Women Entrepreneurs and Raising Venture Capital Funding – Webinar

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Hosted by Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Venture Capital Association, this is the second “Women Entrepreneurs and Raising Venture Capital (VC) Funding” focuses on encouraging women-led companies to seek venture capital finance.

The purpose of this webinar is to support companies in all sectors and at all stages of growth that are seeking venture capital finance. There is a specific focus on encouraging and enabling women entrepreneurs to successfully raise VC finance.

It includes panel discussions with women funders and founders, which identifies and provides examples of successful fundraising strategies.

Recognising the under-representation of women in this space, the webinar is targeted at women-founders and co-founders in all sectors and at all stages of growth.

It provides a roadmap for women founders on their investment journey who wish to develop their investment skills and network with other women funders and founders.

    Building resilient and sustainable supply chains to future-proof Irish business

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    Having weathered the storms of Brexit, global trade divisions, the Covid-19 pandemic and energy inflation, the next challenge for Irish exporters is to future-proof their business by developing resilient and sustainable supply chains.

    This will require rethinking supply chain strategy and adhering to new EU legislation on corporate sustainability reporting. The challenges and potential solutions involved were analysed at the ‘Building a Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chain’ webinar, the first webinar in the Client Solutions event series.

     

    Pain-points and solutions

    “The Covid-19 pandemic and other events have seen companies fundamentally re-examine their supply chains and certain themes have emerged including localisation, diversification, digitisation, sustainability and Just-in-Time versus Just-in-Case,” said Mike Hogan, Senior Executive Global Sourcing, Enterprise Ireland

    Mike’s presentation focused on supply chain pain-points and solutions identified by Enterprise Ireland client companies.

     

    Localisation and ‘Alt Asia’

    “As companies begin to ‘nearshore’ more they’re beginning to look at what our local is and local for Ireland in many cases is two to three hours flying time or accessible points by sea from Ireland,” said Hogan.

    Local also means looking to suppliers in the Balkans and the North African ‘Mediterranean Lake’ countries such as Morocco and Egypt. The new post-Brexit ferry and cargo routes into France, Holland and Spain “have opened up opportunities for a lot of our clients to examine new suppliers,” added Hogan.

    And as labour costs rise in China, some businesses are reducing their dependence on China and looking to what are termed the ‘Alt Asia’ countries such as Vietnam (production) and the Philippines (back-end services) for suppliers.  “While they may not be able to supply all the aspects of China in terms of a one-stop-shop, suppliers in these countries can be combined to bring together the necessary inputs that people require for their businesses,” said Hogan.

    “The key takeaway from our clients is that they are looking at combining longer and shorter supply chains and also that supply chain management is a continuous activity.  It’s not something you do because you lose a supplier – it’s something that should be going on in the background on a continuous basis.”

    “The key takeaway from our clients is that they are looking at combining longer and shorter supply chains and also that supply chain management is a continuous activity.  It’s not something you do because you lose a supplier – it’s something that should be going on in the background on a continuous basis.”

     

    Diversification and ‘Just-in-time’ versus ‘Just-in-Case’

    Some Ireland client companies are beginning to reduce their over-reliance on specific suppliers. “Here we’re seeing examples of companies engaging with additional suppliers at a lower level to keep them on standby,” said Hogan.

    He also predicts a shift from the ‘Just-in-Time’ supply strategy that has held sway for decades towards a more ‘Just-in-Case’ approach.  Companies are holding additional inventories to reduce risk, but this also creates challenges around raising capital and inventory management, he cautioned.

     

    Resources for sourcing new suppliers

    The Enterprise Ireland Market Research Centre should be the first stop for companies looking to source new suppliers, said Hogan. He added that trade shows, the commercial sections of foreign embassies based in Dublin and London, Chamber of Commerce networks in Eastern Europe and North Africa, and specialist British trade bodies are also valuable sources of leads.

    And he emphasised that given the multinational profile of the Irish workforce, companies should look at tapping into their own reservoir of talent to liaise with suppliers in their employees’ native countries.

     

    Sustainable supply chains

    The impact on supply chains from climate change was addressed by Ingrid de Doncker, Co-founder and Head of Innovation, Future Planet.

