EI New Frontiers ‘A Vast Network of Opportunities’
As November drew to a close, our Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 2 cohort had the privilege of attending the ‘Gateway Clusters: A Vast Network of Opportunities’ event, hosted by TUS and MTU in partnership with Factory Xchange at the Savoy Hotel in Limerick. This event, designed to connect forward-thinking entrepreneurs on New Frontiers, innovators, and stakeholders across various industries, proved to be an invaluable experience for our MTU, TUS and SETU New Frontiers cohorts as they navigate their ventures.
The event offered a unique platform for the New Frontiers cohorts to engage with like-minded individuals, industry experts, and potential collaborators. The aim? To foster innovation and create a thriving ecosystem that supports the growth of businesses across Ireland. For our New Frontiers Phase 2 participants, the event presented a chance to step out of their comfort zones, expand their networks, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.
The event had thought-provoking panel discussions led by gateway managers, cluster managers and industry leaders, focusing on the advantage to businesses in working together to drive innovation and uncover new opportunities. Topics ranged from leveraging shared resources to enhancing regional competitiveness, offering New Frontiers participants fresh perspectives on how to strategically position their ventures within industry clusters and leverage and collaborate with gateways.
Interactive networking workshops were held throughout the course of the day which sparked opportunities amongst the participants and representatives from various industries, government bodies, and academic institutions in attendance. The networking aspect of the event was a highlight. Our cohort made meaningful connections, identified potential mentors, and even discussed collaboration opportunities that could pave the way for success.
The event featured a showcase of innovative projects and success stories from New Frontiers alumni that have thrived within cluster networks. These stories from Paul Byrnes of Mavarick AI and Mike Keane of Hibra Design inspired the current participants, highlighting benefits of collaboration and the impact of leveraging a supportive network.
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Clusters and Gateways event took place at The Savoy Hotel Limerick on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
For many of our Phase 2 participants, the Gateway Clusters event was an eye-opener to the volume of supports from Enterprise Ireland’s Research Gateways & RTCF Clusters across Ireland. One participant remarked, “The event was excellent. It helped me see the potential of joining clusters down the line and how it could accelerate my business growth by connecting with others in complementary industries.” Another shared, “The networking opportunities were incredible. I left with actionable insights and new contacts that I’m confident will benefit my business in the long term.”
The information and energy gained from the Gateway & Clusters event has added momentum to our New Frontiers Phase 2 cohort. A huge thank you to Factory Xchange for partnering with MTU and TUS on such an impactful event and to all the participants and speakers who contributed to its success. Events like these reinforce the importance of collaboration and shared knowledge in building a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Rubicon Centre continues to support small to medium start-up companies. If you are at a point where you would ike to take your business idea to the next level, apply to the Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1 programme, open here.
