2nd July 2015
Irish Design 2015 programme winning new markets and jobs for Irish designers
Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash TD, today (Thursday) announced a new €250,000 fund to support the creation of design-based start-up companies.
The “Competitive Start Fund – Design” will be delivered by Enterprise Ireland as part of the Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) programme.
The Competitive Start Fund – Design will provide up to €50,000 in equity support, aimed at start-ups in manufacturing or internationally traded services that are design-led or utilise design as a strategic competitive advantage. The Design Fund will provide new companies with early stage funding to ensure delivery of their design-based product or service.
The Design Fund is a core component of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for increasing the number and quality of High Potential Start-Up Companies (HPSUs) that have the potential to employ more than 10 persons and achieve €1 million in export sales within 3 years. The call for applications will commence on 15th July 2015.
Minister Nash also praised the achievements to date of the ID2015 programme. The year-long programme, an initiative of the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2013, aims to promote Irish design capability nationally and internationally and to encourage small and medium Irish companies to use design as their critical competitive advantage.
Halfway through its term, ID2015 highlights include:
- Over 300 designers, studios and companies were showcased nationally at core exhibitions and other promotional events
- Over 160 Irish designers, studios and companies were showcased internationally at exhibitions, trade fairs etc, generating leads with significant potential for exports and job creation
- 40 companies have been supported through ID2015’s International Trade Fund, in association with Enterprise Ireland and other agencies, to participate in 50 other international trade events, generating new market penetration and export opportunities
- Over 180 new design-led products have been showcased through national and international events
- 5 major trade events, – two in Ireland, as well as in Paris, Milan and New York, have taken place showcasing Irish designed products and services, supported by the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices and other State Agencies
- 160 new design companies have registered with the Institute of Designers in Ireland
- 15 new Design Networks have been established, bringing designers, design organisations and design users to work together
- Over 80 public and private sector organisations have partnered with ID2015, demonstrating the pervasiveness of design across business and society
- 200 design-focused promotions, across multiple design disciplines, have been approved for funding through ID2015’s Design Innovation Fund, reaching across all the regions of the island of Ireland and internationally
- 12 major design exhibitions have been mounted, nationally and internationally, highlighting the importance of design and Irish design capability
- 26 Irish embassies around the world have hosted ID2015 exhibitions and other events promoting Ireland’s innovative design sector
Minister Nash said: “I am delighted to launch the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund - Design to support startup companies who use design as a strategic element of their business. This new fund is part of the ID2015 initiative which aims to promote Ireland’s dynamic design sector, make Irish businesses more competitive in foreign markets and create jobs at home.
Design impacts right across product development in sectors such as medical devices, electrical devices and food, and is also driving the emerging creative sectors such as graphics, film and animation, web interface and ICT design, where exports and job creation are expected to outperform the norm.”
Minister Nash went on to say: “Design is the missing link in Ireland’s innovation agenda. I am satisfied that the fantastic response to ID2015 programmes and events to date will redress that deficit by promoting the work of talented Irish designers on the international stage, strengthening the capability of the Irish design sector and promoting collaboration between the Irish design sector and the wider business sector. I believe that we are well on the way to achieving the objectives of creating new design companies, achieving additional exports of design-based products and services and creating 1800 design-based jobs across the regions of Ireland.
Kevin Sherry, Manager, Enterprise Ireland Start Up Division added: “Quality innovative design is a core element of competitive advantage for companies competing globally and Enterprise Ireland’s competitive start funds (CSF) are a key tool for accelerating start up activity in targeted sectors. We are delighted to launch during ID2015, a CSF dedicated to design-led companies which will help promote innovative design and encourage more design led start-ups leading to jobs in the wider economy.”
Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of ID2015 said: “We are delighted to be announcing the outcomes to date of this milestone initiative for Irish design. Central to the planning and delivery of our programme is collaboration with public and private partners, both here in Ireland and abroad, in order to ensure a legacy from this year. Looking beyond our extensive programme of events and activities, we need to put the foundations in place for the ongoing development of the design sector in Ireland. With continued support and investment in design and working with our partners, particularly Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office network, ID2015 has the potential to act as a catalyst for significant change in Ireland’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and in creating employment opportunities over the years to come.”
