CORK BIC
CorkBIC identifies, selects and develops about 12 higher potential startups per year and works as a hands-on catalyst or project developer in infrastructure gap initiatives.
Examples would be
- The Electronics Industry Linkage Programme.
- The Atlantic University Alliance of 3 established Universities coming together to develop a cross region Technology Transfer Initiative.
- CorkBIC initiated in 1997 an industry association called it@Cork for IT professionals to develop the region as a centre of IT excellence.
- Working with the Regional Authority and Cork City Council, CorkBIC initiated the 12m Euros National Software Centre project, financed between the public and private sector.
- CorkBIC with the 3 main University/Colleges (University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) together with Enterprise Ireland initiated the Graduate Enterprise Programme - a 12 month rapid incubation programme that has now fast tracked over 100 companies.
- CorkBIC together with the Cork Chamber of Commerce early in 2000 initiated a broadband access project for the region.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PARK
The NSC Campus is a unique development in the context of Ireland and the EU. The promoters, coupled with the local authority, Cork Corporation, had a unique insight into specifying and designing buildings and creating infrastructure at the front edge of IT industry requirements and now offer World Class Third Generation Offices & Broadband Infrastructure. Buildings in London, Cambridge and Sweden were visited when the project was in the design stages, and the NSC has adopted the best of their features.
Situated on the Southern Ring Road off the first interchange South of the Lee Tunnel, the location is prime for ease of access, proximity to the airport, city centre and colleges and aims to establish Cork as the preferred location outside of Dublin for IT inward investment.
The NSC National Software Centre is a partnership between the public and private sector. CORKBIC acted as the catalyst to bring the public and private sector together and promote the idea, and Michael O'Connor, its CEO helped put together the deal between investors.
Cork City Council provided the site and as part of the Public Private Partnership has an equity stake in the NSC company. Cork City Council facilitated the delivery of the project by earmarking the site at an early stage of development of the concept. This enabled firm proposals to be developed in partnership with the private sector.
The project took almost €12 million to develop, the cornerstone was laid by Minister Micheal Martin in December 2000 and the first tenants moved into the building in December 2001.
CORKBIC moved its operation there to manage the Innovation Centre and provide the value added services.
The Master Plan is for 500,000 sq ft of intelligent wired buildings in an innovative crescent or arc facing south and west. This incorporates Block One (the flagship central services facility) and The Campus including linked buildings and multistorey car park. Block One is the Anchor facility of 54,000 sq ft - The Innovation Centre covers approximately 20,000 sq. feet across the Ground and First Floors. It is used exclusively to house companies (Software and Internationally Traded Services) at start-up stage and provide central shared services to all companies in the Centre and "Virtual Clients" from outside.
The primary objective of the Innovation Centre is to assist in the creation of new knowledge intensive companies based on promising technology and capable, innovative people. It will provide those companies with access to a range of business expertise and business development programs to accelerate the route to market and therefore reduce the risk. The secondary objective of the Innovation Centre is to develop a critical mass of software developing companies around clusters in a location with a significant Software Industry.
Approximately 5,000 sq. feet is reserved for specialist providers with a track record in the IT sector such as: Telcos, ISPs and ASPs and Managed Service Providers, Patent/trademark/IPR attorneys, Venture capitalists/corporate finance, Network maintenance firms, College/University research nodes and Advisory/counselling services. The balance of the 5,000 sq. feet of space is for shared services, open plan meeting areas, cafeteria/coffee shop, central reception, fully equipped conference and training rooms - rentable on a per day or half day basis.
OTHER TECHNOLOGY PARKS IN THE REGION
Enterprise Ireland Webworks www.webworkscork.com
The Enterprise Ireland Webworks is a fully serviced office facility in the city centre developed for the benefit of services focussed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) trading internationally from Cork. The facility offers 3,300 square metres of enterprise space broken up into 36 distinct units with a capacity to accommodate up to 450 people.
Webworks is a lifecycle office facility for technology-based companies designed to reflect the need of its tenants to grow rapidly through international trade. Flexible short term lease arrangements allow tenants to move to the appropriate size of space as business needs determine.