    “Climate change is the biggest challenge for this generation of business leaders to solve. The future of our businesses and the planet is in our hands. It all comes down to responsible production and consumption and how we can source and buy products and services better.”

    “By embracing sustainability in supply chains, we not only secure a better future for our planet and society, but also create more resilient, innovative, and profitable businesses.”

    De Doncker also outlined how new EU legislation on corporate sustainability reporting will impact how businesses operate.

    “It’s going to be the most challenging business transformation we will ever see,” she said, adding that “an unstoppable legal train has left the EU station.”

    The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CRSD), which came into force in January 2023, will require EU-based companies to strengthen and standardise their sustainability reporting from 2025 onwards.

    The directive aims to eliminate greenwashing, and companies that fall under the CRSD will need to prioritise their sustainability reporting strategy around five key areas, said de Doncker. These are:

    • Double materiality This involves looking inwards to assess sustainability risks to the business and its impact on environment & society.
    • Looking both ahead and back Companies must provide retrospective and forward-looking sustainability analysis in their financial and management statements.
    • Stricter rules around climate-related disclosures in particular disclosure of Scope 3 emissions.
    • Third-party assurance Sustainability information must pass through an external audit process before publication.
    • Digital data and tagging Companies must prepare financial and management statements in XHTML or electronic format in accordance with the EU taxonomy.

    The CRSD will be introduced on a phased basis, beginning with companies and public interest entities already subject to the EU’s Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). By 2027, all companies with 10 or more employees will need to be CRSD-compliant.

    For now, said de Doncker, companies should consider two fundamental questions when planning their sustainable supply chain strategy:

    1. How will you adapt your business model and your supply chain to reduce the impact of climate change?

    2. What measures will you take to mitigate the impact of your business on the environment and society?

    To adapt or mitigate your business and your supply chain to climate change, your first port of call is assessing and improving these related material challenges:

    • Sustainable Procurement
    • Green Logistics
    • Human Rights and Stakeholder collaboration
    • GHG Scope 3 Management
    • Circular Economy and End of Life Waste
    • Sustainable Product & Packaging Design

    Building a resilient and sustainable supply chain is not always easy, but always worthwhile. To ensure transparency, collaboration across the supply chain and compliance to reporting standards, ESG enabled software can guide the journey to sustainable growth to Live Better in your business, Buy Better from your supply chains and Design Better for your customers.

     

    Building a Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chain

    Building a resilient and sustainable supply chain was the first in a series of Client Solutions events and webinars being hosted by Enterprise Ireland. The webinars offer practical solutions to the acute challenges facing businesses.

    To register for upcoming events and to watch the recordings, visit Client Solutions Events

     

    Net Zero UK – UK Local Authorities & the Net Zero Challenge – Webinar

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    The UK’s 408 local authorities will play a crucial and defining role in the UK’s net zero challenge with responsibility for:

    • overseeing the adoption of innovative zero carbon technologies

    • investing in climate-resilient urban infrastructure

    • driving energy efficiency through building retrofitting

    • placing a greater emphasis on environmental criteria in procurement policy

    This Enterprise Ireland UK webinar discusses how this evolution is reflected in procurement practices, with local authorities giving increasing consideration to social value and carbon emissions and what this means for Irish SMEs in the sector.

    Speakers include:

    • Todd Holden, Energy Policy & Programme Lead, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

    • Steve Turner, Business Director, Connected Places Catapult

    • Bret Willers, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Coventry City Council

    • Christopher Hammond, Network Membership Director, UK100

      Gain key business insights with our on-demand UK webinar series

       

      Terence O'Rourke, Jennifer Melia and Leo Clancy at Enterprise Ireland Start-Up Showcase 2022

      Start-Up Showcase: Demonstrating Ireland’s strength in supporting entrepreneurs

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      Events over the past few years have made the business environment challenging to navigate but have also presented some unprecedented opportunities for Ireland’s innovative and dynamic entrepreneurs.

       

      Enterprise Ireland’s aim to support start-ups

       

      In a rapidly changing world, innovation is vital, making it so important for Enterprise Ireland to nurture and support promising ideas and those who produce them.

