By Business & Finance 
More than 2,000 entrepreneurs, industry representatives and researchers from around the country will today the first national Innovation Showcase in The Convention Centre Dublin today as part of a Government drive to open up the innovation, R&D infrastructure to business.
Organised by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation in close co-operation with IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland, the event is the first showcase at national level of Ireland’s research and technology centres of scale and excellence. This showcase provides companies of all sizes the opportunity to meet representatives from each of the 38 research centres across the country to discuss potential collaborations.
The main feature of the event are exhibits from the 38 research centres, technology centres and national research institutes and facilities which are delivering solutions for industry in six key areas; energy, food, health and medical technologies, ICT, manufacturing and materials and services and business processes.
Speaking in advance of his attendance at the showcase where he will launch the official Directory of Research Centres & Technology Centre, Minister Richard Bruton TD said: “Driving innovation and research within enterprise is a national priority and is a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs. We are determined to open up our research system to industry so that companies can develop new products and services and ultimately create jobs.There are a range of ways in which businesses can benefit from our national innovation system – including plugging into existing relevant research, forming partnerships with centres, placing a post-Doctoral student in their company and availing of an innovation voucher from EI. In this way we can ensure that our innovation spend is focused on commercial outcomes – and we can turn good ideas into good jobs.”
According to Minister Damien English TD, “these research centres are already delivering excellent scientific research and impactful technologies to industry in Ireland. This showcase provides companies of all sizes the opportunity to meet representatives from each of the 38 research centres across the country to discuss potential collaborations. I want this event to build more partnerships to help maximise our engagement in the €80bn Horizon 2020 EU fund for research and innovation”.
For the potential investors amongst the 2,000 strong attendance, they can hear 13 investor-ready ‘big ideas’ from the people behind new companies spun-out of higher education institutes with the support of Enterprise Ireland. Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland will open the Big Ideas show which she describes as “the ideal platform for innovative spin-outs built on research to catch the eye of potential investors and business partners”.
Key speakers at the event include Stefan Lindegaard, an internationally renowned expert on the topic of open innovation and Dr Nicola Millard, a customer experience futurologist who currently works with BT’s Global Innovation Team.
