Mid-East
(Kildare, Wicklow & Meath)

The Mid-East Region is home to several industry sectors, including technology, food and beverage innovation, manufacturing, agritech innovation, screen industry and engineering,

Recent innovative start-up companies emerging from the region include prepared pet food manufacturer Green Treats Ltd, Data Analytics provider Gravitie Data Ltd, Nua Fertility Ltd, a neutraceutical pregnancy solution provider, natural cosmetics company Pestle and Mortar and Hygiene Audits, a health and hygiene platform.

Existing companies in the Mid-East continue to innovate through collaboration, such as Key Plastics, an engineering company based in Wicklow and the Rotunda Hospital, combining expertise to produce and launch The Umbifunnel. Local design consultancy company Design Partners is part of a consortium to advance the treatment of non-healing chronic wounds by developing smart wound care technology in collaboration with industry and academic research partners.

The Mid-East has also seen important company expansions that further endorse the region as a great place to start and grow a business. Odyssey VC (Kildare), Crowley Carbon and (Wicklow) and HR Duo (Meath) are some of the companies that announced further expansion and job creation in recent years.

Enterprise Ireland’s works with clients across the full spectrum of size and sector from entrepreneurs to HPSUs to established companies.

The New Frontiers Programme, funded by Enterprise Ireland, and delivered by Maynooth University in collaboration with Athlone Institute of Technology, has a track record of supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. The goal is to help them develop into successful start-ups and scaling companies. Since 2017, 189 participants completed Phase 1, with 72 going on to complete Phase 2 of the New Frontiers Programme in the region.

The Mid-East has a successful cohort of domestically traded companies across all sectors. To grow the number of Irish exporters, Enterprise Ireland has added a dedicated development advisor to the Mid-East team to work directly with companies with exporting potential.

Enterprise Ireland supports several important regional development initiatives across the Mid-East that are significant catalysts for company growth and development. These developments build on the region’s existing and emerging strengths stimulating collaboration and innovation.

• The AgTech Innovation Hub at Lyons Farm in Kildare, MERITS Regional Innovation Think Space in Naas, Clermont Content Creation Hub in Rathnew and Boyne Valley Food Innovation Project Navan are initiatives supported under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund.
• A new initiative supported under the RETS Feasibility support aims to build on the Equine sectoral strengths of the region.
• The Enterprise Ireland supported Feasibility Study will investigate the regional and national demand for expanding the National Equine Innovation Centre (NEIC) at the Irish National Stud in Kildare.
• These projects are supported by key stakeholders in the relevant industry collaborating to deliver balanced regional opportunities aligned with regional and local development plans.
• Enterprise Ireland continues to support, through collaboration and funding, Campus Incubation Centre MaynoothWorks at the National University of Ireland in Kildare, and a strong base of Community Enterprise Centres delivering capability support across the region.

Collaboration underpins the Enterprise Ireland Regional Development remit. The Mid-East team works closely with regional stakeholders to deliver cohesive enterprise development support for each stage in the company lifecycle. To this end, the team collaborates with the region’s three Local Enterprise Offices, supporting their Evaluation Committees and the transfer of clients between the two agencies. The team also supports the Mid-East Regional Skills Forum, NUI Maynooth University Incubator and the Regional Enterprise Plan committee for the Mid-East.