In the final leg of his four-day trade mission to the South East United States, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton T.D is today visiting the research hubs of Raleigh and Charlotte in North Carolina. The aim of the visit is to open further opportunities for Irish businesses and research organisations in these areas.
Speaking from North Carolina Minister Bruton said:
“I am determined to rebuild Ireland’s economy based on an indigenous engine of growth. We must not only focus on attracting world-leading high-tech companies to Ireland – we must also seek to grow these businesses in Ireland.
“Like Ireland, North Carolina has put science, technology and innovation at the centre of its strategy for growth. We have many lessons to learn from its model of low-cost infrastructure and highly-networked scientific working groups. Above all, North Carolina provides many crucial opportunities for our industries and researchers to create partnerships, improve their offering and ultimately create jobs in Ireland. I look forward to doing what I can to maximise Ireland’s opportunities through the next two day’s events in this exciting state”.
The centrepiece of the two-day North Carolina itinerary is a visit to Research Triangle Park (RTP), one of the world’s top biotech innovation hubs. Here, Minister Bruton will engage with representatives from top local universities in discussions themed around turning world-class research into economic opportunities. Joining the Minister are representatives from Ireland’s innovation ecosystem, including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin.
Completing the itinerary are two partnering forums—one with a focus on life sciences and clean-tech; the other targets the retail sector. The events aim to strengthen ties between Irish companies and customers/partners across the State. Participants include: Vordell, Daon, Vigitrust, Pixalert, Automsoft, Cylon Controls, Premium Power, Advanced Innovations, Open Oils, ResourceKraft, Wirelite, Eirdata, Instant Upright, Media Connections, Rainmaker Technologies, Fragrances of Ireland, Slendertone, Louet and BMR Beauty.
“North Carolina has an exceptional record in creating practical economic opportunities from world-class research,” said Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland. “Their strategy to invest in research, attract the best scientific brains and smartest business operators, and link them with capital represents the gold-standard blueprint for a 21st century knowledge economy. Given the similar ambitions of North Carolina and Ireland in driving the knowledge economy, we see significant scope for ongoing collaboration.”
The visit to North Carolina comes following the first two days of the trade mission which were spent in Atlanta, Georgia and Miami, Florida. During these two days Minister Bruton:
· Attended 15 meetings and events aimed at promoting Ireland’s exports
· Visited Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and Advanced Technology Development Centre, as well as the University of Miami’s Life Sciences and Research Centre
· Delivered two keynote speeches
· Conducted a live interview about Ireland’s economy on CNN