       “We have a hotbed of talent and innovation in Ireland right now, so it’s more imperative than ever that our entrepreneurs are given the time, funding and advice to excel on a global scale,” says Jennifer Melia, Divisional Manager, Technology and Services Division at Enterprise Ireland.

      “At Enterprise Ireland, we aim to support and enable Irish businesses to lead in a changing world – and an integral part of this is those ambitious start-ups with innovative solutions to tackle global problems.”

       

      125 start-ups attend Start-Up Showcase 2022

       

      Our strength in innovation was recently demonstrated in Enterprise Ireland’s 2022 Start-Up Showcase, which was held in the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, 7 April.

      Making a welcome return in person – last year’s Start-Up Showcase was wholly virtual – the event was attended by the ‘Class of 2021’. This included 82 new High Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs), 43 approved Competitive Start Fund companies (CSFs) and representatives from each of the 32 New Frontiers programmes we supported during the year.

      This number was on a par with previous years; considering the difficult business environment in 2020 and 2021, this is testament to the resilience of Irish start-ups and entrepreneurs.

      Interestingly, and reflecting Enterprise Ireland’s commitment to supporting diversity in leadership teams, 24 of the 82 HPSUs and 16 of the 43 CSFs were led by female founders.

       

      Learning from other success stories

       

      “Investment and funding is only part of the recipe for success for a start-up,” explains Jennifer. “Learning from peers and those who have been on the starting and scaling journey already plays an important role in future success.

      As a result, this year’s conference element at Start-Up Showcase aimed to tackle two of the most important subjects for start-ups.

      The first panel focused on ‘Disruption and Customer-Led Innovation’. It featured Silvercloud Co-Founder and CEO Ken Cahill, Novus Diagnostics Founder and CEO Elaine Spain, and ACT VC General Partner John O’Sullivan.

      Centaur Fund Services Founding Partner and CEO Karen Malone, Kyte Powertech CEO Stephanie Leonard and Cubic Telecom CEO Barry Napier then shared their experiences on ‘Building a Strong Team and Funding for Scale’.

      The conference then ended with a keynote speech from LearnUpon Co-Founder and CEO Brendan Noud as his company, a HPSU from the Class of 2013, goes from strength to strength.

       

      Returning to an in-person Start-Up Showcase event

       

      Due to the public health measures, last year’s event was wholly virtual due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. But this year’s was both live streamed and in person.

      “As the start-ups would have begun their journey during lengthy lockdowns and travel restrictions, this event, in many cases, was one of the first opportunities to meet such an influential group of people – as well as their peers – in person,” says Jennifer. “There was a real buzz in the air.”

      “In total, there were 500 attendees including representatives from the Irish start-up ecosystem, including VCs and other funders, State support agencies, strategic company partners and professional and financial services, Government departments, academics, business mentors and Local Enterprise Offices.”

       

      Innovation and resilience among the Start-Up Showcase Class of 2021

       

      As companies that formed during the second year of the pandemic, the ‘Class of 2021’ have shown innovation and resilience like never before. Proving that Ireland is the “go to” country when it comes to finding global solutions, these companies produced a number of solutions in many sectors, including digital health, fintech, medtech, software, sustainability and more.

      “The ‘Class of 2021’ is really impressive,” says Jennifer. “Take a look at Amnexis Digital Solutions, based in the Guinness Enterprise Centre, a digital health company that records patient data efficiently, therefore reducing the administration workload on hospital, homecare and nursing home staff.”

      And there’s more to come. Although we are only a few months into 2022, already the easing of restrictions has resulted in a renewed energy in Ireland’s start-up community.

      “Next year’s Start-Up Showcase is looking promising even now, with a strong pipeline of promising entrepreneurs with intriguing prospects making waves across Ireland, both first-time and repeat entrepreneurs.”

      The future has never been more exciting for Irish entrepreneurs to Lead in a Changing World.

       

      Find out more about Enterprise Ireland’s supports for High Potential Start-Ups or watch the recording of the Start-Up Showcase 2022 conference.

