INNOVATION AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

The Research, Development and Innovation Section manages all aspects of externally funded research at the Institute and is responsible for the development of research alliances with industry and other organisations.  GMIT's innovation and technology transfer activities, managed by the Commercial Services Office, include:

Innovation in Business Centres (IiBCs)
The IiBCs work with entrepreneurs who have identified new business niches.  By 2009, 12 start-ups had been established in the region, providing 114 jobs.

Midlands & West Enterprise Programme (MWEP)
The MWEP, run in conjunction with AIT, provides entrepreneurs with business skills, networks, facilitates and supports necessary to navigate the business start-up process. 

Graduate Entrepreneurship Progamme
The Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme currently provides 7 graduates of GMIT Dublin Road and Castlebar with mentoring and business development supports to nurse their early stage concepts into more tangible business models.

Consultancy
Expert competencies in areas of interest to industry are provided.

Intellectual Property (IP)
IP activities include the capture, protection and exploitation of intellectual property arising from applied research, design and development activities. These activities also involve managing IP aspects of collaborative R&D projects with industry where a professional approach meeting the needs of industry is in place.

Company Spin-Outs
The institute actively encourages entrepreneurship and the commercialisation of projects generated by staff and students where a promising opportunity has been identified.