Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2005
Annual Report and Accounts 2005
The Food sector is a major contributor to export growth with €7 billion in exports in 2005. Continuous innovation in research and development (R&D) is directly contributing to this export growth and the establishment of in-company R&D centres by clients, supported by Enterprise Ireland, has given a long-term boost to the sector’s success. Enterprise Ireland works in close collaboration with Bord Bia and Bord Iascaigh Mhara in this sector.
In 2005, the new Glanbia Group Innovation Centre in Kilkenny, which involves an investment of €15 million over the next four years, was officially opened by Minister Micheál Martin and a Phase Two expansion project was launched. Dairygold Co-operative Society announced the establishment of a new €15.6 million Applied Food Sciences R&D Centre in Mitchelstown, Co Cork to drive the development of innovative new consumer food products. Kepak Group expanded its range of Heat and Serve meals through a €10 million expansion which will result in 155 new jobs over a three-year period. This ambitious project was the culmination of three years of product research and development supported by Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia. In addition, Green Isle Foods has invested €22.6 million in a state-of-the-art expansion to its plant in Naas, Co Kildare.
Enterprise Ireland seeks maximum economic return on State investment in research. This requires strong collaboration between the State, industry and the research community. This research needs to be driven by the needs of industry. Enterprise Ireland’s Commercialisation Fund is divided into three phases, matching the progression of academic research from laboratory to market; proof of concept; technology development; and business development. In 2005, total expenditure of €23.4 million was approved through the proof of concept and technology development phases of the Commercialisation Fund and 142 new research projects were approved.
Commercialising Research: Enterprise Ireland has three dedicated teams to give priority to technologies of crucial importance to industry in Ireland: Biotechnology, Informatics and Industrial Technologies. These teams work in close partnership with the research community, clients and other agencies such as Science Foundation Ireland and IDA Ireland to connect researchers, entrepreneurs and business.
The Biotechnology commercialisation team supported eight projects with Irish and international partners to transform technology from research into commercial products in a variety of fields including diagnostics, vaccines and medical devices. In addition, two spin-out companies from universities were supported. Over the last two years, Enterprise Ireland has invested €4 million to establish six bioincubators in Dublin, Cork and Galway. Enterprise Ireland also held two Next Wave events which showcased new commercially-orientated technologies to the business and venture capital community.
Informatics combines computing, software and telecommunications. In 2005, five new licences of technology developed in the Irish third-level research community were granted to companies. Two of these went to university spin-out companies specifically formed to exploit these technologies. At the end of 2005, there were 24 Informatics patent cases emanating from third-level research teams. The Commercialisation Fund is currently supporting 30 proof of concept and 38 technology development projects in Informatics.
Industrial Technologies relate to those technologies used in or supporting the manufacturing sector in a variety of industries including Engineering, Electronics, Medical Devices, Food and Pharmaceuticals. In 2005, 185 Enterprise Ireland-funded projects in Industrial Technologies were progressed with Irish researchers, 50 of which are at the commercialisation stage. Out of these projects, eight new licences were agreed with industry in Ireland.
Industry-led Research Projects: Enterprise Ireland worked with groups of Irish companies to develop medium-term R&D agendas that will benefit their sector and develop their international competitiveness. This involved strategic thinking by the companies around what kind of research would lead to concrete commercial results and the involvement of research institutions to carry out the research. These projects will result in significant industry-led research within the universities and Institutes of Technology.
In 2005, two projects were approved with €2.6 million each in funding over three years: the Power Electronics Industry Group initiative (PEIG); and the eLearning Group initiative. PEIG involves 25 of the 40 indigenous and overseas companies in power electronics in Ireland and it addresses issues relating to efficiency and power density in power supplies for electronic devices. It involves the Tyndall National Institute, University of Limerick, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Galway and the Cork Institute of Technology.
Applied Research Enhancement Initiative: The objective of this initiative is to encourage and enhance regional research capabilities through supporting projects in Institutes of Technology (IT). In 2005, five projects received funding of €1.25 million each: the Galway Medical Technologies Centre in Galway/Mayo IT; the Technologies for Embedded Computing Centre in Cork IT; and the Micro Sensors for Clinical Analysis Centre in IT Tallaght. Waterford IT received funding for two projects: the Centre for Converged IP Communications and the South Eastern Applied Materials Research Centre.
