Special Call for Food Sector Innovation Voucher Applications 2010

What is the Food Sector Innovation Voucher Initiative?

Enterprise Ireland is launching a call for innovation voucher applications specifically targeting small Food sector companies. If you own or manage a small limited company in the Food sector and you have a business opportunity or problem that you want to explore, why not apply for an Innovation Voucher worth €5,000? The objective of the Innovation Voucher initiative is to build links between Ireland's public knowledge providers and small businesses and create a cultural shift in the small business community's approach to innovation.

What's in it for my company?

This Innovation Voucher allows you to concentrate on running your business while knowledge providers come up with a solution that could take your business to the next level. The voucher allows you to access the considerable skills and expertise of 40 registered knowledge providers to help you bring new innovative products to market.

Food Sector Innovation Voucher Initiative

The call for innovation voucher applications is specifically aimed at targeting small Food sector companies. The €5,000 vouchers will support the development of linkages between the companies and 3rd level all-island expertise available through the innovation voucher scheme.

Applications are invited from companies in the following sectors:-

• Beverages, bakery and food technology including animal feed producers,
• Consumer food companies including those involved in horticulture, organic produce, poultry, prepared consumer foods and seafood,
• Dairy and functional foods and the primary meat sectors including those involved in the processing of beef, lamb and pigmeat, the by-products of all meat processing and those involved in the bloodstock industry.

The vouchers are available to individually to help solve company specific issues. Alternatively, groups of up to 10 companies may ‘pool’ their vouchers to work with a knowledge provider in solving an issue on common concern. Click here to view and download the Innovation Voucher Application forms. Click here to view terms and conditions.

For the purposes of the Innovation Voucher Initiative, a Small Enterprise is defined as a company or (if part of a group) a group of companies where the total number of full-time employees in the company (or the entire group) is less than 50 and has either an annual turnover and/or an annual Balance Sheet total not exceeding €10m.

Your Contact Points for assistance with Food Sector Innovation Vouchers

Pat O’Brien, Manager Innovation Voucher Initiative pat.obrien@enterprise-ireland.com Ph +353 1 727 2766

Dorothy Timmons, Senior Technologist, Food Technology Dorothy.timmons@enterprise-ireland.com Ph +353 1 727 2350