Firms get US start with new centre

UP to 35 Irish companies looking to build a presence in the US are to be given the ideal start in a new Irish Innovation Centre which is to open there in January.

The facility in San Jose will focus on “clean-tech” and “software” industries and is backed by the city’s former mayor Tom McEnery, a leading Irish American businessman who will be a limited partner in a special venture fund targeting $100 million (€68.22m) in investments for Irish companies.

The project has the backing of Trinity College and University College Dublin and universities here and in Silicon Valley will help facilitate research and technology development at the centre.