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YEAR BOOK |
BIORESEARCH IRELAND
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BioResearch Ireland –
commercial interface for biotech research
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BioResearch Ireland (BRI) is Enterprise Ireland’s (EI) Programme in Advanced Technology for biotechnology. BRI manages the commercialisation of technologies arising from university research by assisting the development and transfer of technology from research facilities to industry. BRI’s specific objective is to create start-up companies based on new technologies.
Building Biotech Businesses
On February 11th 2002, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney, launched Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for ‘Building Biotech Businesses’.
The core of the EI strategy is to: maximise the creation of new commercially-focused biotechnology companies in Ireland; nurture the development of early-stage biotechnology companies; target foreign-origin biotechnology entrepreneurs and early-stage companies with potential to establish in Ireland; fast track the development of established biotechnology companies; and support the development of the private sector seed and venture capital environment in Ireland with the purpose of investing in commercially attractive biotechnology companies.
As part of the strategy BRI/EI commissioned a survey into the existing and future requirements by the sector for incubator facilities for biotech start-ups.
An EI Biotechnology Team is now in place, which integrates resources to deliver on the goals of this strategy. BRI, together with the Campus Companies Initiative, the High Potential Start-Up Unit, the Established Industry Support Activities, and EI’s International Network will all play key roles in developing the sector.
BioEntrepreneur Training
In November 2002 BioResearch Ireland hosts Biobiz™ – a three-day training workshop which helps researchers and scientists hone the skills needed to turn a good biotechnology idea into a successful business proposition. Designed to deal with the specific characteristics of the biotechnology sector, the workshop covers business plans, the dynamics of start ups, and securing capital.
Advanced Technology Research Programme (ATRP)
The ATRP aims to generate technologies, products and processes that can provide the basis for new start-up companies. BRI monitors and supports the biotechnology projects funded through the ATRP. 2002 was the second year of applied research funding under the ATRP scheme. To date 20 projects have been allocated funding which averages €380,000 per project.
Technology Management Team
BRI provides proactive support in both the protection of intellectual property and the commercial exploitation of the results. This is done through BRI’s unique combination of core competency in technology management, and a network of professionals available to deal with technologies in Universities, Institutes of Technology and other research facilities.
The following BRI staff are located on campus:
Dr Gwilym Williams, BioResearch Ireland, UCD, Dublin 4;
Tel: (01) 7162801l E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Noel Daly, BioResearch Ireland, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9;
Tel: (01)7005700; E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Marian Kane, BioResearch Ireland, NUIG, Galway;
Tel (091) 586559; E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Tim Roche, BioResearch Ireland, UCC, Cork;
Tel: (021) 4902843; E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Margaret Woods, O’Reilly Institute, TCD, Dublin 2;
Tel: (01) 6082159; E-mail: [email protected]
Biotechnology Networks – Face to Face and Online
BioResearch Ireland has supported a number of networking meetings held by BioConnect Ireland during 2001 and again in 2002. The themes for the meetings revolve around the issues relevant to entrepreneurs in academia and to start-up bio-technology companies in general.
In February 2002 BioResearch Ireland established a Biotechnology Portal for the Irish biotechnology sector. The site at http://www.biotechnologyireland.com provides a one-stop shop for news, information and contacts in the Irish Biotech sector and is linked to a sister site in Northern Ireland.
Contact: BioResearch Ireland, Enterprise Ireland,
Technology House, Glasnevin, Dublin 9; Tel: (01) 8370177;
E-mail: [email protected] ; Web: http://www.biotechnologyireland.com
