Near-to-market solutions for Irish businesses
Companies all over Ireland are using Technology Gateways to develop new or better products and services and smarter ways of doing things.
Through the Technology Gateway Network, they are leveraging the expertise of over 300 industry-focused researchers, together with the specialist equipment and facilities of the 11 Institutes of Technology, to access near-to-market innovation and solutions.
From polymers and photonics to mobiles and mechatronics
This website provides a guide to the 15 specialist gateways within the Technology Gateway Network and shows how their expertise can help your business grow and become more competitive.
Each Technology Gateway focuses on key technology areas aligned to industry needs. These range from polymers and photonics to mobiles and mechatronics… and everything in between – from materials, industrial design and precision engineering to biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, right through to embedded solutions and wireless services.
Within each Gateway, a dedicated Gateway Manager and a team of specialised business development engineers act as the key contact points for industry and manage the successful delivery of projects on time and within budget.
Small projects, big impacts
Technology Gateways are used by companies of all sizes, but especially SMEs. Typical projects focus on the development of a new product or service or the optimisation of a process.
Since 2008, over 600 Irish companies have used the Technology Gateway Network to complete more than 1,900 innovation projects at €21.5M, 43% of which has come directly from industry. A significant proportion of the companies have undertaken multiple follow-on projects with their partner Gateway, utilising the technical expertise with the gateways as an extension of their R & D capability.
About 90% of the projects undertaken by Technology Gateways are small, involving a total spend in the region of €5,000 to €10,000. But for businesses – and for Ireland Inc – the impact is usually far greater.
According to a recent economic evaluation, for every €1 invested in Technology Gateways, the company turnover increased by €5.85.
With real results for companies
In the same evaluation 87% of companies interviewed said that working with a Technology Gateway had brought about benefits for their business. The most frequently cited benefits were the improvement of existing or the development of new products or services and processes. A major attraction for companies is the open access nature of the Gateways where industry relevant expertise and equipment is readily available for industry partners. The Gateways’ objective is to partner with companies along their innovation journey to develop technology solutions that will deliver increased growth, sustainability and competitiveness.
Gateway Managers are always happy to discuss potential collaborations with industry, so for more more information follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn, or simply get in touch.
| Project type | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Collaborations | 36 | 69 | 117 | 150 | 150 | 208 | 279 | 476 |
| Innovation Voucher Projects | 20 | 55 | 75 | 52 | 64 | 71 | 107 | 166 |
| Innovation Partnership Projects | 2 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 11 | 19 | 18 | 21 |
| Directly Funded Projects | 14 | 9 | 34 | 80 | 75 | 118 | 154 | 289 |