Innovation District Advisory Group Meeting Note 10 July 2019

Innovation District Advisory Group

Department of the Taoiseach, 10 July 2019

Meeting Note

Attendance

The list of attendees is appended.

Agenda Item 1: Update on progress

TCD gave an update on activities, in parallel to the work of the Advisory Group, that have taken place over the last 12 months in relation to the Grand Canal Innovation District based on the paper circulated. Key achievements include: the completion of a comprehensive economic cost benefit analysis study; the development of a draft masterplan; commencement of an early activation strategy; signature of an MOU between the four universities in Dublin; and extensive consultation/engagement on the project.

Agenda Item 2: Agenda Item 2: Consideration

A draft of the final report was circulated to the Group in advance of the meeting and a number of written observations were received. Discussions focussed on how the draft report might be improved and suggested amendments include the need for the report to:

Identify more clearly the economic problem the Innovation District is trying to solve;
Define clearly how the Innovation District would work and what a successful ‘world-class’ Innovation District would look like;
Include more explicit references to community/placemaking and set out clear objectives and goals for community engagement;
Examine the issue of scaling SMEs in the report;
Highlight linkages between start-ups and smaller “recently landed” FDI companies who might share similar challenges;
Ensure that the importance of SMEs is recognised more clearly in the report;
Examine/recognise pressures and potential weaknesses in the project e.g. housing/rental pressures, how Innovation Districts fits in National ecosystem, risks of not being successful, and
Include greater detail on approaches to future financing and governance of the project.

Agenda Item 3: Next steps

It was agreed that the written observations received would be circulated to the Group. The Chair outlined that the Secretariat would re-draft the report to reflect discussions/observations and circulate to the Group for approval by written procedure if possible.

Appendix – Attendance

Martin Fraser, Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach (Chair)

Elaine Boland, Manager, St. Andrew’s Resource Centre

Niamh Bushnell, CEO, TechIreland

Philip Crosby, Department of Education and Skills

Eoghan Hanrahan, Enterprise Ireland

Owen P. Keegan, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council

Stephen McIntyre, Partner, Frontline Ventures

Rory Mullen, IDA Ireland

Gavin Murphy, Department of Finance

Brian Norton, TUD

Diarmuid O’Brien, Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer, TCD

Dr. Patrick Prendergast, President & Provost, TCD

Dr. Orlaigh Quinn, Secretary General, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation

Also in Attendance

Mary Colcough, TCD

Sarah Garry, Department of the Taoiseach

Seán Hurley, Department of the Taoiseach

John Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Apologies

Elaine Coughlan, Managing Director, Atlantic Bridge Capital

Andrew J. Deeks, President, UCD

Amanda Gaynor, St. Andrew’s Resource Centre

Professor Brian MacCraith, President, DCU

Sharon McCooey, Head of LinkedIn Ireland

Derek Moran, Secretary General, Department of Finance

Anthony Nakache, Director EMEA, Google

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland