€2.9millioninsupportforsmall businesses
A €2.9million EU-funded initiative has been launched in Wexford to provide specialist support to 120 small businesses in the food and drink, life sciences and renewable energy sectors.
The ICT, manufacturing, business services and creative industries will also benefit from the initiative which is designed to help Irish and Welsh SMEs boost trade through the design and development of new products and services.
BUCANIER (Building Cluster and Networks in Innovation Enterprise and Research) will see Institute of Technology Carlow, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and Wexford County Council work as a collective with Pembrokeshire County Council, Carmarthenshire County Council and Swansea University Medical School in Wales for the benefit of 120 small businesses in Ireland and Wales.
The rationale behind BUCANIER is the successful partnering of higher education institutions and public bodies to bring about innovation and greater productivity for small businesses along the Irish seaboard.
Small businesses, individuals and researchers in the food and drink, life sciences and renewable energy sectors in counties Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Cork, Tipperary and Kerry will benefit from the initiative in addition to their counterparts along the west coast of Wales. BUCANIER is funded through the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Ireland-Wales cooperation programme.
By August 2020, the BUCANIER programme aims to see: 120 SMEs supported; 15 per cent full-time equivalent employment increase in supported enterprises; 60 new-to-firm products introduced amongst supported enterprises; six new-to-market products introduced amongst supported enterprises and two new or enhanced cross-border networks delivered.
Speaking at the launch at County Hall, Tom Banville, Head of Enterprise at Wexford County Council, said the council is delighted to be involved as a partner in the BUCANIER project as it links with the Local Enterprise Offices’ mission to promote entrepreneurship and develop existing small business to drive job creation and to provide accessible high quality supports for business ideas.
Brian Ogilvie, Head of Research and Commercialisation Support at Institute of Technology Carlow said Carlow IT is excited to be involved in this Ireland Wales project.
‘ The importance of BUCANIER to regional development stems from the opportunities which cross- border collaborations facilitate to address shared challenges in both countries. It is through these valuable relationships, connections and the sharing of expertise that sustainable solutions, through innovation, are built to assist economic and societal development.’