Minister Michael Ahern Launches ‘Ideas Lab’

The Minister for Innovation Policy, Mr. Michael Ahern T.D., today (Monday 7^th April 2008) launched ‘Ideas Lab’ in Belmullet, Co. Mayo. Supported by a unique partnership of Mayo organisations it is designed to stimulate additional entrepreneurial and innovative activity in County Mayo.

The Ideas Lab will be lead by WESTBIC (the Business & Innovation Centre in the Border, Midland & Western region of Ireland) and overseen by the Mayo County Development Board.

Speaking at the launch Minister Ahern said; “This Pilot Project to be based here in Belmullet, will focus initially on the Erris region. The Ideas Lab will focus on idea generation and evaluation, the first two steps in the Innovation pipeline. Existing businesses, local education bodies and community organisations will all contribute to the Ideas Lab and all can avail from this new structured approach to innovation”.

Continuing the Minister said: “The Ideas Lab is just the latest example of concrete progress in implementing the Mayo County Development Board’s ambitious 10-year Integrated Strategy for the Cultural, Social and Economic development of the County.

“Ideas emerging ideas from this new project can be exploited by the structures already in place in Mayo such as the GMIT Innovation in Business Centre in Castlebar and benefit from the efforts of WESTBIC and other organisations nurturing innovation in County Mayo.

“The Castlebar Campus of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is at the forefront of innovation in the County. Institutes of Technology are sometimes under-appreciated for the work they do, with a lower profile than universities, but GMIT, with its five campuses and 9,500 full and part-time students, exemplifies what is best about the Institute of Technology structure”, the Minister said.

The Innovation in Business Centre, in GMIT Castlebar, provides invaluable Concept Desk Space and Incubation Space for local companies with 10 business units, employing 30 people, with shared facilities and start-up assistance for everything from mentoring to filing trademarks. “So far, I believe, twelve start-up companies have been established in the Centre since it was opened in March 2006. One of the Centre’s success stories, technology company InTime Media, has been awarded innovation partnership funding from Enterprise Ireland”, the Minister added

“Last month the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced €50 million in funding for regional enterprises, to be delivered through GMIT and the other 13 Institutes of Technology. The new funding includes Research Equipment Grants of between €50,000 and €250,000 for successful applicants. Over the last ten years, Enterprise Ireland has invested over €35 million in Business Incubation Centres such as the centre at GMIT Castlebar.

“Part of my remit as Minister with responsibility for Innovation Policy is to foster and provide opportunities for growth in innovation demand and for creating an innovation culture in the economy and in society. In advancing this agenda the Government is making a major investment towards our aim of becoming a knowledge economy. In total, €8.2 billion is committed over the period 2006-2013, primarily through the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation. The Science Strategy is reinforced by corresponding increase in investment in education in recent years – up by more than 70% since 2002, to over €9.3 billion this year.

“There are many examples from around the world which prove that geographical concentration of expertise, learning and resources can create a highly fertile environment for innovation. I hope that this partnership will become an innovation “hot spot” leading to tangible benefits to the economy in this area and perhaps a model to be emulated countrywide, and indeed, even throughout Europe”, the Minister said.

The Minist went on to thank those involved in making the Ideas Lab a reality including WESTBIC, Údarás Na Gaeltachta, FÁS, Mayo VEC and Mayo County Development Board.

ENDS/IP40