Industry bodies to back tech start-ups

TECHNOLOGY ideas will be nurtured into start-up businesses in two industry- led institutions launched yesterday by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton.

The Irish Centre for Manufacturing Research (ICMR Ltd) will be based at Intel in Leixlip, Co Kildare, and will focus on new manufacturing research. DePuy J&J in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, will host the Innovation for Ireland’s Energy Efficiency (I2E2) research centre, focusing on reducing energy costs in manufacturing.

Boston Scientific, Seagate, EMC2, Pfizer and others are also partnering in the drive to turn R&D ideas into jobs. These new €10m centres follow last week’s unveiling of €55m commercialisation initiatives, including a €5m cloud computing technology centre.