Irish SMEs Can Now Access 38 Knowledge Providers on Both Sides of Border

Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland came together in Belfast's Science Park today (27th May) to launch the Innovation Voucher initiative in Northern Ireland.

Because of this joint approach Irish companies can now take advantage of the intellectual resources of 10 colleges in Northern Ireland.

Since Enterprise Ireland introduced the initiative in the Republic over 500 Innovation Vouchers worth €5,000 each have been issued. There are already 28 Irish participating knowledge providers delivering innovative solutions to the voucher holders in the Republic. Today's announcement swells the number of knowledge providers on the island to 38.

The knowledge providers are Institutes of Technology, Universities and publicly funded research organisations who are helping companies by producing innovative solutions to real business challenges.

Speaking at the launch event, Feargal Ó Móráin, Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland, said: "Enterprise Ireland's experience to date has been that the success of the vouchers is due to simplicity of the initiative. Participating companies get excellent value for money as the knowledge providers can deliver innovative solutions from their expert research teams in a very short period of time."

At the launch Invest NI's Managing Director of Innovation and Capability Development Tracy Meharg said: 
"Innovation Vouchers will enable small businesses to more easily draw upon the wealth of academic expertise that exists in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to help them move their business forward. By investing in R&D, perhaps for the first time, small businesses can make significant commercial gains and position themselves to exploit opportunities which may not have otherwise been available to them."

Companies can apply for the €5,000 Innovation Vouchers and access the 38 knowledge providers via www.innovationvouchers.ie

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For more information please contact:

Grace Fitzgerald, Communications & Media Relations Officer, Enterprise Ireland, t:   +353 (01) 8082746 m: +353 87 3286404