in 2013
Over 1,000 client companies taking part in 18 minister-led trade missions and a further 67 international events in major target markets in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America
Enterprise Ireland brought over 1,100 targeted international buyers to Ireland to meet client companies here to progress business alliances and new contracts
Enterprise Ireland opened new offices in Istanbul, Turkey, and Austin, Texas, USA, growing its overseas network to 30 international offices
A dedicated new Global Sourcing team was set up to work closely with IDA Ireland to help identify opportunities for client companies to win a greater share of the procurement spend by MNCs in Ireland
In 2013 Enterprise Ireland invested in 104 new high-potential start-up (HPSU) companies, the highest number yet in a single year
Over 40 projects led by women achieving investment through either HPSU funding or through the Competitive Start Fund, up from 16 in 2012
Under the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs 2013 Enterprise Ireland was directly responsible for delivering 77 of a total of 333 actions across a wide number of activities
Guinness producer Diageo, Enterprise Ireland supported client company, opened ‘Brewhouse No.4’, the €169 million state of the art brewery at St. James’s Gate, Dublin, which is going to be the largest stout brewery in the world.
Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes, Fourth Generation Brewer Paul O'Farrell, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Paul Armstrong of Diageo in the new Guinness brewery at St James' Gate. Photos courtesy of MerrionStreet.ie
Guinness producer Diageo, Enterprise Ireland supported client company, opened ‘Brewhouse No.4’, the €169 million state of the art brewery at St. James’s Gate, Dublin. The new brewhouse is one of the most technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable in the world, and is also the largest stout brewery in the world.
"Ireland has a worldwide reputation for quality food and drink production and this new €169 million investment in the heart of Dublin will help contribute to our export led recovery,” said An Taoiseach Enda Kenny officially opening the new brewery on the 10th of September. “St. James Gate has a long history of supporting local jobs while sending iconic Irish brands around the world. The Government's plan for recovery will see continued support for our indigenous export orientated food and drink sector which provides jobs across the island of Ireland," he said.
Ivan Menezes, CEO of Diageo, speaking at the opening added: “This is a great day for Diageo and a great day for Guinness, one of the most iconic brands, not just in Ireland, but around the world. Our decision back in late 2011 to invest in St James’s Gate represented a €169 million vote of confidence by Diageo in Guinness and in our beer business. It also represented a major vote of confidence in the Irish economy itself. Diageo’s operations in Ireland support the employment of 20,000 people in the Irish economy, not least through our purchase of goods and services to the value of €350 million a year.”
Brewhouse No.4 brings together all brewing operations to St James Gate. Menezes said: “By consolidating all of our operations to one site Diageo is ensuring the long term sustainability and global competitiveness of our brewing operations. Brewhouse No.4 will support the growth in our exports’ market and Diageo’s ambitions for further growth.”
St. James’s Gate is one of the oldest industrial sites in Ireland and Brewhouse No. 4, with a centre for brewing excellence combines tradition and modernity at the 255 year site. Currently Diageo exports more than €1 billion in product from the site to over 130 countries while the Guinness Flavour Essence which is produced in St. James’s Gate enables further brewing of Guinness in 50 countries around the world.
Brewhouse No.4 is 10,000 m2 and was the largest construction project in Ireland in 2012, equating to 2,000,000 man hours. It uses state of the art technology and processes to minimise energy consumption and greatly reduce environmental impact, ensuring that Diageo remains an industry leader in the area of sustainability.
Taoiseach opens new Guinness brewery at St James Gate. Photos courtesy of MerrionStreet.ie
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report 2013 shows that the rate of Early Stage Entrepreneurial activity is at its highest since the onset of the economic crisis. 32,000 people in Ireland set up new businesses in 2013 and 85% expect to become employers...
Pictured (l-r) are: Paula Fitzsimons, GEM Report co-author and national GEM coordinator, Minster for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, and Theresa Keady, EC Charging.
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD launched the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Ireland for 2013. The Report shows that 32,000 people started new businesses in Ireland in 2013, and that one in eleven of the adult population are engaged in some form of early stage entrepreneurial activity.
Findings of the 2013 GEM research also show that the rate of early stage entrepreneurial activity is at its highest since the onset of the economic crisis. The pipeline of future entrepreneurs also looks very strong as those indicating that they intend to start a business in the next three years increased significantly in 2013 and is now at its highest level since Ireland first became involved in GEM research in 2000.
There was an increase in the rate of Total Early Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) in Ireland in 2013 – 9.2% up from 6.1% in 2012. Ireland is now ranked 2nd across the EU-15 and 9th among the EU-28 countries
One in eleven of the adult population in Ireland are engaged in some aspect of early stage entrepreneurial activity.
