Micro-enterprises, SMEs, and public sector agencies can now access our expertise and services through a region-wide network of contact points. These include Local Enterprise Offices, universities, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA), or directly through our website—giving us one of the largest footprints of service provision in the country.
At the March monthly meeting of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA), Cathaoirleach John Naughten, Director Denis Kelly, elected members of the NWRA, and our Director Mike Conroy gathered to discuss this significant expansion.
Denis Kelly, Director of the NWRA, stated:
“The majority of Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have little knowledge of the requirements of digitalisation and are hesitant to embark on their own digital innovation projects. We are enabling businesses to gain better access to data or use solutions powered by artificial intelligence. The programme also invests to ensure that our regional talent can get the right skills to actively participate in the labour market. The aim is that everyone in the region—citizens, businesses, and public services—can benefit from market-ready technological solutions.”
Explaining the concept behind our European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), NWRA Cathaoirleach John Naughten said:
“Data2Sustain supports SMEs across all sectors, as well as the public sector and not-for-profit organizations in their digital transformation. While broad in scope, there is a special focus on business operations, the circular economy, and sustainability, utilizing digital and data-centric innovation regarding energy consumption and low-carbon emissions.
What is really thrilling is that members of our EDIH can access any of the other 200 innovation hubs across Europe. This means, for example, that a company in Roscommon can benefit from research in Denmark that might assist its business with technologies such as blockchain or robotics.
Similarly, a company in France could access our region’s EDIH for essential research or knowledge at Atlantic Technological University or the University of Galway to help advance its business, service, or product. The hub is a coordinated cadre of organizations with complementary expertise, all operating with a not-for-profit objective.”
Our EDIH drives digital transformation for businesses across a broad range of sectors, including agri and bio-based food, marine and aquaculture, medtech and life sciences, manufacturing and engineering, construction, tourism, retail, and public services.
Mike Conroy, Director of Data2Sustain, added:
“The Data2Sustain program provides an excellent mechanism to access dedicated digital leadership, backed by a coordinated ecosystem of relevant sectoral expertise, with a compelling funding model, to carry out projects to the benefit of the region’s enterprises. Please reach out to any of our regional partners or directly via the website to explore how we can assist.”
We encourage all interested parties to connect with us or our regional partners to learn more about how Data2Sustain can support your organization’s digital transformation and sustainability initiatives.
