Entrepreneurship
In an era where innovation drives economic growth and sustainability, nurturing entrepreneurship skills has become a critical priority for governments, research centres and industry leaders. By equipping Teagasc’s students and researchers with entrepreneurial skills, they can in turn deliver creativity and innovation to address local and global challenges. These skills are wider than launching and scaling businesses; they offer an appreciation of how leading research can deliver real world impact.
Teagasc has developed a range of support and training interventions outlined below to nurture entrepreneurial skills for the future leaders of the agri-food sector.
FAST-IP
FAST-IP (Food and Agriculture Sustainable Technology Innovation Programme) is a specialist agrifood technology innovation programme aimed at mid-career professionals with 3-5 years of experience in sectors such as agriculture, food, IT, sustainability, finance, engineering, and science. This 12-month programme, a collaboration between UCD and Teagasc, is designed to equip participants with entrepreneurial skills to develop market-ready business solutions for the agrifood industry.
Participants will engage with Teagasc’s extensive resources, including the Signpost Farm Network, research centres, and agricultural advisors, to identify unmet needs in the agrifood sector. The programme is delivered using UCD’s Discover-Develop-Deliver methodology, guiding participants through the process of turning creative ideas into viable products, services, or businesses.
FAST-IP offers 15 places annually, with the programme accredited by UCD at Level 9 on the National Qualifications Framework. Graduates will receive a Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Applications for the 2025 intake will open in the new year.
For more details on the application process, key dates, and upcoming events, please click here.
START Fund
The Teagasc START Fund is an annual internal research fund, offering the opportunity to Teagasc researchers to avail of up to €15,000 for a 6-month project to aid in early-stage assessment of concepts and ground-breaking innovations with commercial potential.
Read about the successful projects that have been funded via the START Fund
Catalysing Connections
Teagasc’s Catalysing Connections programme is a pilot pre-accelerator initiative designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among early-career researchers. In 2023, postgraduate students from the Walsh Scholarships Programme participated in workshops to develop their leadership and innovation skills.
Interdisciplinary teams of researchers are assembled, combined with mentorship and networking from entrepreneurs and industry professionals. The programme emphasises the societal impact of entrepreneurial research in addressing key sustainability goals. One team successfully entered the 2024 National Student Entrepreneur Awards with a novel protein snack product, reaching the penultimate stage of the competition.
Contact engage@teagasc.ie if you would like to participate in a future Catalysing Connections programme.
Other support mechanisms are in place including:
- Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund Feasibility Grant and Commercialisation Fund Award
- The UCC SPRINT Accelerator programme
- Food Works Accelerator programme, a collaboration between Teagasc, Bord Bia, and Enterprise Ireland which has supported over 100 start-ups.
Reach out to engage@teagasc.ie for further information