BUCANIER: Inspiring innovation in Food & Drink, Renewables & Life Sciences Sectors
Approximately 120 small businesses in Wales and Ireland are set to benefit from a new €2.9 million EU funded scheme. BUCANIER (Building Clusters and Networks in Innovation Enterprise Research) aims to support small businesses on the Irish Sea border over the next three years. It seeks to increase innovation capacity within SMEs and social enterprises by collaborating with Higher Education institutions and other public bodies to boost productivity across Ireland and Wales.
The project will work in the key growth sectors of the Welsh and Irish economies, food and drink, life sciences and renewable energy. The project will see lead partner Pembrokeshire County Council join forces with Swansea University and Carmarthenshire Council in Wales and Institute of Technology Carlow, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Wexford County Council in Ireland. BUCANIER will deliver innovation master-classes, offer business mentoring and create new networks between Wales and Ireland which are aimed at helping enterprises in the same sectors share knowledge, increase cross- border trade and create new jobs.
The project will invest in ideas for the design, development, testing and delivery of new products, processes and services by applying design based innovation that will bring new product/service ideas closer to the commercial market. BUCANIER will also assist the formation of cross-border clusters and networks that allow the transfer of knowledge between Higher Education Institutes and SMESs. The aim is to develop the efficiency of the industry by sharing knowledge, practices and contracts.
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BUCANIER: Inspiring innovation in Food & Drink, Renewables & Life Sciences Sectors
Approximately 120 small businesses in Wales and Ireland are set to benefit from a new €2.9 million EU funded scheme. BUCANIER (Building Clusters and Networks in Innovation Enterprise and Research) aims to support small businesses on the Irish Sea border over the next three years. It seeks to increase innovation capacity within SMEs and social enterprises by collaborating with Higher Education institutions and other public bodies to boost productivity across Ireland and Wales.
The project will work in the key growth sectors of the Welsh and Irish economies, food and drink, life sciences and renewable energy. The project will see lead partner Pembrokeshire County Council join forces with Swansea University and Carmarthenshire Council in Wales and Institute of Technology Carlow, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Wexford County Council in Ireland. BUCANIER will deliver innovation master-classes, offer business mentoring and create new networks between Wales and Ireland which are aimed at helping enterprises in the same sectors share knowledge, increase cross- border trade and create new jobs.
The project will invest in ideas for the design, development, testing and delivery of new products, processes and services by applying design based innovation that will bring new product/service ideas closer to the commercial market. BUCANIER will also assist the formation of cross-border clusters and networks that allow the transfer of knowledge between Higher Education Institutes and SMESs. The aim is to develop the efficiency of the industry by sharing knowledge, practices and contracts.
Four Pillars
BUCANIER has four main pillars which will be used to strengthen research, technological development and innovation:
INNOVATION PROCESS
The first pillar will introduce organisations to an innovation framework to help them understand the process and practices needed to create new ideas for products and services and how to bring these closer to market.
DESIGN THINKING
The second pillar will be the investment of design to provide the foundation and validation of ideas. Using design maker spaces such as the Fab Lab network and design mentors, participants will gain insights and visualisations of the developed idea through design research, conceptualisation, product refinement and prototyping.
COMMERCIALISATION
The third pillar will be assisting organisations in taking ideas to the commercial market. Companies will be assigned experienced practitioners to help enable facilitate and challenge key issues.
CLUSTERS AND NETWORKS
The fourth pillar will be the creation or enhancement of sector specific and general cross-border innovation clusters and networks. The concept of open innovation will be applied to share generic ideas, transfer knowledge and build best practice within these groupings.
BUCANIER is part funded through the Ireland Wales 2014 -2020 European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme which connects organisations, businesses and communities on the west coast of Wales with the Southern Region Assembly area of Ireland.The Ireland Wales programme focuses on seeking solutions to shared challenges on both sides of the Irish Sea, to improve the economic and sustainable development priorities of Wales and Ireland.
Four Pillars
BUCANIER has four main pillars which will be used to strengthen research, technological development and innovation:
INNOVATION PROCESS
The first pillar will introduce organisations to an innovation framework to help them understand the process and practices needed to create new ideas for products and services and how to bring these closer to market.
DESIGN THINKING
The second pillar will be the investment of design to provide the foundation and validation of ideas. Using design maker spaces such as the Fab Lab network and design mentors, participants will gain insights and visualisations of the developed idea through design research, conceptualisation, product refinement and prototyping.
COMMERCIALISATION
The third pillar will be assisting organisations in taking ideas to the commercial market. Companies will be assigned experienced practitioners to help enable facilitate and challenge key issues.
CLUSTERS AND NETWORKS
The fourth pillar will be the creation or enhancement of sector specific and general cross-border innovation clusters and networks. The concept of open innovation will be applied to share generic ideas, transfer knowledge and build best practice within these groupings.
BUCANIER is part funded through the Ireland Wales 2014 -2020 European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme which connects organisations, businesses and communities on the west coast of Wales with the Southern Region Assembly area of Ireland.The Ireland Wales programme focuses on seeking solutions to shared challenges on both sides of the Irish Sea, to improve the economic and sustainable development priorities of Wales and Ireland.
