13 October 2009
IdeaGen hosted by ArcLabs (TSSG) on Thursday 15th October 2009 (5pm-9pm)
In 2001 the TSSG made the decision to co-locate with the SEEPP, WIT's programme to support new entrepreneurs. The resulting centre was branded as the "WIT Research & Innovation Centre". It was formally opened by the then Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Mary Harney. This plan to co-locate WIT's leading R&D activity with its leading business and entrepreneurial support ecosystem set out our stall in terms of the importance of the links between research and industry, and of indigenous SMEs in particular. In 2006 the then Taoiseach, Bertie Aherne, formally opened the integrated ArcLabs centre. This centre combined the TSSG, the SEEPP but also a number of other services, most importantly an incubation centre for new companies, all under the one roof. Since then many TSSG companies have availed of the services provided by the rich support ecosystem.
The TSSG has grown and now has won €60 Million in R&D funding, bringing in the funding to build the the existing TSSG/ArcLabs building (note this was a combination of HEA funding for the TSSG and Enterprise Ireland funding for an Incubation Centre), and a new TSSG building that will be completed by September 2010, and creating 150 high quality jobs within the TSSG itself, funded by over 125 research projects won through competitive processes. True to its vision of a balanced ecosystem of R&D the TSSG's funding has been a third basic research (funded by SFI and HEA), a third applied research (funded by EU FP4-FP7), and a third pre-product development (funded by Enterprise Ireland). In addition the TSSG has created fourteen spin-out and spin-in companies (c.f. TSSG Companies), creating a further 60 jobs in the region. The TSSG has learned a lot about the difficulties involved in trying to meet all these different requirements from one integrated research centre. We have published our views of how Ireland should continue to support research and innovation in our submission to the Irish Innovation Task Force.
Therefore the TSSG welcomes the opportunity to support IdeaGen - an event organised by Enterprise Ireland that seeks to foster further links between research and industry in the region - on Thursday 15th October 2009 (5pm-9pm) (expression of interest). I have been invited to speak at the event, as well as participate, and I have published my slides on Mícheál Ó Foghlú's Presentation to IdeaGen on the TSSG and ArcLabs.
My message is that Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), the TSSG, and the other elements that make up the research and innovation ecosystem within ArcLabs, have had a vision for proactively linking research and industry that formally dates back to the opening of our first integrated centre in 2001. We have built a real culture of innovation within the TSSG that combines world class research with real engagement with industry. We welcome collaboration with anyone who seeks to promote the same vision.
Update 2009-10-13 - IdeaGen interact with the social network
Follow IdeaGen on social betworking tools:
- Twitter (follow user @ideagendotie)
- Twitter (search for the hash tag, post tweets using the hash tag) #ideagen
- Facebook (become a fan of ideagen)
- Flickr (Photos)