ID2015 – highlights to come
As a project that is integral to the Action Plan for Jobs, the second half of the year will see the launch of a number of enterprise and education initiatives, including:
- Opening of second round of the ID2015 International Trade Fund for export ready design led businesses – Q3
- Design in Ireland business to business digital platform – Q3
- Education to enterprise toolkit for design students to encourage entrepreneurship for the ongoing development of the sector – Q3
- Design Vouchers pilot scheme to assist 50+ micro businesses and SMEs to implement design strategy in their business, in association with Dublin City Council and Dublin Local Enterprise Office – Q4
- Start up and accelerator programmes for the creative sector aimed at emerging designers – Q4
Other highlights of activities in the core ID2015 international programme over the coming months include an Irish design showcase at the annual home, lifestyle and gift fair NY NOW in August, several projects at London Design Festival in September including Ó, an exhibition of new work from Ireland’s designers and makers at Tent London being presented by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and The Ogham Wall at the V&A, an ambitious project designed by Grafton Architects, weaving narrative and culture with monumental design; ID2015’s touring flagship exhibition Liminal - Irish design at the threshold at Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven in October before it is shown in Dublin in November; and New Horizon, ID2015’s flagship presentation of Irish practices working in the architecture and built environment at Chicago Architecture Biennial in October and Shenzhen/Hong Kong in December. These core events will also be supported with trade missions through Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Today’s announcement was made at the Coach House, Dublin Castle where Minister Nash officially opened Fresh Talent, an exhibition showcasing the creative new wave of designers emerging since 2011 who work within and across disciplines. The exhibition includes a mix of award winning graduate projects from Ireland’s major universities and from Irish students abroad, combined with the latest work from a selection of designers and practitioners who are at the early stages of establishing their businesses.
Reflecting the breadth of the ID2015 initiative, Fresh Talent draws from a range of fields, incorporating a selection of design disciplines including craft, architecture, set design, visual communication, product design, fashion and design engineering. The exhibition continues at the Design Hub at The Coach House, Dublin Castle until 20th September.
ID2015 is being convened by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI), in collaboration with partner organisations, on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland.
Ends
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, ph. 6312200 or press.office@djei.ie
Photos will be distributed by Maxwell Photography
Notes to Editors:
About the Competitive Start Fund – Design
A key focus of Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy is the commitment to increase the number and quality of High Potential Start-Up companies (HPSUs) that have the potential to employ more than 10 persons and achieve €1 million in export sales within 3 years.
A public call for applications to the Competitive Start Fund from start-ups who are active in any manufacturing or internationally traded sector, are design led or are using design as a strategic element will open on Wednesday 15th July 2015. The closing time and date for receipt of applications will be 3pm on Wednesday 29th July 2015.
The aim of the Fund is to enable these companies to progress with their key commercial and technical milestones, for example:
- Evaluate overseas market opportunities and reach firm conclusions regarding the viability of the proposed business.
- Build a prototype.
- Secure a reference site.
- Develop a market entry plan for exploiting international opportunities.
- Secure partnership deal or strategic alliance.
- Identify suitable channels to international markets.
- Secure third party investment e.g. business angel, Venture Capital.
Full details of the Fund are available on the Enterprise Ireland web site: www.enterprise-ireland.com/
About Irish Design 2015
Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) emerged as an idea from the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2013 which the government supported. The initiative, which has been included in the Government’s 2015 Action Plan for Jobs, aims to:
- Create 1800 jobs over three years through sales of design-led products and services
- Generate an additional €10m in design-based exports
- Generate 200 new design-led business start-ups
- Facilitate more than 300 companies in international trade missions and design based trade events
- Engage with an audience of over 3 million at home and abroad
Through a year-long programme of events and activities exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design both in Ireland and internationally, Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) aims to showcase the very best of Irish design in order to drive job creation, grow exports and increase competitiveness. ID2015 is an island of Ireland initiative engaging the public, the design community and businesses and will promote and celebrate Irish design in just about every form at home through events and exhibitions while also targeting the export market through trade missions and events in international capitals of design and commerce. ID2015 sees over 300 design installations, conferences, exhibitions, talks and more take place on the island of Ireland and at high profile global design events in London, Paris, Eindhoven, Milan, New York, Chicago and Hong Kong/Shenzhen.
ID2015 is being convened by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI), in collaboration with partner organisations, on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland. Irish Design 2015 partners include Founding Partners - MCO Projects; Accommodation Partners - The Doyle Collection; Venue Partners - OPW; Exhibition Partners – DAA; Transport Partners – Bus Éireann Expressway, Construction Partners – SISK, Technology Partners - IBM and Broadcast Partners - RTÉ. www.irishdesign2015.ie
About Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent was specially commissioned to form part of the Irish Design 2015 exhibitions programme and was first shown at the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny 6 February – 18 March 2015. The exhibition includes a mix of award winning graduate projects from Ireland’s major universities and from Irish students abroad, combined with the latest work from a selection of designers and practitioners who are at the early stages of establishing their businesses. A number of the featured designers have been previous winners and recipients of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s Future Makers Awards & Supports Programme which aims to assist students and recent graduates of full-time craft and design based studies or training to pursue an exciting and rewarding career in the craft and design industry. Reflecting the breadth of the ID2015 initiative, Fresh Talent draws from a range of fields, incorporating a selection of design disciplines including craft, architecture, set design, visual communication, product design, fashion and design engineering. The exhibition was curated by Angela O’Kelly, Head of Design for Body and Environment at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. She has worked as a curator of contemporary design and craft since 2004 and has also worked as a consultant, educator, facilitator and practitioner. www.irishdesign2015.ie/programme/single/fresh-talent
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