The Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC), a not-for-profit co-working space located in the Liberties in Dublin, is set to launch international partnerships to help Irish start-ups grow internationally. New initiatives will enhance access to markets in the US, UAE and Portugal.
The innovation centre has 25 existing agreements with national and international hubs, recently adding the Algarve Systems and Technology Partnership in Portugal to its stable.
The centre expects to confirm collaborations with 15 additional innovations hubs by the end of 2026 including across Europe, the US and UAE, bringing its partnerships to 40.
The global collaborations will afford founders access to office space as well as advice and guidance in accessing new markets to fuel start-up growth. The centre said it is also pursuing collaborations with Irish and international universities in order to give its start-ups access to candidates in MBA programmes.
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A partnership with TU Dublin is providing Guinness Enterprise Centre start-ups with marketing expertise that can support international market entry. Additionally, connections with Fordham University in New York are aiding Irish firms’ expansion plans in that part of the US.
“We are taking an important step in strengthening our relationships with leading international innovation centres,” said Niamh Collins, the director of the Guinness Enterprise Centre.
She added that the new connections to international innovation centres would act as a “vital gateway for our client companies as they scale into new markets”.
“It’s all about ensuring that ambitious founders have the support, networks and access they need to grow globally,” said Ms Collins.
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Representatives from French innovation hub Station F are currently visiting the centre. Station F was founded in 2017 and is one of the world’s largest start-up campuses, hosting 1,000 start-ups.
Roxanne Varza, the director of Station F, said the visit comes at a “key moment for Europe and a lot can come from building bridges and collaborating more with like-minded structures”.
The Guinness Enterprise Centre was established in 2000 and benefited from a €10 million expansion project in 2019. It is 95,000 sq ft and has work space for 750 people in the Liberties.
The centre, founded by Diageo, Dublin City Council, Dublin City Local Enterprise Office, Enterprise Ireland and Furthr, is ranked as the second best private business incubator according to UBI Global.