       

      A man and woman wearing headsets for immersive entertainment purposes

      The Irish businesses making waves in the immersive entertainment sector

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      Irish people have a long and proud history of storytelling. From the ancient seanchaí to poets, musicians and novelists, the Irish ability to tell a story in an unforgettable and imaginative way is famous across the world.

      With storytelling at the core of today’s artificial reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and immersive experiences, combined with Ireland’s reputation for excellence in technological innovation, it should come as no surprise that several Irish companies are making waves in this sector.

       

      Overview of the immersive entertainment sector

       

      “The immersive entertainment sector actually grew during the Covid-19 pandemic,” notes Bartosz Siepracki, Senior ICT Market Advisor, Poland and Baltics, and Global Digital Entertainment Sector Lead at Enterprise Ireland.

      “Cinema restrictions resulted in more people looking for immersive entertainment experiences at home. As a result, consumers worldwide spent $9.9 billion on AR and VR during 2020.”

      “During the same period, just $7 billion was spent on cinema attendance. Investors are recognising this growth and responding accordingly. This means there are plenty of opportunities for Irish companies looking to enter the sector.”

      These opportunities become even more significant when the impressive long-term predictions are taken into account.

      “A report on Statistica predicts that the global immersive market will grow to almost $300 billion by 2024. This means that immersive media will be as significant to us as mobile apps are today.”

      “There is another piece to this fast growth,” notes Bartosz. “With this being such a rapidly growing and developing industry, companies entering the sector today will play a valuable role in shaping the world of immersive entertainment over the coming decades.”

       

      Opportunities for Irish companies in immersive entertainment

       

      Recognising the massive potential of this growing sector, Enterprise Ireland is supporting Irish companies that wish to enter or increase their presence in the industry.

      As part of this, a new guide, ‘Opportunities in Immersive Media Entertainment’, has been developed by the UK-based Limina Immersive consultancy in partnership with Enterprise Ireland to help Irish entertainment companies recognise, prepare for and take advantage of these opportunities globally.

      Headed by globally recognised expert Catherine Allen, Limina is also currently working with several Irish SMEs branching out into the sector.

      “The guide looks at the current immersive entertainment market and the areas of growth over the coming years, along with the digital technology trends, investment opportunities and advice on getting your immersive entertainment projects off the ground.”

       

      Irish businesses that found success in the sector

       

      Engage XR

      “Many Irish companies are already finding success in the area,” says Bartosz. “For example, Engage XR (previously known as Immersive VR Education) launched a VR documentary in April 2016, ‘Apollo 11’, with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. It’s based on NASA’s original material from the first lunar expedition in 1969. It allows the user to fly the command module, operate the lunar lander and carry out experiments on the moon.”

      “Since then, the company has developed its ENGAGE platform, which enables VR education, collaboration and events. This is now used by over 130 commercial customers including Fortune 500 companies Meta and 3M.”

       

      Volograms

      Another area of growth is in volumetric filmmaking, most notably how to make it easy and affordable for both professional headsets and mobile experiences. “Volograms has developed state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms powering 3D reconstruction, multi-view texture mapping and many more important features,” says Bartosz. “Its mobile app allows anyone to capture volumetric video of someone, resize it and place it in a different context.”

       

      Pink Kong Studio

      Ireland’s animation industry has long been admired for its carefully crafted stories for both adults and children. Naturally, this sector is playing a big role in advancing the world of immersive entertainment too. “Most famous of all is Aurora, developed by Pink Kong Studio in 2018,” says Bartosz. “Aurora is an emotional story about a family of three living in a forest and has received multiple accolades around the world. These include the 2018 Monolith Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Immersive VR’ from Infinity Film Festival Beverly Hills.”

       

      Algorithm

      Irish companies are taking the technology to the outdoors too, for everyone to enjoy. “Living Canvas was developed by Algorithm and is noted for bringing technology into the cultural sphere,” explains Bartosz. “It’s one of the world’s first outdoor digital screens used exclusively for artistic and cultural content. It’s currently located in Wilton Park where it operates as an exciting open-air gallery. Anyone living in or visiting Dublin can experience this wonderful new technology for themselves.”

      “People don’t need a complicated entertainment system or even a top-of-the-range phone to experience this new world.”

