Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Metropolitan Cork sees its future as a centre for innovation and creativity. The seeding process has already begun at the world class facilities described below, such as the NMRC, and throughout the city's designated Knowledge Zone.

Knowledge Zone

Cork City's Knowledge Zone initiative enables companies to locate close to the city's seats of learning so they can share knowledge with researchers and other academics - removing formal barriers to the flow of ideas and innovation.

The National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC)

NMRC is a semi-autonomous ICT research institute within University College Cork (UCC) and which currently employs more than 250 staff and postgraduate students. Its Industry Advisory Board comprises senior executives from the ICT industry and government agencies, as well as the UCC President. NMRC is currently involved in a significant number of major research projects at both a national and international level, involving a variety of funding sources including industry. The clients of NMRC also include the European Space Agency who have established their Microelectronics Technology Support Laboratory (MTSL) at NMRC and which provides a valuable service to their Components Division.

For further information see www.nmrc.ie

The National Software Centre Campus (NSC)

A landmark development in the EU, the NSC offers World Class Third Generation Offices & Broadband Infrastructure. Its fundamental thrust is to create a global footprint for knowledge based ventures through innovative networking technologies. The centre aims to become the preferred location outside of Dublin for IT inward investment and a leading centre in Europe for niche software development.

Central to the project is an Innovation Centre to propagate next generation knowledge-intensive companies based on promising technology and capable, innovative people.

Visit http://www.nsc-campus.com/