The gender gap has narrowed and not because less men were early stage entrepreneurs (as was the case in 2012): In terms of new business owners the gender ratio is 1.4:1 In terms of total early stage entrepreneurs it is 1.9:1.
There had been a serious concern about the pipeline of entrepreneurs for the future. (This was reflected in the Report of the Entrepreneurship Forum). This was turned around in 2013 with 14.7% of the population indicating their intention to set up a new business in the next three years. This is higher than EU 15 average (11.5%) but somewhat behind EU-28 (15.9%).
Early stage entrepreneurship is higher among immigrant groups (11%) than it is among the non-immigrant population (8.8%).
The majority of early stage entrepreneurs expect to become employers (85%). The number of early stage entrepreneurs that have ambitious growth aspirations and expect to employ 10 or more after five years (22%), compares very favourably with international averages.
13% of early stage entrepreneurs have, or expect to have, 75% or more of their customers in overseas markets. This is the 4th highest rate for significant exporters across the OECD.
Irish early stage entrepreneurs are relatively innovative with 27% of their products/services considered new to all customers compared to their international counterparts, 17% (OECD), 16% (EU-28) and 18% (EU-15).
Four out of five adults in Ireland have a high regard for successful entrepreneurs (81%). The rate is second only to Finland (85%) across all EU and OECD countries in this respect.
The level of perception of supportive media coverage about entrepreneurs in Ireland (60%) remains higher that the international averages across the OECD (51%), EU-28 (49%) and EU-15 (49%).
The rate at which individuals are turning to entrepreneurship out of necessity continued a downward trend (19% from 28% in 2012). This rate is lower than the international averages across the OECD (21%) and EU-28 (24%) and broadly similar to the EU-15 (18%).
The rate of owner managers of established business is now at its lowest rate since 2004 when it was 6.5%. The rate in 2013 (7.5%), however, remains higher than the average across the OECD (6.6%), the EU-28 (6.4%) and EU-15 (6.6%).
The rate at which entrepreneurs were discontinuing their business increased slightly in 2013. This increased from 1.2% in 2012 to 1.9% in 2013. This rate is on par with the averages across the OECD (2.1%), EU-28 (2%) and EU-15 (1.7%).
The majority of entrepreneurs that closed their business cited that the business was not profitable as their reason for doing so (59%). 10% claimed to have problems getting finance in order to keep the business going.
Informal investors are a vital source of funding for new businesses in Ireland. There was little change in the number of adults reported having provided funds in the past three years (June 2010 to June 2013) to a business started by someone else (3.4%). The average amount invested by individuals in Ireland (€18,700) during this period was relatively low in comparison to the OECD average (€23,000).
Walsh Whiskey turned the sod on the site of what will be the biggest independent whiskey distillery in the country. The €25m distillery will be built on a 40 acre site at Royal Oak in Co Carlow on the grounds of Holloden House, an 18th century country home that will be restored as part of the project.
Bernard Walsh at Royal Oak (with bottle of their Irishman Founder’s Reserve whiskey
Walsh Whiskey turned the sod on the site of what will be the biggest independent whiskey distillery in the country. The €25m distillery will be built on a 40 acre site at Royal Oak in Co Carlow on the grounds of Holloden House, an 18th century country home that will be restored as part of the project.
The new world-class distillery and visitor centre will create a total of 55 permanent and part-time jobs in the Carlow area, over 5 years, where the whiskies will be distilled, crafted and aged. The construction process will provide up to 70 jobs during the 18 month development phase. The project is supported by Enterprise Ireland.
Once completed, by 2016, tit will have the capacity to produce half a million cases of whiskey a year. The distillery will also be unique as the only distillery in Ireland to produce all three types of Irish whiskey in one still house, namely – pot, malt, grain.
Led by Mr Augusto Reina, CEO of Walsh Whiskey Distillery’s strategic partner Illva Saronno, there was a strong attendance by the company’s international partners to witness the sod-turning ceremony and visit Royal Oak for the first time. Also attending were representatives of Palm Bay from the United States; Emporia from Britain; Woodman form Canada; Interbrands representing Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden; Dugas, Le Whisky de Monde and Terior from France; Schlumberger from Germany; Agroseko from Russia and Haecky from Switzerland.
The founder of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, Mr Bernard Walsh said: “This is a very significant day for everyone associated with Walsh Whiskey and our goal to be recognised as the leading independent distiller of premium, craft, Irish whiskey in the world. We are now 15 years in business and we are very grateful to the thousands of people across the world that choose our whiskies and also to all of our international partners who make sure that Irishman and Writers Tears are available in 30 countries and growing.”
