EY Announces Sponsorship of NUI Galway’s TechInnovate

Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional service firms in the world, announced its sponsorship of TechInnovate at NUI Galway.

TechInnovate, an entrepreneurship development fellowship, aims to produce entrepreneurs who will enable innovations in both local start-ups and in established technology companies.

During the 10-month programme teams of three entrepreneurs will identify real customer issues and develop innovative solutions to these issues. . Team members are chosen to contribute their skills, knowledge and expertise as part of a multidisciplinary Fellowship team.

Director of TechInnovate, and lecturer at NUI Galway, Dr John Breslin said, “TechInnovate’s entrepreneurship development process starts with a multidisciplinary team of professionals, the engineer, businessperson and designer, who select a market for their initial idea or innovation, and then identify customer needs through extensive market research… Our Fellows will be able to apply the skills they learn over and over again.”

Commenting on the sponsorship, Paraic Waters, Tax Director, EY Galway said, “We have seen a surge in the number of start-ups and large multinationals locating in Galway in recent years. With a strong network of third level institutions, relatively low costs and the quality of life on offer for employees, the West of Ireland is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities to attract investment arising from events such as Brexit. Programmes like TechInnovate also help to foster a friendlier ecosystem for entrepreneurs.”

As part of the sponsorship, EY will deliver a number of knowledge sharing workshops during the programme. This will include sessions given by EY experts on developing entrepreneurial expertise and crucial business skills. EY staff will also receive training on the TechInnovate process, which will enable them to bring new skills they learn back to the business and help drive innovation.

It has long been recognized that Galway is a hub for business and innovation, with the county ranked as one of the top incubator locations for medical devices worldwide, and the home to some of the world’s leading ICT and Life Science companies. According to a statement from NUI Galway, the talent developed in programmes like TechInnovate will add to this.

Written and edited by Amy Murphy, Journalism student from DCU.

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