What We Do
Since 1992, IRDG has helped member organisations accelerate their return on investment in research, development and innovation.
IRDG offers the intel and opportunity your company needs to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy. Whether you’re part of a small indigenous company or a large multinational, our unique cross-sectoral network and diverse calendar of topics, together with the expertise of our team around R&D practices and funding can support you.
We provide members with representation and funding support, as well as opportunities for cross-sectoral networking, collaboration and learning.
Our strong performance in each of these pillars ensures the success of your research, development and innovation needs.
Representation
As Ireland’s leading advocate in RD&I, we represent member interests at all levels of government, including the Departments of Finance, Enterprise Trade & Employment (DETE) and Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), alongside agencies such as the IDA, SFI and Enterprise Ireland. From informing policy to consulting on development programmes and participating on task forces, IRDG is recognised as an essential voice for R&D performing companies.
Get in touch with Ireland’s industry representative for innovation and ensure your voice and opinions are heard by key policy and decision-makers in this area.
“IRDG worked with us at Asavie to apply for RD&I funding from Enterprise Ireland. Following initial consultations, a sector specific expert was appointed who took full control of the application process. The expert nous and experience provided by the team, as well as the intimate knowledge of the application procedure, meant the entire process was very much streamlined and pain-free. This allowed us to prioritise our day-to-day functions and remain focussed on key project deliverables. We were successful with our application and would definitely recommend others to consider IRDG as key in availing of funding support.”
Chris Meehan, CFO, Asavie
Funding & Support
There are a wide variety of financial supports available for innovation and one of the long-standing remits of IRDG is keeping member companies up to date with the myriad of funding incentives available for R&D. To this end, we host regular events, bringing together all the key players in the eco-system, and provide one-to-one guidance to help you identify what might best suit your business needs.
We also have sector specific experts who assist companies with grant applications.
Get in touch to find out how IRDG can save you time, energy & effort on your Innovation Funding Strategy.
Innovation Networking
From seminars and site visits to cross-disciplinary discussion groups, small speaker events and large conferences, IRDG members enjoy plenty of opportunities to make valuable connections and learn from other sectors, in-person and online.
Members Exchange and Members Question Time also provide fora to share practical insights, how-tos and inspiration, pose questions anonymously and solicit advice from experts outside your everyday sphere of influence.
Get in touch to find out how learning about innovation from your peers across diverse sectors can benefit your organisation.
Collaboration
The benefits of academic engagements are wide ranging and include access to skills, resources and expertise that don’t exist within the business. We are proud to include Ireland’s leading higher education institutes and dedicated research centres as part of our network of members, thereby opening up the channels of communication, collaboration and opportunity for all.
IRDG can guide member companies on potential academic partners and facilitate connections, thereby merging the expertise of industry and academia together to solve research gaps or bring technologies to market.
For more information, including case studies, get in touch.
Learning
Supporting professional development through best practice learning is central to our mission and is essential in helping members create a culture of innovation and drive sustainable value.
Topics include Design Thinking, Service Design, Lean Product Development, Sustainability, Technology Trends and many more.
The majority of IRDG events are CPD certified allowing attendees to accumulate learning hours which are recognised by an individual’s professional body.
The majority of IRDG events are CPD certified with accreditation points available.
Check out our Events Calendar to see what you could learn with IRDG.
“Being involved with the various Centres and Institutes has been hugely cost-effective for us, enabling us to get access to early stage research and development whilst expanding our network. Strategically we’ve been able to demonstrate the benefit of collaborative, value for money R&D, with the support of specialised subject matter experts working with our partners in the Irish academic sector. This has been critical for us in enhancing the profile of the site and influencing corporate investment towards the Cork facility. The access to, and collaboration with, a well skilled network has enabled the site to attract high calibre candidates to the team and in the process helped the group develop into a significant process development resource within the global R&D organisation. This bodes well for the future of the site.”