He added: “Royal Oak is a very special and wonderful place to create world-class whiskey. We are proud to be able to create this distillery in our family’s home county. We will make a significant contribution to the local economy through employment, rates and of course the purchase of, on average, 5,000 tonnes of local grain every year. We hope that the people of Royal Oak, Carlow, the South-East and Ireland will be proud of what we do and how we do it. I look forward to us commencing production in early 2016.”
Med tech firm ArraVasc Ltd., based in Galway, has signed a new contract with a leading medical device distributor Shanghai Micro Medical, based in Shanghai, China.
Front Row: Jonathan Akehurst, CEO, ArraVasc and Tony Liu, President Shanghai Micro Medical Devices Co. Ltd. Back row: HE Paul Kavanagh, Irish Ambassador to China; Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD; Kevin Sherry, Head of International Sales and Partnering, Enterprise Ireland; Austin Gormley, Irish Consulate General, Shanghai
Med tech firm ArraVasc Ltd., based in Galway, has signed a new contract with a leading medical device distributor Shanghai Micro Medical, based in Shanghai, China. The announcement was made during the Enterprise Ireland Trade and Investment Mission to China led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD.
ArraVasc CEO Jonathan Akehurst said that the new contract is worth at least $3.5m of business for new peripheral vascular products and is an important part of the company’s global expansion which is planned to create at least 20 new jobs over the next 2-3 years.
ArraVasc is the new name for Cappella Medical Devices Ltd, which has been based in Galway, Ireland since 2007. It was originally set up as a Research and Development business, working on coronary stent and access technologies. The Sideguard Coronary Stent received CE Mark approval for coronary bifurcation treatment in 2009. ArraVasc has since developed a number of new techniques around catheter and balloon manufacturing, allowing the business to expand into the fast growing peripheral vascular market.
Founded in 2000, Shanghai Micro Medical Devices Co. Ltd. has been dedicating into providing total solution for intervention to Chinese customers. On demand of booming market of intervention in China, Micro Medical have created innovative product portfolio composed with competitive product imported from the US and EU.
Clinical Innovation Award 2014 launched - €15,000 and the opportunity to work with Cleveland Clinic! Full details including the application form are available on the Enterprise Ireland web site: www.enterprise-ireland.com/clinical
Contracts worth almost €10million and 26 jobs were among the initial immediate results for Irish companies from the five day trade and investment mission to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD.
Pictured (l-r, front to back) are: Leanne Turner, Executive Director, Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne; Joe Aherne, CEO, Leading Edge Group; Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland
Contracts worth almost €10million and 26 jobs were among the initial, immediate results for Irish companies from the five day trade and investment mission to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD.
Three Irish companies announced new office openings (two in Sydney and one in Auckland, New Zealand) and numerous leads for potential multinational investments in Ireland, and for potential sales for Irish exporting companies, were created.
32 Irish companies travelled on the mission and participated in over 160 one-to-one meetings with Australian companies targeting export and investment opportunities across the financial services, travel, telecommunications and IT for Healthcare sectors. While in Sydney the opportunity was taken to bring in a number of key buyers from New Zealand to meet with Irish companies participating on the mission.
“There is a growing awareness of Ireland’s innovation and capabilities that was evident in every meeting I attended - people in Government, multinational companies, business and the media are more aware of Ireland, more aware of the strengths we bring to the table, and very willing to do business with us”, said Minister Bruton.
Among the deals announced by Irish companies during the mission were:
Kildare-based HealthComms announced a new expanded contract in association with leading Melbourne care provider “Catholic Homes” for its “MyHomeReach” technology which focuses on supporting independent living, promotes social inclusion and enables the ongoing monitoring of wellness while increasing service quality to its users.
Slainte Healthcare announced that it is working with Calvary Health Care Hospital Group to create a paperless hospital environment by replacing paper patient charts with electronic software.
Leading Edge Group, Cork, announced the signing of a major Lean initiative with The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. The contract will involve the delivery of a full suite of Lean training programs to a cross-section of the Melbourne hospital staff in association with the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA).
Lincor Solutions formally signed an exclusive agreement with Australia’s leading provider of interactive patient care for the hospital and aged care sectors – Hills Health Solutions
Idiro, a leading provider of advanced data analytics based in Dublin, announced a deal with 2degrees, a leading New Zealand mobile operator, to provide data analytics for marketing.
Fenergo, the leading provider of Regulatory Onboarding, Entity Data and Client Lifecycle Management solutions for investment banks and capital market firms, announced its expansion into Asia Pacific with the creation of a local team based out of Sydney.
