Tánaiste launches BMW Regional Innovation Report

An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD launched a major report in Sligo today on innovation supports to small business and Third Level Institutions in the BMW Region. The report which was compiled on behalf of the BMW Regional Assembly by Fitzpatrick Associates Economic Consultants and Westbic, provides an independent review of six pilot initiatives implemented by the BMW Regional Assembly over the past two years. These initiatives aimed to help campus-based companies, established small firms and small food producers in the region to develop innovation and business management expertise necessary to grow their businesses. Another key focus of the initiatives was the enhancement of Industry /Academic linkages. A total contribution of €1.3m was made available from the European Union under the Regional Programme of Innovative Actions.
Welcoming the report, the Tánaiste stated that it makes a valuable contribution to the discussion on encouraging a greater level of innovation in regional enterprises. She also stated that the initiatives undertaken had developed networking and learning opportunities and enhanced the profile of knowledge institutions among enterprises in the BMW region. The Tánaiste congratulated all those involved in the successful implementation of the programme of innovative actions and highlighted that the research voucher scheme had spearheaded the innovation voucher scheme, now running nationally through Enterprise Ireland.
The report finds that the programme of innovative actions had played a key role in creating new linkages between businesses and knowledge institutions in the BMW region. It also finds that the initiatives had delivered many positive outcomes for participating companies such as providing them with access to valuable technological data and that their capacities and skills had been enhanced. It prescribes a number of key recommendations which were outlined by Jim Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Associates to the state support agencies, the Higher Education Sector and Industry representatives who attended the launch. These recommendations include the mainstreaming of food technology and mentoring supports to small businesses in the region, learning from International models of best practise and the development of stronger brokerage mechanisms to help SMEs access key information from Knowledge Providers. Presentations were also given by innovation support providers and beneficiaries of the pilot initiatives sharing their experience of delivering and seeking innovation supports.
Commenting on the report, Assembly Director Gerry Finn stated that
“This Report sets out a clear roadmap for the development of the innovative and entrepreneurial base of the region. In order for businesses to grow and develop it is essential that a strong research and innovation support infrastructure is in place to ensure firms remain competitive and respond to current economic industry challenges.
A recent EU report shows that over the period 2000-2006 the BMW region recorded the sixth largest increase in BERD (Business Expenditure on Research and Development) as a percentage of GNP. With this statistic in mind it is vital that all stakeholders work together to support greater industry/academic collaboration to ensure that the region develops as a knowledge- based, high value added region in the future.”