The Government, through Enterprise Ireland, has launched a nationwide network of 12 so-called Technology Gateways. Designed to act as the research and development of companies, the Technology Gateways will focus on delivering solutions through collaborative projects with the research teams at eight Institutes of Technology.
So far the Network consists of teams from Athlone IT, Cork Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, IT Tallaght, IT Tralee, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Limerick Institute of Technology and Waterford Institute of Technology.
Expertise is available to companies in applied biotechnology, connected media, biodiagnostics, engineering materials, pharmaceutical and healthcare, mobile services, coatings innovations, embedded systems, polymer technologies, intelligent sensor systems, photonics and wireless solutions.
Launching the Network, Minister for Research & Innovation Sean Sherlock (pictured) said: "The Government’s primary goal is to generate growth and create employment in towns and cities around Ireland. The Technology Gateway Network will give companies all over Ireland access to technology solutions for their business challenges. Enterprise Ireland’s involvement in this process ensures the commercial value of these solutions can be converted into new products and services so that quality employment opportunities can be grown and maintained."
Companies already engaging with the Technology Gateways include Openet Telecom, Dairymaster, Eurotech Renewables, Shasta, General Paints and Mincon.
Declan Lyons, Enterprise Ireland, said: "Enterprise Ireland and the teams in the Technology Gateways are committed to solving the technical challenges faced by companies in their efforts to develop new products and services. The beauty of this network is that if one Gateway doesn’t have the answer, they can put out a call to the other 11 in the network to find it."
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