In order to improve small businesses’ innovative capacity and capability, the Innovation for Competitive Enterprises (ICE) Initiative set out to implement an innovative method of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The project has created 175 jobs in the past two years with an additional 360 anticipated over the next two.
- 24 June 2015
The guidance we received from the ICE Programme has helped bring us up to the next level. It has made a tangible impact on our bottom line and will allow us to enhance our current business offering.
To improve competitiveness through the commercialisation of new/improved products, processes and business models, the project focused on a cross-border and cross-regional basis through the Tri-Regional Innovation Network. As a result of the project, 34 companies have entered new domestic/international markets.
Support for innovation
ICE aims to change how companies innovate, plan for innovation and identify market opportunities that stimulate and encourage new/improved products, processes and business models. It was also the initiative's aim to develop a strategy to use internal and external expertise within a flexible mentoring framework that helps to identify the key drivers and components within the innovation process for SMEs.
The outcomes of the project were:
a significant impact on the innovation capacity and capability of SMEs in the region;increased cross-border cross-regional co-operation and collaboration between SMEs, Third Level Sector and state agencies;significant cross-border cross-regional information exchange, sharing of knowledge and resources, networking and linkages;an increased innovation culture within SMEs; andincreased absorption capacity by SMEs through learning by doing methodology.Network Advantages
Membership in the Tri-Regional Innovation Network allows SME innovators to ‘learn by doing’ and have access to a regional panel of experts for guidance and knowledge sharing. Networks are composed of the SME, academic project partners (Dundalk Institute of Technology, University of Ulster, University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University), and identified innovation experts. So far, 27 cross-border information sessions/networking events have been held. At least 90 SMEs have participated in the Innovation Learning Programme, leading to 110 new/modified products, 268 new/modified business processes, and 79 new/improved business models.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the ICE Project is EUR 2 479 370, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 1 859 527 from the Operational Programme “INTERREG IVA (Northern Ireland/Border Region of Ireland/Western Scotland)” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.