NovaUCD Joins ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland Consortium
The Tyndall National Institute (Tyndall) today announced that NovaUCD, the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at University College Dublin (UCD), has joined the ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland consortium, which incorporates the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) Ireland.
ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland, a consortium which is led by Tyndall at UCC, and funded by ESA and Enterprise Ireland, is focused on supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups with innovative technology in sectors as diverse as agri-tech, data analytics, bee husbandry, architecture and planning, and med-tech, in addition to the space sector.
By joining the consortium NovaUCD will be designated as one of five ESA BIC Ireland locations to support such entrepreneurs and start-ups.
The other ESA BIC Ireland locations, alongside Tyndall and NovaUCD, are, Athlone Institute of Technology’s Midlands Innovation and Research Centre, Maynooth Works at Maynooth University, and MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and the Blue Economy research and innovation.
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Damien English, TD, welcoming the expansion of the ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland consortium, and acknowledging its impact in the sector said, “With the support of my Department, Enterprise Ireland, and our continued investment in the European Space Agency, ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland has supported the development of more than 20 new enterprises across the country, all of whom received critical project funding and incubation supports.”
“It is important that we continue to back the talent of the people and the organisations in this sector so that they can continue to make an impact in their respective fields of excellence.”
Eligible start-ups which successfully apply to locate at NovaUCD through ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland will be able to avail of the supports provided through the ESA BIC network along with the support programmes and activities provided by NovaUCD to client companies. Companies also receive €50,000 project funding for development of their enterprise.
Peter Finnegan, ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland Manager, stated that, “having an organisation of the calibre of NovaUCD joining the consortium greatly enhances the overall offering available to Irish SMEs. The excellent facilities available on the Belfield campus will appeal to many of our Dublin based applicants. This positive development will help to increase awareness of the supports that companies can access through our various initiatives.”
Peter Finnegan
Tom Flanagan, UCD Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation said, “I am delighted that NovaUCD has been designated as an ESA BIC location. We now look forward to working with our consortium colleagues in Athlone, Cork and Maynooth, to support space-active companies in the exchange of technologies between space and non-space sectors, contributing to the success of the Irish Government’s space strategy for enterprise.”
“At NovaUCD we recently expanded our capacity to house start-ups by over 50% and we plan to dedicate a portion of this capacity and our company development programmes to support a cluster of space active and related companies to achieve their global ambitions.”
Tom Flanagan
NovaUCD has already supported a number of space active spin-out and spin-in companies such as; ENBIO, O.C.E. Technology, ProvEye and PlasmaBound, and has a strong track record of helping start-ups to grow and scale internationally.
ESA BIC Ireland is one of 22 ESA BICs located across Europe.
A selection of videos of ESA BIC Ireland supported companies are available to watch via https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkBqaBgolLEM87JzkXkm3wKunSt1848fp
ENDS
16 March 2021
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, NovaUCD, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, t: + 353 1 716 3712 or Ursula Morrish, Marketing and Communications Manager, Tyndall National Institute, e: ursula.morrish@tyndall.ie, t +353 21 234 6463 or m +353 85 237 2189.
Editors Notes
At NovaUCD, the hub for new ventures and entrepreneurs at University College Dublin, we nurture and support new high-tech companies as part of UCD's mission. At NovaUCD we provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art incubation facilities alongside a comprehensive business support programme for client companies. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx. www.novaucd.ie
ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland and its ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) can offer funding and support for SMEs that may wish to develop their business using space technology in a non-space environment. https://www.esaspacesolutions.ie/
Tyndall is a leading European research centre in integrated ICT (Information and Communications Technology) materials, devices and systems. It is one of Ireland’s five National Labs, specialising in both electronics and photonics. Tyndall works with industry and academia to transform research into products in its core market areas of electronics, communications, energy, health, agri-tech and the environment. With a network of over 200 industry partners and customers worldwide, they are focused on delivering human and economic impact from excellence in research. A research flagship of University College Cork, Tyndall is home to a research community of 600 people of 52 nationalities. https://www.tyndall.ie/