Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers Opening Date Closing Date

May 7th 2014 May 21st 2014

September 17th 2014 October 1st 2014

Innovation Partnerships and Feasibility Studies Full Proposal Submission Deadline IRCC Funding Decision Deadline

May 7th 2014 June 18th 2014

June 11th 2014 July 23rd 2014

European Commission: Horizon 2020 Dedicated SME Instrument - Phase 1 2014 Intermediate Deadlines Phase 1 June 18th & September 24th 2014

Phase 1 Deadline December 17th 2014

Shannon ABC recently secured €1.4 million funding from Enterprise Ireland under the Technology Gateway Programme. This competitive call (replacing the Applied Research Enhancement Programme) was open to all Institutes of Technology in Ireland and will provide funding for Shannon ABC until 2017. The Technology Gateway Network was officially launched by Minister Seán Sherlock T.D. the Minister for Research and Innovation on the 21st of October 2013 in Thomond Park, Limerick, with one of Shannon ABC’s key client’s, Algae Health, selected to provide a presentation on the benefits of collaborating with a Technology Gateway. The Technology Gateway Network represents an investment of €23 million from Enterprise Ireland for 12 Technology Gateways across 8 Institutes of Technology. The remit of the Technology Gateway programme is to deliver technological solutions, in partnership with industry, by facilitating access to technology, expertise and research groups within Irish Institutes of Technology, and beyond. As a Technology Gateway, Shannon ABC has continued to grow, providing key scientific support to Irish companies and facilitating access to research capabilities all over the island, and internationally.

In addition to Shannon ABC a further 11 Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways were funded; APT (Applied Polymer Technologies, Athlone Institute of Technology),CAPPA (Centre for Advanced Photonics and Process Analysis, Cork Institute of Technology),COMAND (Connected Media Application Design and Delivery, Athlone Institute of Technology),CREST (Centre for Research in Engineering Surface Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology),IMaR (Intelligent Mechatronics and RFID, Institute of Technology, Tralee),MiCRA (Microsensors for Clinical Research and Analysis, Institute of Technology Tallaght),MSTG (Mobile Services Technology Gateway, Waterford Institute of Technology),PMBrc (Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Institute of Technology),SEAM (South East Applied Materials, Waterford Institute of Technology),TEC (Technologies for Embedded Computing, Cork Institute of Technology),WiSAR (Wireless Sensor Applied Research, Letterkenny Institute of Technology).

Funding Opportunities to Collaborate with Shannon ABC – Irish and European Funding Options

Shannon ABC Launched as an Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway

Distribution of Technology Gateways throughout Ireland

ISSUE 6 - April 2014

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Dr Tim Yeomans (Shannon ABC Centre Manager), Eddie McHugh (Algae Health,

Managing Director) and Minister Seán Sherlock T.D., Minister for Research and

Innovation.

The Traditional Food, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Transfer (TRADEIT) project was funded under the European Commission’s Framework Programme 7 (FP7) which has recently been replaced by the Horizon 2020 Programme. The TRADEIT consortium is coordinated by Dr Helena McMahon a Principal Investigator at Shannon ABC, Institute of Technology, Tralee. The TRADEIT project is a multidisciplinary, multi-sectorial collaborative project supporting a Network of Traditional Food SMEs and Food Researchers in the areas of Collaboration, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Knowledge and Technology Transfer.

The TRADEIT project aims to increase the competitiveness and inter-regional advantage of Traditional Dairy, Meat and Bakery Producing Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in Europe. This will be achieved through focused regional coordination and support activities and events, facilitated by the establishment of 9 Regional Traditional Food Knowledge Transfer and Technology Transfer Hubs. Each Hub will host a TRADEIT stakeholder sub-network (defined by region, language and/or food group), the members of which will benefit from a suite of knowledge and technology offerings throughout the lifetime of the TRADEIT project. Food researchers from across Europe will be provided with the opportunity to attend the TRADEIT Entrepreneurial Summer School in which an entrepreneurial skillset will be developed to facilitate future Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I) Enterprise and Commercialisation activities. The TRADEIT consortium is comprised of 18 partners including 7 SME’s, 10 research performing organisations and 1 scientific foundation partners, from all across Europe.