Westbourne IT Global Services (Cork) announced that it will open a new office in Auckland, New Zealand later this month, allowing the company to provide a 24/7 “follow the sun” solution for its customers. The New Zealand office will both enhance and increase existing jobs in Cork as Westbourne IT’s Cork headquarters will provide back office support for the expanding group.
Solgari, the leading cloud telecommunication software services provider, announced the opening of their new Sales and Support Office in Sydney to support their growing customer base across the wider Asia Pacific region.
In addition, Oneview Healthcare, one of the leading global providers of patient engagement solutions for healthcare facilities, announced it has reached agreement in principle to deploy its state-of-the-art software solution in two high profile hospitals – one in Victoria and one in Queensland with a combined value of approximately A$5 million.
Recruiting top tech skills continues to be a challenge for Enterprise Ireland software clients. IT’s Happening Here’s infographic highlights some interesting statistics:
Click to view larger image
IT’s Happening Here addresses the skill shortage using social media, advertising and other activities. Recent activities to promote tech career opportunities in Irish owned companies include creation of TechTown at Career Zoo, a Europe wide IT virtual fair and a workshop on job ad creation. These activities complement the IT’s Happening Here jobs board (www.itshappeninghere.ie) where candidates can apply directly for jobs or upload their CV, and is demonstrating a strong turnover of jobs.
This year IT’s Happening Here also introduced a company of the month campaign which focuses the spotlight on one star member company and their open positions for a full month. This month (September) it’s award-winning fintech company Fenergo, who develop worldclass software solutions for investment banks and capital market firms.
To join the current 46 members of IT’s Happening Here click on Post Jobs on the top right hand corner of www.itshappeninghere.ie or contact Gareth for more details (gareth.jordan@enterprise-ireland.com; 01-7272136). Companies in other sectors who have tech skills needs are also welcome to join!
The Rubicon Centre in Cork has launched a new programme for female entrepreneurs in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sectors called Exxcel.
Pictured are (l-r): Claire Holland-Schedrin, quality assurance specialist; Olive O'Driscoll, CEO, Adventamed; Gayle Lucey, QA/RA manager; and Kathleen Fitton, project leader/facilitator of Exxcel at the launch of the new programm
The Rubicon Centre in Cork has launched a new programme for female entrepreneurs in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sectors called Exxcel.
Due to start at the end of September it will be a flexible part time programme which will run for six months giving participants the opportunity to develop and progress their business idea while staying in the workforce.
A unique approach has been developed for the programme using ‘knowledge experts’ who will transfer their expertise and experience to participants primarily on a one to one basis.
The Exxcel programme will initially carry out a needs analysis on participants and will offer part time, focused modular and mentoring learning experiences as well as the opportunity to meet and share in the experiences of existing entrepreneurs.
The programme is open to any female with a background in the STEM sector who has a potential business idea and would like avail of our help to progress their idea.
Are you a recent graduate looking for the opportunity to gain that all important working experience?
G4IG class of 2013
Are you a recent graduate looking for the opportunity to gain that all important working experience? Does international career and a funded Post Graduate Diploma sound like a dream? Well, you can now give that dream a chance by applying for the Graduates 4 International Growth programme.
Enterprise Ireland G4IG initiative offers recent graduates with ambitious career plans, the opportunity to work for a fast growing Irish company.
During the paid 18 month placement programme, graduates work internationally for a period between 6 and 12 months as market researchers. Working in an international setting, they play an important role in developing the company’s international growth strategy.
During the G4IG programme these young people are also given the educational tools they need to earn an Enterprise Ireland funded Post Graduate Diploma in International Business Development Studies awarded from the prestigious IMI and gain 60 credits towards a Masters.
G4IG is also beneficial to companies as it enables Irish SMEs to compete with large multinationals in attracting young ambitious graduates. The programme assists companies with their growth plans in key markets through the development of the graduates’ talents and market research capabilities. For the duration of this programme, graduates work within the company infrastructure that both supports them and helps them to progress their skills.
Here’s what graduates and companies had to say about their experience with the G4IG programme:
‘I studied Commerce and French in UCC. The G4IG programme is terrific in that it offers recent grads the chance to get real business experience working in a foreign market with Irish companies. I was interested in working in international business and I was keen to use my second language’. Jack Foley, Commerce and French, UCC.
‘I have benefited hugely from the programme. It has put me in the unique position of having an international business qualification, provided me with international experience and allowed me to combine it with my own technical experience as an engineer.’ Jer Galvin, BA Degree in Civil Engineering, UCC.
‘As a small company working on a very limited budget, it has enabled us to explore many different avenues in terms of business development, research and explore new markets and maintain a regular and informative output of market and company information that would not have been possible otherwise.’ Trinity Fund Administration Ltd.
Applications for G4IG 2014 are now open and will close October 1st 2014.
