Start-up hub Dogpatch launches 2050 programme to drive sustainable innovation

The 2050 Accelerator will bring industry together with top Irish and international startups, to work on practical pilot projects to help them to rapidly scale their impact, with access to Ireland’s national sustainability infrastructure assets, such as wind farms, dairy farms and forestry.

Irish start-up hub, Dogpatch has launched an "ambitious" programme that aims to make Ireland a leading global platform for sustainability innovation in the coming years.

Dubbed 2050, the new programme will consist of two elements: the 2050 Accelerator and the 2050 Ecosystem.

The Accelerator has been launched in partnership with Kerry Group, ESB and Coillte and with the support of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and will see 12 organisations in total work to solve a number of sustainability challenges set out by the industry partners. 

The accelerator is open to start-ups across both Ireland and overseas, with successful entrants gaining access to Ireland's sustainability infrastructure including dairy farms, wind farms and forestry.

The second part of the programme, The 2050 Ecosystem will bring together companies, institutes, government, academia and startups working on innovation in sustainability through a series of talks, workshops and round tables, with the network hoping to increase meaningful collaboration and showcase the best of Irish sustainability innovation.

Dogpatch will work with a network of innovation hubs across the county, including the RDI Hub in Kerry, Republic of Work in Cork, Galway’s Portershed and GreenTech HQ in Wexford to develop an innovation ecosystem for sustainability.

Additionally, an international philanthropic organisation focused on environmental protection, the Grantham Foundation, will sponsor a stream focused on supporting startups developing Carbon Dioxide Removal solutions. 

Speaking on the programme, Dogpatch director of innovation David Power said, "Sustainability is the most fundamental global challenge of this century and innovation will be a key factor in working out of this problem."

"As a country, our size and connectedness are our superpower, as we have the ability to bring together, activate and connect a wide range of stakeholders and national assets in a way that would be impossible in a larger country."

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth TD said, “Startup innovation will play an important role in achieving our national sustainability targets, and these new key initiatives will help open the door to really practical and impactful activities for startups, that in partnership with government and private industry can really help Ireland move forward in this area."