The experience of Shannon ABC and its researchers in working with SME’s provided a key platform to support the successful application to this competitive process and were #1 in Europe for this call topic, worth in excess of €4 million. Shannon ABC invites any Dairy, Meat and Bakery producers interested in participating in the TRADEIT project to visit the website www.tradeitnetwork.eu or email info@tradeitnetwork.eu for further information.

Shannon ABC Develops a European Gateway for Traditional Food Producers

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SHANNON ABC

Left to right; Professor Brian McKenna (EFFoST), Ms Marian Byrne (Head of Food Division, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), Dr Helena

McMahon (TRADEIT Co-ordinator, Shannon ABC) and Kate Carmody (Béal Organic Cheese Ltd).

www.shannonabc.ie

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SHANNON ABC

www.shannonabc.ie

The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme provides an ideal opportunity for companies to exploit Shannon ABC’s unique expertise to develop innovative products and processes. Shannon ABC have commenced Innovation Partnerships with three Irish companies recently, Reagecon Diagnostics, Ógra Skincare and Irish Response Ltd.

Reagecon Diagnostics are an Irish company and one of the largest producers of Physical and Chemical Standards and Reagents. In collaboration with Shannon ABC they are developing food safety related testing standards from traditional sources, as well as a novel method to produce food standard reference materials from micro-algae. Shannon ABC recently hired two postdoctoral scientists to deliver this research project. John O’Keeffe, Technical Director of Reagecon Diagnostics, commented: “This partnership with Shannon ABC is proving to be an excellent way to enhance and accelerate our R&D efforts in the development of new standards for the analysis of important food and feed components “.

Ógra Skincare’s products are based primarily on peat from the company’s virgin bog in the midlands. Ógra Skincare will collaborate with Shannon ABC to produce scientific support and knowledge relating to their products. Ógra Skincare’s high-end products have received strong support from consumers and Ógra Skincare wish to build on their product’s reputation through the provision of scientific data. Shannon ABC have recently recruited two post-doctoral scientists to work on the collaborative project with Ógra Skincare. Michael Hickey, Director at Ógra Skincare commented: “All our meetings and work with Shannon ABC/LIT has been very friendly and professional, it’s great to work with people who are just as enthusiastic about the research to be done as we are in Ógra Skincare. We are really looking forward to developing a long lasting relationship into the future”.

Irish Response Ltd is collaborating with Shannon ABC on the development and application of cell culture based screening models for bioactive compounds. The Innovation Partnership with Irish Response Ltd initiated as a feasibility study, also funded by Enterprise Ireland, which established a cell culture model system to aid in new product development. This larger 2 year project will utilise this established cell culture system to screen for bioactives of commercial interest to Irish Response Ltd. Shannon ABC have recruited a post-doctoral scientist to collaborate with Irish Response Ltd to deliver this Innovation Partnership.

Product Innovation with Shannon ABC

“Mushroom and Fungi Functional and Life Enhancing Reservoirs (MUFFLER)”. Dr Catherine Collins (Shannon ABC/LIT) and Dr Patrick Murray (Shannon ABC/LIT) secured funding for two years to investigate the potential of edible mushrooms and fungi as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds from the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM).

“Targeting the Hedgehog Pathway for Colorectal Cancer Therapy”.Dr Helena McMahon (Shannon ABC/IT Tralee) in Collaboration with Dr Darren Griffith (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)), received a Postgraduate Bursary Award (2013/14) .

“Evaluation of Irish Marine Cyanobacteria for Sunscreen Compounds: their Growth Optimisation and Genetic Improvement”. Dr Sushanta Kumar Saha (Shannon ABC/LIT) and Ms Norma Browne were awarded Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship for this project.

“Metabolic Characterisation of Immune Effector Cells in Inflammation”. Dr Joanna Tierney (Shannon ABC/IT Tralee) was awarded a Postgraduate Bursary Award (2013/14).

“Prevalence and Distribution of Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasites and Dung Beetles Associated with Upland and Lowland Grazing of Irish Native Dexter Cattle”. Dr Joanna Tierney also secured an IOTI Postgraduate Scholarship Award, in collaboration with Teagasc and the Dingle Dexter Beef Company.

