From left: GEC incubation director Niamh Collins, New York State governor Kathy Hochul and Furthr CEO Martin Murray. Image: Furthr
The partnership will see organisations from New York and Ireland share technical information, data and analytics to inform best practices and support start-ups from both regions.
Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) and Irish organisation Furthr have signed a deal with the US state of New York to boost opportunities between the two regions.
The partnership recognises a shared interest between the Irish organisations and New York in collaborating on key technology and industry sectors. It also aims to dedicate resources to create new entrepreneurship opportunities between New York and Ireland.
During a visit to Dublin last week, governor of New York state Kathy Hochul signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the GEC and Furthr.
“While New York state and Ireland are geographically an ocean apart, we are united in the belief that we are stronger through the sharing of ideas and fostering innovation,” Hochul said. “This agreement between New York, the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Furthr offers real opportunities and the potential for growth for start-ups in both economies and will build on our mutual strengths to advance the state’s innovation economy.”
The agreement formalises a relationship between Empire State Development’s division of science, technology and innovation – called NYSTAR – and the Irish organisations, to spur economic activity and boost tech-based commercialisation initiatives.
Furthr CEO Martin Murray said the organisations will share technical information, data and analytics to inform best practices and “engage in outreach activities with other industry, government, and academic leaders”.
“Today’s announcement really opens up a world of exciting opportunities for our Irish client companies to accelerate their growth directly into the US east coast tech corridor while providing New York start-ups with a supportive landing location and ecosystem in Ireland,” Murray said.
Furthr was formerly known as Dublin BIC and it includes Dublin’s Guinness Enterprise Centre, The Innovation Exchange, Creative Skillnet and a venture capital branch called Furthr VC.
Established in 2000, the GEC was created as an entrepreneurial ‘superhub’ for start-ups to develop their enterprises in a shared space. It supports a community of more than 150 companies. Last year, the GEC became the headquarters of Techies Go Green, a movement of IT and tech-oriented companies who are committed to decarbonising their businesses.
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