Cities of Innovation: Dublin
Key indicators
ICT Infrastructure
Average download speed (Mbps)
Download speed ranking (Europe)
— Connectivity of Smart Docklands: · LoRa · Sigfox · NB-IoT · 4G & 5G
Local, national and international transport links
Passengers (Dublin Airport)
Flight destinations
— 1 airport with 2 terminals with 180 destinations — Trains and buses run nationally to Cork and Galway
University links and access to talent
QS World University ranking (Trinity College Dublin)
Students
10 universities Enterprise Ireland (the government body responsible for supporting indigenous industry) provides support, financial and non- financial, to foster relationships between third level and companies
Costs and availability of workspace
Co-working spaces
Average office rent
— Smart Docklands is home to over 500 businesses in 3 km2
City support for start-ups and SMEs
Business support entities
Innovation centres
— Co-working network spaces — Competition between start-ups: · IBYE · Bank of Ireland Start up awards · EY Entrepreneur awards · Google adopt a startup
Financial support and access to investors & accelerators
Accelerators
Propeller venture accelerator programmes
— Crowdfunding opportunities: · Credit Finance · SBCI · Micro finance — 8 accelerators within Enterprise Ireland
Additional information
Local, national and international transport links
Dublin is a hub for both national and international travel. It has one international airport and permission is being sought for a new airport. Iarnrod Eireann operates national trains and buses.
There is a good range of services to link innovation hubs to financial districts including LUAS (tramway), DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) operated by Ianrod Eireann,as well as buses, bikes for hire, and car hire services.
University links and access to talent
There are 10 main universities and institutes including University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, DCU, Royal College of Surgeons, DIT, Griffith College, National College of Ireland, Institute of Technology Tallaght, IADT, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.
Costs and availability of workspace
Co-working spaces include: Wework, Dogpatch Limited, Cowork@GEC, Co create, t-cube, dospace, Fumbally exchange, Tara. Retail space rents at €500 m2/month, and industrial space averages €8 m2/month for floor space under 500 m2. Smart docklands is a smart city testbed for business and living. It’s home to over 500 businesses, and generates 9% of Ireland’s GDP. There are 44,000 employees and 26,000 residents.
City support for start-ups and SMEs
The Local Enterprise Office supports local professionals with training, events, financial support and help on starting or growing your own business.
Enterprise Ireland helps Irish businesses grow and reach world markets. They offer a range of services from funding, to making introductions in key international markets. Enterprise Ireland has a useful list of incubation centres.
Start-up bootcamp Dublin supports early-stage tech founders to rapidly scale their companies, and they run a range of accelerator programmes.
Ryan Academy delivers entrepreneur, startup and innovation programmes.
Events
— First Friday for start-ups
— Start-up week Dublin
— There are many competitions that startups can enter, some offering substantial prize money and all offering networking and learning experiences: IBYE, Bank of Ireland Start up awards, EY Entrepreneur awards, Google adopt a startup.
Financial support and access to investors & accelerators
Dublin has six propeller venture accelerator programmes:
— Launchbox
— Startupboot camp
There are several crowdfunding opportunities in Ireland, as well as international schemes open to Irish entrepreneurs.