       

      Contact Bartosz Siepracki to find out how Enterprise Ireland can help you explore opportunities in the immersive entertainment sector.

      Irish companies are rocketing into the space industry - Image of space and galaxies

      How Irish companies are rocketing into the space industry

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      Ireland may not be the first country to spring to mind when you talk about space travel or exploration, but recently this industry has proved itself to have plenty of opportunities for Irish innovation, both from companies and research bodies.

       

      The James Webb Space Telescope

       

      Many businesses based in Ireland are already working in the area, thanks to our involvement with the European Space Agency (ESA). What’s more, several Irish companies are now playing a pivotal role in some of the most thrilling and high-profile space missions.

      One such mission was the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST, or simply Webb), the next great space science observatory following the famous Hubble Telescope.

      The Webb was launched from ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on Christmas Day 2021. It now resides one-and-a-half million kilometres from Earth, hovering in line with our planet as it orbits the sun.

      Over 25 years in development, the Webb telescope has the ability to look back 13.5 billion years in time to observe the birth of the first galaxies and the lifecycle of stars and exoplanets.

      Webb follows the Hubble Telescope in the line of great space observatories. Both have different scientific capabilities and will operate together, complementing each other, for several years.

      In fact, according to Bryan Rodgers, Senior Development Executive at Enterprise Ireland and a member of the Irish delegation to the ESA, Webb has the capacity to do far more than the Hubble.

      “The Webb has over six times the light-gathering capacity and is a hundred times more sensitive, with the ability to peer through clouds of dust by capturing light in the infrared part of the spectrum.”

      “By looking back to the early universe using infrared detectors, Webb hopes to answer some vital questions about the formation of our universe, the make-up of so-called dark matter, and what the development of galaxies can tell us about the future of the universe.”

       

      How Irish companies contributed to the development and launch of the JWST

       

      Webb is the result of an international project led by NASA with the ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Within the ESA’s contribution, two Irish companies and an Irish research institute played significant roles in the development of the Webb’s scientific instruments and in its launch into space.

      “Firstly, there was significant Irish input into the development of the infrared detector technology,” comments Bryan. “Professor Tom Ray of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) was Co-Principal Investigator for the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) on Webb, which will produce images and spectra with unprecedented sharpness and sensitivity.”

      “Professor Tom Ray and his team from DIAS also provided MIRI’s infrared filters, which breaks up the light into its various components, and imaging software that will analyse the instrument data sent back to Earth and produce scientific images.”

      An Irish company also played an important role in Webb’s launch into space via an Ariane 5 launcher.

      “Réaltra Space Systems Engineering designed and manufactured the video imaging system onboard the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, which gave us impressive high-definition video images of the separation of the launcher’s fairing and separation of the telescope itself,” says Bryan.

      “The final images of Webb moving into space on Christmas Day in 2021 came from Réaltra’s technology.”

      Interestingly, Réaltra’s system was originally designed for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle, which is due its first flight in the second half of 2022.

      “In addition, a second Irish company, Nammo Ireland, provided structural supports for the Vulcain engine that powers Ariane 5 – and will be involved in producing components for both the Vulcain and Vinci engines on the new Ariane 6 launch vehicle.”

       

      Opportunities for Irish businesses in the space industry

       

      The involvement of these Irish entities came about as a result of Ireland’s membership of the ESA, which is managed through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

      Enterprise Ireland plays a huge role in enabling this work, by supporting and guiding Irish companies and research institutes in developing technologies through ESA programmes, and in commercialising these technologies in the worldwide space market, with over 100 companies supported to date.

      “The success of the Irish entities involved in the ground-breaking JWST project underlines the growth in opportunities in the commercial space market for innovative Irish companies with exciting technologies that can be used in many different sectors, such as automotive and medical,” notes Bryan.

      “These opportunities will only become more plentiful as our understanding of space grows and develops. We are confident that more Irish companies will be involved in such thrilling projects in the future.”

       

      Contact Bryan Rodgers to find out how Enterprise Ireland can help you successfully bid for European Space Agency contracts or explore other opportunities in the space industry.

