Research Development and Innovation (RD+I)
Ireland - A World Class Research & Innovation Centre
The Government's coherent vision of establishing Ireland as a location for world-class research and innovation has been very clearly demonstrated through a series of interrelated actions:
- Initially encouraging the development agencies to assist their client companies to secure such investments.
- Followed by a multi-phased investment program in education facilities via the Program for Research in Third Level Institutes (PRTLI).
- Launching of a dedicated agency in S cience Foundation Ireland.
- Clearly articulated strategy and expectations of all stakeholders in the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation (SSTI).
Why Locate RD+I in Ireland
As a result of the joint marketing programs and initiatives undertaken by IDA Ireland and its sister agencies, Ireland is rapidly gaining a reputation as a keen competitor for global Research and Innovation from both multinationals and world-leading research institutes. The manner in which it is happening is uniquely Irish. In Ireland, the RD&I landscape thrives on human relations and interconnections. The science and innovation policy pragmatically brings together a wide range of players and institutions to create leading research programmes and partnerships.
Size & Agility facilitates Collaboration
Ireland's size and agility enables us to bring all stakeholders together and solve issues in a collective fashion. In order to enable multinational companies increase investments in RD&I, a major investment is underway to create a broad base of researchers with appropriate research expertise. The knowledge capital created is as critical as the excellent research undertaken. This is being achieved through funding initiatives at third and fourth level by the Higher Education Authority, Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA.
A Supportive Ecosystem
An interesting feature of the Irish research ecosystem is the concentration of investments into differentiated and unique areas in which Ireland has a strategic advantage. This has resulted in a number of centres of excellence including Tyndall, National Institute for Biotechnology Research and Training (NIBRT) and Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), where both basic research is undertaken and initiatives supporting the defined research agendas of a variety of multinational companies.
Investment in Research & Development
Investment in RD&I projects from IDA Ireland supported companies has continued to increase, progressing well to meet the targets set in SSTI for research funded by business (BERD). As a result of a determined national policy to establish a substantial foundation of world class science and technology, a series of significant industrial and academic research collaborations are underway in conjunction with client companies, including those funded by SFI as Centres for Science Engineering and Technology (CSET) including:
- CTVR - An initial groundbreaking collaboration assembled by IDA Ireland led by Bell Labs in conjunction with SFI focused on next generation telecommunications networks and value-chain research.
- APC - A novel collaboration between the CSET APC, GlaxoSmithKline, University College Cork and focused on gastro-intestinal disorders.
- CRANN - a collaboration whereby IDA Ireland supported in-company research groups from HP and Intel focused on nanotechnology at this SFI funded centre.
Academic and Business Exchanges
IDA Ireland, in dialogue with new and existing clients, also identifies key themes for potential CSETs and the appropriate multinational companies to participate in funding. Two significant examples are LERO, the software engineering centre located within the University of Limerick and the Centre for Next Generation Localisation where Dublin City University acts as the lead academic institution.
In addition, a rich seam of research is being mined by a variety of interesting collaborations between Irish academic institutions and IDA client companies for example:
- GlaxoSmithKline initiated a research and development collaboration on Alzheimer's disease with the Institute of Neuroscience in TCD and NUIG.
- Smith and Nephew united with NUIG REMEDI Centre to develop pioneering new treatments for orthopaedic joint diseases.
- Intel established the Technology Research for Independent Living (TRIL) Centre focused on the use of technology to support independent living for the elderly in consortia with TCD, UCD and NUIG.
Ireland's unique collaborative model differentiates our RD&I landscape and we are now working to create a vibrant ecosystem to enhance commercialisation prospects by boosting translational research activities. IDA, together with a dynamic set of stakeholders including sister agencies, multinational clients, indigenous industry, entrepreneurs, academia and research institutes, will fashion the supportive environment for an integrated RD&I platform spanning basic research to commercialisation thereby creating a new competitive reality for Ireland.
Significant Investment in RD+I
Cumulative IDA Supported R&D Collaborations
MNC BERD Achievements to Date
Some Existing Stakeholders in RD+I in Ireland
Thermo King, part of the Climate Control Technologies Division of Ingersoll-Rand Corporation since 1997, is the global market leader in the design and manufacture of transport refrigeration equipment. The company will undertake highly innovative Research and Design work on the next generation 'environmentally friendly' products at its long established Galway facility. The products are 'leading edge', and will become the platform for the next generation of refrigeration units for the European, African and Middle East Markets. The units, as well as becoming more environmentally friendly, will deliver a higher level of performance, have lower running costs, and will have enhanced features. This will add 19 new positions at the Galway site, in both R&D and operations. The Galway site is Thermo King's largest European facility and employs over 600 people.
Merrill Lynch, one of the leading wealth management and capital markets companies, invested €30 million in its first Global Innovation Centre located in Dublin. This innovation centre will focus on the development of technological applications to support Merrill Lynch's business worldwide. The centre is being staffed by people with substantial experience and expertise in financial services and technology including secondments from Merrill Lynch's global office network. Merrill Lynch Ireland Chief Technology Officer, Tony O'Halloran and centre Director, hopes it will generate: collaboration with both academia and industry on research, education and bespoke supply of systems and services, hence deepening Merrill Lynch's knowledge-base and minimising development times for our ultimate competitive advantage.
Beckman Coulter Inc. and The National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science at NUI Galway have developed a research collaboration in which a molecular diagnostic technology platform, developed and patented in NUI Galway, is providing the enabling technology to allow Beckman Coulter to develop breakthrough technologies for the diagnosis of a variety of infectious diseases in humans: The simplified, automated solution will allow time-consuming, complex, and labour-intensive tests to migrate into the routine hospital lab and will enable physicians to get diagnostic information within hours, instead of days or weeks, and be able to begin treating patients much sooner.
Smith & Nephew, a global provider of medical technologies, has entered into a collaborative R&D programme with the Regenerative Medicine Institute at NUI Galway, REMEDI, to develop new treatments for bone and joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis, by investigating new therapies using adult bone marrow stem cells to promote the re-growth of healthy cartilage repairing damaged joints. Mr Peter Arnold, Group Director of Technology for Smith & Nephew, said: We are delighted to be working with the team at REMEDI, who are widely recognised and respected as world leaders in this field.
GlaxoSmithKline, the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world, has invested c.€15m in a collaboration with the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN) and NUI Galway, on major research to discover new therapies to treat Alzheimer's Disease. GSK chose the TCIN/NUIG partnership because of its recognised leadership in European neuroscience. Dr Neil Upton, Head of Translational and Pharmacological Sciences said: This collaboration represents a meeting of minds, where all three institutions strongly believe that hypothesis driven research and translating preclinical discovery research into clinical assessment and investigation at the earliest possible is in the best interests of patients who are waiting for much-needed treatments.