350 companies to attend Athlone event today about EU fund

Some 350 companies are expected to attend an information seminar in Athlone today (Thursday) which will discuss a lucrative EU fund for research and innovation.

The event, which is taking place in the Sheraton Hotel and is hosted by Enterprise Ireland, will explain how companies can participate in the EU's Horizon 2020 programme.

Horizon 2020 is the European Union’s €79 billion programme for research and innovation to create new growth and jobs across Europe.

It was launched last December and will run for seven years. Enterprise Ireland is leading Ireland’s participation in the programme, which is the largest European fund to date to support research and innovation.

Enterprise Ireland’s Midlands Regional Director, Michael Brougham said there had been 'a phenomenal level of interest' from companies in Horizon 2020.

The organisation's National Director of Horizon 2020, Dr. Imelda Lambkin, highlighted the high levels of interest from ‘newcomers’ to EU funding.

“It is vital that we attract new companies and researchers to apply for funding from Horizon 2020,' said Dr. Lambkin.

'The National Support Network for Horizon 2020, led by Enterprise Ireland, is driving participants to go for bigger and more valuable projects as we strive to exceed the success we achieved in FP7, the fore-runner to Horizon 2020.

'We are delighted to see such a response to our information seminar in Athlone from across the industry spectrum. We are overwhelmed by the response from companies in sectors as diverse as fabrication to lifesciences, from startup to long-established enterprises.”