       

      graph with export data

      Using market intelligence to inform your export plan

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      The saying that ‘knowledge is power’ is certainly true of successful exporting. Companies must understand their customers’ requirements, cultural considerations, market trends and what competitors in the market are doing, in order to succeed.

      Insights gained from high-quality market research are essential for good business decisions for companies with the ambition to grow, export and, indeed, survive. While successful products and services are built on sound market research, a continual process of keeping up-to-date with business intelligence is required, which can be time-consuming and costly.

       

      Market Research Centre

      That is one reason Enterprise Ireland’s Market Research Centre is such a valuable resource. It is the largest repository of business intelligence in Ireland and contains thousands of world-class market research insights, available to Enterprise Ireland supported companies.

      Reports include company, sector, market and country information, which help businesses to explore opportunities and compete in international markets. We use databases from blue-chip information providers such as Gartner, Frost & Sullivan, Mintel and others, which provide authoritative, verified information that is independent and reliable. Some of these reports cost tens of thousands of euro individually, so the value of accessing the service is immense.

       

      Using market intelligence to assess new markets

      The Market Research Centre is staffed by eight information specialists who help clients locate the most appropriate sources of knowledge for their requirements. The specialists can track down niche market intelligence that is not available through internet research and can also facilitate access to industry analysts to provide bespoke briefings that deep-dive into subject areas.

      While the UK and European markets remain vitally important for exporters, increasingly diversification into more distant markets is a strategic option. Critical to all such business decisions is access to authoritative market research.

       

      Using insights to make an impact

      An example of how the centre helps companies to explore opportunities in overseas markets is workforce travel company Roomex. Over the last two years, the company has targeted the UK and Germany and is now looking at the huge potential of the US market. Information specialists helped the company gain valuable insights by providing access to global company, country, market and sector data which helped the Roomex to analyse their target customer and competitor base.

      Enterprise Ireland’s research hub offers access to extensive predictive research on future trends, which is invaluable for companies interested in innovation. Knowledge of what might impact a market next provides an opportunity to develop new products or solutions. There are huge opportunities arising from disruptive technologies, such as driver-less cars, but also risks to companies which are not looking ahead

      Growing your business

      Companies which are serious about exporting, growing and future-proofing their business should put continuous research at the heart of their strategy. If your company is considering expanding into new markets the Market Research Centre’s extensive resources and expertise should be your first port of call.

      Contact the Market Research Centre today.

      UK Water Sector: Trends and Opportunities 2022-2025 – Webinar

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      In 2020 the UK water sector embarked on AMP 7, its five-year infrastructural spending cycle worth £51 billion. This sum covers a wide array of areas, from decarbonisation to digital, with plenty of opportunities for businesses across the supply chain to get involved in the sector.

      This webinar discusses the trends and opportunities in the sector across the regulator’s five key themes, as well as AMP 8.

      Topics discussed:

      • Environmental Protection

      • Carbon Reduction and Resilience

      • Digital Agenda

      • Customer Service

      • Collaboration and Innovation

      • Value for Money

      • The Future of the Sector and AMP 8

        High-tech construction opportunities for Irish firms in France and Germany

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        Summary

        • The expertise of Irish high-tech construction companies is well-known in France and Germany, with many home-grown businesses active in the markets
        • There are opportunities for Irish firms to get involved in French and German construction projects, particularly data centre design and building
        • Enterprise Ireland is supporting clients that wish to attend the Data Centre World events in Frankfurt during May 2022 and Paris during November 2022

         

         

        As global events impacted on industry across every sector, technology, and our reliance on it has never been more important, with businesses keen to learn about advances in digital solutions and data collection.

        For instance, this was reflected at a range of Data Centre World events across Europe which garnered a huge amount of interest from companies around Ireland.

        The largest gathering of data experts in France took place in Paris Porte de Versailles on 24 November 2021 and was attended by almost 1,700 industry experts, with 59% of attendees looking to invest more in associated products and solutions.

         

        The French market

        According to Alix Derigny, Enterprise Ireland Market Advisor – Construction & Sustainable Build in France, more than half of the attendees, including many Irish clients, were from organisations whose primary business is data centre design and build.

