Galway Incubation and Enterprise Space Review Study — Putting the Galway Incubation Product on the Global Stage
Galway to enhance its unique position on the Global Stage in the Innovative Start-Ups market but increased collaboration among Stakeholders called for.
Announcing the release of a comprehensive Review Report on Incubation and Enterprise Space in the Galway Area, carried out by WestBIC and Galway City Council, Dr. Chris Coughlan, WestBIC Chair, was upbeat on potential and trends and opportunities for the future arising from the findings and recommendations of this report. “ I am convinced now more than ever, we can grow substantial Innovation based jobs here in this area and we can compete on a global stage, putting Galway on the international map as a preferred destination for Innovative Start-Ups, both indigenous and inbound” he commented. “What we need now in order to ensure we benefit to the maximum from this golden opportunity is for the key stakeholders in the Start-Up Market to get together and ensure the right eco-system, infrastructure and all support systems are sufficiently networked and up to speed and competitive, Internationally. “ He added.
The Report examines baseline data on current economic and industry trends and profiles the Start-Up market in detail. It looks at each of the providers of Start-Up space and related supports and looks at the City area in the context of the wider County and the logical interdependency. It also looks at Commercial space available and other developments that will impact on this market such as the Harbour, the Galway Airport site, NAMA properties and the IDA Asset portfolio. It also looks at the leadership role of the Local Authority and its planning mandate. International best practice case studies from Sweden, Canada, Taiwan and across the European BIC Network are used to indentify transversal models of successful sub regions from which Galway can learn a great deal as it plans for greater growth. This extensive exercise also profiles the linkages and collaboration among the stakeholders that is vital if the greater Galway area is to compete and win higher value jobs in this increasingly international mobile market. “Planning, building, financing, provision of soft supports, branding and promotion and, critically, active International networks, are now all interlinked as part of this total eco-system. They have to work in harmony if we are to play on the global stage and put this Region on the map. This review confirms for me, and I believe for our partners in this market, that we have to work even more closely together and ‘action’ its key recommendations” added Dr.Coughlan. “Galway is not Silicon Valley or Dublin for that matter. We have our own unique, blended economy and social and cultural attributes and structures and we can build an eco-system and Innovation Community that will be the envy of the world. I pay tribute to the City Council CEO and his Team for their generous partnering and support to this comprehensive review”, he concluded.
Originally published at www.westbic.ie on June 23, 2017.