The Rubicon Centre CIT Campus www.cit.ie
Own-Door Ready-To-Go Serviced Office Units of Various Sizes to Meet the Needs of Growing Companies
- Seminar Room, with AV Facilities, & Meeting Rooms
- One-to-One Business Supports
- Regular Training & Networking Events
- Opportunities for Third Level R&D Collaborations - Located on main Campus
KTI Centre www.killarney-innovation.com
The KTI Centre is a purpose built, technology-rich enterprise incubation, innovation and training complex. Set in a secluded location on the outskirts of Killarney, the Centre is an ideal location for new-technology based and knowledge intensive enterprises. Client businesses will typically operate in such areas as e-commerce, financial services, software, multi-media and web development.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION
University College Cork - Technology Transfer Initiative - www.technologytransfer.ie
The Technology Transfer Initiative (TTI) based in the Industrial Liaison office at UCC is often the first point of contact for many SMEs with the university and provides a direct link between academics and industry. Its main focus is to provide support for industry to access UCC resources, stimulate collaborative research projects and technology/knowledge transfer. This is achieved by undertaking individual company visits as well as through on-campus and external network meetings, innovation clubs, seminars and training courses.
Tyndall Institute www.tyndall.com was created in 2004 at the initiative of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and University College Cork (UCC) to bring together complementary activities in photonics, electronics and networking research at the National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC), several UCC academic departments and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). The objective being to create a research institute, which would become a focal point of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Ireland, to support industry and academia nationally and to increase the number of qualified graduate students for the 'knowledge community'.
The strengths of the institute lie in the area of photonics, electronics, materials and nanotechnologies and their applications for life sciences, communications, power electronics and other industries. Research programmes range from theoretical modelling and design to novel material, nanotechnology, device processing and fabrication, packaging and integration; and novel systems incorporating these new devices.
Since the foundation of Tyndall additional researchers from UCC and CIT have already become integral partners of Tyndall, in the areas of circuit design, functional nanostructures and RF systems.
Cork Institute of Technology Industrial Liaison Office www.cit.ie
The Institute's primary mission is the provision of Higher Education, which is relevant to the needs of the economy and also provides a firm educational foundation for all its students. CIT courses range from craft through to post graduate degree programmes and doctoral studies. The Institute's secondary mission is to support economic development, and the presence of CIT has been a significant factor in attracting new knowledge-based investment to the region.
South West Regional Authority www.swra.ie is responsible for strategic planning and the promotion of the coordinated delivery of public services in the region. The Authority also advises the Irish Government on developmental issues, contributes to the preparation of the National Development Plan and other strategic matters. It is also responsible for the monitoring of the European Community Support Framework, in this regard the Authority participates as a member of various monitoring committees in respect of the regional and national operational programmes. The Regional Authority works with all public and private bodies in the region, nationally and indeed on a Europe wide basis to achieve its goals.
INCUBATOR FACILITIES IN THE REGION
BioTransfer Unit, University College Cork www.biotransfer.ucc.ie
In the interest of reinforcing its contribution to the development of the national biotechnology sector and with the support of Enterprise Ireland, UCC is facilitating the incubation of emerging bio-science businesses through the provision of dedicated, managed wet-laboratory incubation facilities, offices and administrative supports for bio-business incubation. The Bio-Innovation Centre nurtures bio-based business to the stage where they are ready to move into larger commercial premises.
The UCC BioInnovation Centre, which is located on campus in University College Cork, and managed by the BioTransfer Unit, covers an area of approx. 400 sq. m (4,500 sq. ft.) and is composed of modern laboratories with adjoining office space and a shared preparation area. Other facilities include a reception area and access to a shared meeting room.
The Rubicon Centre CIT Campus www.cit.ie
Own-Door Ready-To-Go Serviced Office Units of Various Sizes to Meet the Needs of Growing Companies
KTI Centre www.killarney-innovation.com
The KTI Centre is a purpose built, technology-rich enterprise incubation, innovation and training complex.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Third Level Education
Third level education in Ireland is mainly provided by universities and Institutes of Technology - including University College Cork and the Cork Institute of Technology & Institute of Technology Tralee. Universities offer degree programmes along a progression ladder from certificate to diploma to degree level, as well as postgraduate degrees. Each university and IT produces a prospectus every year, which outlines all its courses and other services and is available free of charge.
