Enterprise Ireland and Chamber team up for R & D seminar

SHANNON Chamber has teamed up with Enterprise Ireland to deliver a half-day seminar on the practical benefits of accessing and utilising national and EU research and development (R&D) funding for product, process and/or technology development.
The seminar, which takes place at Intel Shannon on Tuesday, April 24 from 8.30am to 12.15pm is supported by Shannon Development and Intel.
This is the second year an event of this nature has been held at Intel Shannon, to highlight the benefits of R&D to a company’s ongoing sustainability and international competitiveness.
As Shannon Chamber chief executive Helen Downes explains, “Since hosting an EU Innovation Supports conference in May 2010, the Chamber has witnessed an increase in interest in the topic among its membership. The initial seminar focused on the whys and wherefores of research funding. Last year’s seminar moved a step further and addressed the sourcing and outcomes of such funding. This year’s panel of speakers will broaden the discussion and also showcase Shannon-based and internationally renowned Mincon International’s experience of national R&D funding.”
The panel of speakers will include Jerry Moloney of Enterprise Ireland; Joe Purcell of Mincon International Ltd; Mark Southern of UL; Lesley Barrett and Eamonn Murphy of Grant Thornton as well as Liam Brown, one of the National Contact Points for the EU’s €50 billion R & D Framework programme 7.
“R&D, particularly collaborative R&D, is key to Ireland’s future. There are multiple opportunities, both nationally and internationally, to avail of funding for good projects. Businesses gain particular benefits from an association with higher level research, including access to external expertise and complementary skills, and an ability to zone in on new target technologies. They gain additional in-company competencies, have access to a pool of new talent, can more easily identify innovative Intellectual Property opportunities, plus they can pool resources to participate in larger infrastructural projects, which could not be funded within any single country,” said Mr Grown.
Participants in the seminar will be invited to take part in a conducted tour of Intel.
Booking for the seminar is essential and space is limited. For further information and to reserve a place contact Shannon Chamber at 061 708341.