“Evaluation of Marine Diatoms for Biofuel Production”. Dr Patrick Murray recently received a Limerick Institute of Technology Graduate Research Office (GRO) bursary for a Masters project.

Recent Funding Awarded to Shannon ABC Researchers

Skincare

CONTACT SHANNON ABC:

Dr Tim YeomansCentre ManagerPhone: 00 353 (0)66 714 4217 or 00 353 (0)61 448 545Mobile: 00 353 (0)86 106 0843Email: tim.yeomans@staff.ittralee.ie

Shannon ABCSouth Campus, Institute of Technology Tralee,Tralee, Co. Kerry, Irelandand Hartnett Enterprise Acceleration Centre,Limerick Institute of Technology,Moylish Park,Limerick, Ireland

Dr Bridget BreenScientific Co-ordinatorPhone: 00 353 (0)61 493 150Email: bridget.breen@lit.ie

Shannon ABC,Hartnett Enterprise Acceleration Centre,Limerick Institute of Technology,Moylish Park,Limerick, Irelandand South Campus, Institute of Technology Tralee,Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Irish Atlantic Sea Salt LtdTitle: Identification of opportunities for process by-product

THE COMPANyIrish Atlantic Sea Salt produces the only Irish made, gourmet sea salt. Irish Atlantic Sea Salt launched its first product onto the market place in early 2011. The company operated a pilot production unit for 1.5 years before constructing a new commercial production facility, which was opened in December 2012. Process and product development has taken 3 years of development, allowing us to produce a very high quality, pure sea salt flake product. As part of this process we also produce several by-products, a high quality distilled water and a pure sea mineral compound. Irish Atlantic Sea Salt is an SME based on the Beara Peninsula. The company is run by Michael and Aileen O’Neill; Michael has spent over 15 years fishing national and international waters and is an expert in the seafood industry. Irish Atlantic Sea Salt make a natural and pure Irish sea salt using traditional salt making methods, blended with modern and energy efficient techniques. Irish Atlantic Sea Salt was officially launched in 2010 at Shop (Ireland’s food, drink, retail and hospitality event) and were winner of a Great Taste Gold Star in 2012.

THE QUESTION As part of their production process a high quality distilled water and pure sea mineral compound are produced as by-products. Irish Atlantic Sea Salt believed that both their by-products could be developed into new products thereby creating a new income stream for the company. They required assistance in identification of opportunities for their by-products.

SOLUTION THROUGH SHANNON ABC TECHNOLOGy GATEWAy A Shannon ABC senior scientist worked with Irish Atlantic Sea Salt to identify appropriate opportunities for their by-products. Once a portfolio of sectors had been developed the by-products were analysed for their constituents and this was used to prioritise selection of sectors. A comprehensive review of selected sectors was performed identifying the opportunities within each and the match between the Irish Atlantic Sea Salt by-products and product development ideas within these sectors. Two specific ideas were developed, one with application as a supplement for horses and the other as a base for an organic sports drink (Irish Atlantic Sea Salt’s product can be designated as organic).

IMPACT FOR THE COMPANyThe potential to develop a sports drink that can be classified as organic has been selected by the company as an opportunity that would like to follow up with. Discussions have been held with the company as to how to progress this opportunity, including putting them in contact with potential market partners. Successfully achieving this would provide for a brand new product entering the market, securing increased revenues for Irish Atlantic Sea Salt and increasing the value of their current by-product.

TESTIMONIAL“Shannon ABC provided a very professional service during the Innovation Partnership Project and at reporting stages. We were regularity appraised of the situation as the project developed we found Shannon ABC to be accommodating and flexible to work with and it was clear that they understand the constraints of SMEs. The Final report was very thorough and focused on the question which we had posed. The report presentation by Shannon ABC staff members was clear and well structured. We hope to use the results to further develop a series of new products to the Irish and international market place. We hope to return to Shannon ABC for the next phase of the project, and look forward to working with them in developing a new range of products”,

Michael O’Neill, Manager and Owner, Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Ltd.

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Industry Partners CaseStudiesStudiesStudiesStudiesCase Studies

www.shannonabc.ie