Enterprise Ireland (EI) met with the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) division today (Friday November 24, 2023) to discuss a number of EI supported programmes that provides companies and entrepreneurs from across the Midlands and Midwest continuous access to cutting edge research and specialised equipment and facilities across the six TU campuses.
Last June, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney TD and Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary TD together with Enterprise Ireland announced €47 million funding for the continuation of the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme up to 2029. Four of those gateway projects will be based in TUS, attracting funding of in excess of €10 million to the TU.
In addition to continued Technology Gateway funding, this week TUS also received the highest cohort of Enterprise Ireland’s Capital Equipment Funding for 14 initiatives, helping to ensure TUS gateways are at the forefront of strategic RDI projects, supporting collaborations between the Technological University sector, Irish SMEs and multinational companies.
Vice President for Research Development and Innovation at TUS, Dr Liam Brown said, “This week’s announcement by Minister Coveney on Enterprise Ireland’s recent capital call where the four TUS Technology Gateways have secured in excess of €5 million in capital funding is on top of the €10 million of core funding received from the Technology Gateway call earlier this year. This is a clear endorsement by Enterprise Ireland on the ability of TUS to deliver projects, processes products and technologies that will make a meaningful impact on the competitiveness of Irish businesses and deliver on the ambitious EI metrics of increased jobs and exports.”
According to Marina Donohoe, Divisional Manager, Research & Innovation at Enterprise Ireland, “Companies across all sectors have challenges associated with sustainability, digitalisation, and the very recent advances in Artificial Intelligence. The additional equipment funded by the latest capital call, coupled with the items already available from the previous funding, will help companies gain and maintain a competitive advantage both at home and abroad. I expect the outcomes of this call to have a strategic impact on Irish Industry for years to come.”
Dr Mark Whelan, Technology Gateway Programme Manager, Enterprise Ireland, added, “The Technology Gateway Programme is pivotal in driving innovation across Ireland’s enterprise sector and providing the infrastructure needed to facilitate this innovation is essential. I am very pleased to be in TUS today and I would like to congratulate the team who has been very successful in the latest round of capital funding which includes new state-of the-art equipment for the Smarter Factory Technology Gateway that will help companies become competitive and resilient and will address important needs within all sectors. It will also strengthen industry collaboration with our third-level sector, benefiting all involved.”
Through this Technology Gateway Funding TUS will encourage and support businesses to innovate and develop a competitive edge, increase market share and expand on a regional, national and global level with a specific concentration in the areas of manufacturing and materials engineering, biotechnology, life sciences, health and food, information and communication technology, digitalisation, design thinking, creative technologies and sustainable development. The new Smarter Factory Technology Gateway*, in addition to Applied Polymer Technologies, COMAND* and Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre* will build on their previous achievements and continue to connect businesses into the world class third level research system.
The Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme in TUS is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.
For further information on TUS Technology Gateways, visit www.technologygateway.ie