        “Although some had to cancel due to the pandemic, a number of Enterprise Ireland clients visited, including Mercury Engineering, who exhibited there for the second time and other client companies like Moy Materials and Cubis Systems,” she says. “It was a very busy tradeshow, with great networking and fruitful meetings with large data centre projects managers who were interested in the solutions offered by Irish companies.”

        “Sustainability is a major issue for the high-tech construction sector and, with a commitment to be climate neutral by 2030, Irish innovation in this area was of particular interest.”

        According to a study by the consultancy Arcadis, France now ranks fifth in Europe in terms of attractiveness for setting up data centres. Interxion has submitted plans in Les Ulis for a 130 MW campus, DATA4 is looking to construct a 100 MW campus expansion, and CloudHQ has recently submitted plans for a two-building hyperscale build in Lisses, for a total of nearly 400 possible MW coming online over the next decade.

         

        Success for Irish companies in France

        Derigny, whose role involves supporting Irish capabilities across the construction industry in France, says there is plenty of Irish success in the region and many opportunities up for grabs.

        “2020 and 2021 have been synonymous with great success stories for Irish companies in France,” she says, “There are several Enterprise Ireland clients active in the French market including Ethos Engineering, E&I Engineering, Anord Mardix, LPI Group, Enersol, Fireblock, King Environmental, CET Connect and Evercam.

         

        Trends in the French high-tech construction sector

        “There are two major trends in the French construction market which present opportunities to Irish companies: the roll-out of the largest transport project in Europe, the ‘Grand Paris Express’ (2015-2030), and a move towards sustainability through certifications, CO2 reduction targets and market-led initiatives in ‘green building’.

        Long considered as a potential hub for hyperscale construction, Paris could potentially more than double in size as a data centre area. Existing investment is heavily centered in its capital, with Paris accounting for over 70% of the country’s current data center footprint. Equinix, Interxion, Orange, Mipih, Colt DCS, Digital Realty and Atos are the prominent investors in the market.

         

        The German market

        France isn’t the only option for Irish firms in this space. Tim Flache, Enterprise Ireland Market Advisor – Construction in Germany and Austria, says there is also plenty of opportunity for Irish high-tech construction companies in that market.

        “After the US, Germany is the second largest data centre market worldwide,” he says.

        “The main data centre hub in Germany is Frankfurt, and with the DE-CIX the city has the internet exchange with the most data throughput worldwide and it has not reached its peak yet, with 230 MW under construction and a potential of another 500 MW – so there will be plenty of business over the coming years.

        “Equinix alone announced in 2021 its intention to build five new data centres and invest $1.14 billion USD in Frankfurt over the next years. Other locations in Germany like Berlin (37 MW under construction) and Munich (12 MW under construction) also present opportunities.

         

        Success for Irish companies in Germany

        There are many success stories already in the region with Irish contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers active in the German data centre market. Some of these include well-known Irish companies likes Mercury, Winthrop, and Collen.

        “These companies deliver large scale co-location data centre projects all over Europe and have been active in Germany for several years. Smaller subcontractors and suppliers are also active in the German market and are winning projects.”

         

        Trends in the German high-tech construction sector

        Flache, who is based in Dusseldorf, says the biggest topic at Data Centre World is sustainability.

        “As in many other countries, the data centre industry in Germany is under pressure to become more sustainable and climate friendly,” he says.

        “With the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, the industry committed, on a European level, to a more sustainable future for data centres and to become climate neutral by 2030.”

        “This ambitious goal also impacts the design and construction of data centres, which is where Irish capabilities lie.”

        Beyond data centre projects, the high-tech construction market in Germany has more to offer. Over the last years, several battery manufacturing facilities have been announced and large semiconductor manufacturers are looking for suitable sites in Germany. The main pull factor for these projects is the German automotive industry.

         

        Differences between the French and German markets

        While the European single market makes both Germany and France attractive target markets for Irish companies, there are some differences clients should be aware of when it comes to labour law, taxation, and certification.

        “Companies beginning operations in France must ensure all contracts adhere to French law, for legal and commercial reasons”, says Alix Derigny.

        “France is among the easiest countries to set up a business. The guichet-entreprises.fr service encourages business creation in France by enabling anyone to complete the formalities necessary to create their activity in one place online. Only a few days are required.

