University of Limerick’s Nexus Innovation Centre generated 76 new jobs in 32 companies in its first year. The centre is ahead of its target to generate 115 new jobs by 2016.
The Nexus Innovation Centre is the latest Enterprise Ireland campus incubation centre and was founded to support the formation and growth of 35 new high-tech start-up companies between 2011 and 2016, which is expected to generate more than 115 new high-value jobs.
According to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD, in its first year of existence, Nexus exceeded targets by supporting the formation and growth of 32 new high-tech start-up companies and more than 76 new high-value jobs, nine student co-operatives and 10 job bridge scheme placements.
The Nexus Innovation Centre offers dedicated office space for supporting new technology-based businesses together with two fully equipped research laboratory suites, boardrooms, meeting rooms and ancillary support services.
The centre facilitates the transformation of new knowledge into commercially viable opportunities and is driven to create a hub or ecosystem around which regional innovation is driven, organised and supported.
“The success of the Nexus Innovation Centre to date is testament to the expertise and entrepreneurial support available at the University of Limerick,” Dr Mary Shire, vice-president of research at UL explained.
“It has been very encouraging to see international start-up companies like iMosphere and iTrac Global base their operations here with the generation of high-value jobs for the mid-west region.”
In September, Nexus launched its ‘studio to street’ programme designed to radically change the kind of supports delivered to start-ups.
Eight places will be offered to companies who align with the programme’s agile, lean methodology.
