Co-Innovate workshop coming to Louth this week

RESEARCH in small and medium enterprises based in the border counties is the focus of a new funding programme called Co-Innovate, launched last week by Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys and details about it will be showcased to Louth businesses later this week.

Co-Innovate aims to increase the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in research and innovation across the border region of Ireland, including Louth, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo as well as the North of Ireland and parts of western Scotland, from 22 percent to 33 percent over the next five years.

The five year, €16.6 million project is the first funding offer to be announced under the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

A series of free, half day, regional workshops are being organised to demystify innovation and help companies understand how it can drive business forward.

The Louth workshop will take place at Creative Spark, Clontygora Court, Dundalk on Thursday September 14, from 10.30am.

Businesses that are interested in attending must first register and check their eligibility at www.co-innovateprogramme.eu/ci/eligibility-criteria.

Co-Innovate brings together the three regions’ key development agencies to deliver a programme aligned with each government’s strategic priorities, led by cross-border body, InterTradeIreland, in partnership with Local Enterprise Offices in the border region, Enterprise Northern Ireland, East Border Region, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Minister Humphreys, said: ‘ This is a very positive development for SMEs in our border counties. Supporting SMEs is a key strategic priority for the government and it’s crucial we continue to encourage and nurture innovation.

‘Initiatives like Co-Innovate are central to this goal, providing one-to-one help and mentoring for smaller companies to help embed a culture of innovation in their businesses’.