        “With regard to tax structures: corporate tax rates in France are gradually reducing. In 2021, the standard corporate income tax rate is 26.5%, a figure which will fall to 25% in 2022. Corporations with profits of more than €500,000 must pay a rate of 27.5%. A reduced rate of 15% is also available to small companies on the first €38,120 of taxable profits.”

        Tim Flache says the federal system in Germany influences certification and safety standards in the construction industry.

        “Fire safety regulations, for instance, can differ between the different states (Bundeslaender),” he says. “Companies should be aware of these differences, even within the German market. Also, when it comes to sending staff to Germany, certain time limitations and country specific labour agreements have to be considered.”

         

        Business culture

        The market experts say Irish businesses looking to expand in Europe should be aware of both the opportunities and requirements.

        “Irish companies may face challenges in the French market because of the time and patience needed to manage lengthy sales cycles and due diligence processes. However, if approached correctly, France can be a very significant and lucrative market for innovative, leading-edge Irish companies.” says Derigny.

        “A partnership agreement with a local organisation may act as a way of gaining foothold in the market or building sales opportunities in sectors that might be difficult to penetrate as a new entrant.”

         

        The Irish Advantage in high-tech construction

        Tim Flache agrees and says there is plenty of help on offer from Enterprise Ireland.

        “The unique experience and know-how of the Irish high-tech construction sector is well known in the German data centre sector, which is a great foundation for every Irish company active in this field.”

        “However, Germany is a mature market, so, for many of our clients, a proven route to market is the existing relationship to Irish contractors, who are already active in Germany. This can be helpful to win an initial project and build a track record.”

        “I am more than happy to help further clients with their business in Germany. Enterprise Ireland clients can either get in touch with me directly or through their Development Advisor.”

         

        Want to find out more about high-tech construction opportunities in France or Germany? Contact Alix Derigny or Tim Flache respectively.

         

        In 2022, Data Centre World will be back in Frankfurt (11 – 12 May) and Paris (16 – 17 November). Enterprise Ireland are supporting clients at this event. If you are interested in attending, or learning more about our plans, get in touch with Alix or Tim.

        Construction in the UK: A Guide to Legal Challenges and the UKCA Mark – Webinar

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        In this webinar the speakers discuss some of the main legal and regulatory issues currently facing contractors, employers and suppliers in the construction sector across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

        This webinar also discusses the UKCA mark, the new UK product marking that will replace the CE mark on 1 January 2023 in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UKCA mark will be required for construction products being placed in the market. We will also discuss the process of how to certify your products with the UKCA marking.

        Speakers Include:

        • Jamie Ritchie, Partner, LK Shields

        • Dominic Jones, Partner, Blake Morgan

        • Lisa Boyd, Construction and Procurement Lawyer, Gateley Tweed LLP and Gateley Legal

        • Robin Byrne, Head of UK Office, NSAI Certification UK

          Insights into the Commercialisation of Diagnostice webinar

          Insights to the Commercialisation of Diagnostics

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          Enterprise Ireland UK in collaboration with Roche Diagnostics, the world’s largest biotech company and the world leader in in vitro diagnostics, examined the route to commercialisation, market access and economic modelling in this Insights into the Commercialisation of Diagnostics webinar.

          Webinar title: Climate Action Funding & Supports - Manufacturing sector

          Climate Enterprise Action Fund Webinar Series – Manufacturing Sector

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          The transition to a low carbon world has become a defining force for business. For Irish companies, this means opportunities to compete and grow as global investments in a sustainable future accelerates.

          The manufacturing sector has the capability to address many of the problems in our society, including the threat from climate change. However, as the world aims for net zero emissions by 2050, the sector faces significant challenges in reducing its own energy consumption.

          This webinar includes the following guest speakers who will share their sustainability journey, as well as provide helpful advice to companies of all sizes:

          • Nick Reynolds – CSR Advisor, Business in the Community

          • Patrick Beausang – CEO, Passive Sills

          • Andrea Cawley – Commercial Director, Automatic Plastics

          • Patrick Buckley – Managing Director, EPS

          Watch the Climate Enterprise Action Fund webinar series here.