Cork Institute of Technology www.cit.ie
University College Cork www.ucc.ie
Institute of Technology Tralee www.ittralee.ie
Further Education & Training
Between the level of post primary and third level education, there is also a variety of other further education and training courses. The City of Cork Vocational Education Committee (VEC) oversees three further educational colleges: Cork College of Commerce, Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, St John's Central College. Each offers a range of one, two and three year full and part time courses in a variety of subjects. Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses are one-year courses, which focus on vocational and technological skills and take place in schools and community education colleges.
FAS is the national training agency and provides training in a range of skills for people in employment and those who are unemployed (but have the right to work). Training courses for many of its training programmes are aimed at those who are unemployed and these are usually free and may involve a training allowance.
SUPPORTS FOR BUSINESS START-UPS
City & County Enterprise Boards - www.corkceb.ie www.sceb.ie www.kerryenterprise.ie
The City & County Enterprise Boards support business start-up and developments in the Cork & Kerry. The Boards are in a unique position in that they can offer direct grant aid to manufacturing industry, internationally traded services and in certain circumstances the service sector.
Enterprise Ireland - www.enterprise-ireland.com
Enterprise Ireland's core mission is to work in partnership with client companies to develop a sustainable competitive advantage leading to a significant increase in profitable sales, exports and employment with a key focus on the establishments of new start-up businesses with high potential for growth.
Irish owned or controlled, manufacturing and internationally traded services companies who employ 10 or more and have the commitment and capability for export growth can avail of funding including: Equity/Grant Support, Key Staff Funding, Feasibility Studies, R&D Investment, Mentoring
The Genesis Enterprise Programme www.gep.ie provides a package of supports to the entrepreneur in accelerating the development of their business in the first twelve months of operation. The Programme is administered by the Cork Institute of Technology in Partnership with five other regional and national organisations- Institute of Technology Tralee, Enterprise Ireland, Cork BIC, UCC and Udarás na Gaeltachta. Now in its tenth year of operation, the Genesis enterprise Programme has succeeded in supporting the development of over 120 innovative businesses in the Cork and Kerry.
Participants who leave employment to avail of the programme may receive additional funding to bring their remuneration up to 50% of exit salary (up to a maximum of EUR 38,000) [subject to a participant's eligibility for Enterprise Ireland's CORD support]. Funding is available to support prototype development, market research, etc.
Euro Info Centres (EICs) support SMEs in all phases of their development and familiarity with Europe by providing them with information, assistance and advice in all EU-related areas. With specialist staff, direct contacts within the European Commission and the support of the EIC Network, it can provide expert information, assistance and advice to help companies do business at home, in Europe and beyond.
IMPORTANT EVENTS, FAIRS, CONGRESSES IN THE REGION
Cork Chamber Annual Conference
Annual Conference www.corkchamber.ie
it@cork Annual Conference
Annual Conference www.itcork.ie
University College Cork
Conferences on a variety of subjects held throughout the year www.ucc.ie
MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES
CorkBIC is a specialist venture consultancy. CorkBIC's goal is to create a global footprint for startup ventures through using innovative networking technologies and linking major corporates to build strategic alliances and routes to market.
We have been providing hands-on assistance to businesses in Cork & Kerry since 1988, our primary objective of the Innovation Centre is to assist in the creation of new knowledge intensive companies based on promising technology and capable, innovative people. It will provide those companies with access to a range of business expertise and business development programmes to accelerate the route to market and therefore reduce the risk.
The secondary objective of the Innovation Centre is to develop a critical mass of software developing companies around clusters in a location with significant software and services industry.
A key element of the success of an Incubation Centre is the value-add it brings to its tenants. With this in mind CorkBIC works on the identification of "Client" needs and arranges support/development programmes including:
- Business Planning/Start-up Training
- Networking Opportunities
- Access to the professional services of CorkBIC
- Export/Internationalisation
- Mentoring
- Business Partner Search
- Technology Innovation
- EU Funding Information
- Community/Rural Development
- Funding/Grants/Incentives
- Business and Marketing Development
- Management Development
- Public Tenders
- Business Networking
- European Networks/Links
- IPR
LINKS TO THE MOST IMPORTANT WEBSITES OF THE REGION
