A NEW initiative has been launched which will allow globally-ambitious tech SMEs located in the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen, and the wider Cork region the opportunity to pitch to, and collaborate with, large companies looking to access innovation.
Called The Innovation Exchange, it’s a collaboration between Skillnet Ireland and Ludgate.
Attending the launch, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and TD for Cork South Central, said: ‘It is fantastic to see the roll-out of this collaborative programme in West Cork and across the south west. This partnership between Skillnet Ireland, the Innovation Exchange and the Ludgate Hub is an exciting example of win-win collaboration and I would encourage all businesses to consider joining the programme. The development of an ecosystem in West Cork that facilitates SMEs and large corporates working with one another will undoubtedly ignite digital transformation and support opportunities for increased growth for these organisations.’
Paul Healy, chief executive of Skillnet Ireland said the exchange plays an important role in forging connections between SMEs and large corporations, facilitating new ideas and supporting the creation of new business ventures.
‘We invite ambitious SMEs and larger companies in the Cork region to join the programme and take full advantage of the many benefits it offers,’ he added.
Sinead O’Riordan, head of channel partnerships at the exchange, said the main focus is to showcase the ‘amazing talent and capabilities of the companies in the region, while also helping them to scale their businesses.’
Grainne O’Keeffe, ceo of the Ludgate Hub, said it was an exciting forward-thinking digital transformation marketplace to bring scaling and enterprise-sized organisations together. ‘It is very positive to see The Innovation Exchange leveraging the hub network and its extensive collaborative ecosystem as an economic asset in the roll-out of this initiative. And Ludgate, as Ireland’s first rural digital innovation hub, is thrilled to embrace this opportunity to accelerate growth in the region.’
The expansion of the exchange, which currently has in excess of 350 participants, will offer even more SMEs access to the programme’s benefits, including an instant sales pipeline, market intelligence and the capability to sell to large companies.
Skillnet Ireland has committed €5m to fund the venture which is designed to address the barriers that exist for scaling companies when selling to large companies and multinationals.
The programme will support over 1,000 companies by 2025. Scale-ups and corporates in the Cork region are being encouraged by the Innovation Exchange to sign up at www.theinnovationexchange.ie
