Summary of ideas submitted in the Innovation category…

• If a database were to be created to list a fair price for service. Then before someone committed to purchasing a service or expensive item, they could consult the site to compare their quotation against the listed price on the new web site
• Establish an annual “Irish Creativity Day” inviting all campus based incubation centres with an aim to promote creativity and innovation.
• The government should establish an “Irish Council” (similar to the British Council or Alliance Francaise), which would be promoted by the Department of Foreign Affairs, to facilitate grass roots economic activity and the promotion of business contacts between foreign and domestic markets.
• We should incentivise entrepreneurs in the technology sector in order to develop a sustainable indigenous high tech SME sector.
• Production of mobile baby changing facility for your home. My idea is a stylish compact changing device attached against any wall in your house with a small cabinet or shelf overhead to hold wipes etc. When not in use it can be folded up against the wall. It can be made in the timber that matches your bedroom furniture or kitchen, it can have child’s name engraved on it and can be easily moved from room to room.
• Develop an online network where people can hang out together while they work and encourage creativity and support as they bounce ideas off each other.
• Currently a person needs to prove that they are applying for jobs in order to draw the dole. This policy should be changed in order to recognise that trying to start a business is as legitimate as applying for jobs.
• The government should establish business clusters similar to those used abroad in an attempt to locate similar businesses in the same place - not necessarily the city centre. The co-location of these businesses means that they could share resources thus reducing costs. Focus our innovations on practical solutions rather than the ‘consumer gadgets’ which have been on the market in years gone by.
• Each Institute of Technology and University should have a dedicated and fully resourced Technical Transfer office to help the academic community articulate their discoveries into commercial opportunities. Currently a lot of ideas exist and this research remains untapped commercially.
• The ESB should erect mini wind turbines on the existing masts around the country in an attempt to provide a renewable source of energy and reduce costs.
• Encourage individuals with business ideas to achieve the necessary qualifications (e.g. Further Education and Training Awards Council FETAC modules) to support their ideas.
• Automatic reading of water, gas and electricity meters for every household in an attempt to reduce costs and prevent inaccurate estimates for billing purposes.
• Levy a small royalty on the gas extracted by the exploration companies working off the coast of Ireland. The money raised could then be ploughed back into the communities affected by the refinery.
• The Government should set up a board which identifies new markets and technologies which could be developed. They could then target these areas by setting up companies, initially bankrolled by the state and employing the people currently drawing the dole.
• The Government should back businesses in order to allow them secure bank funding - similar to a system which already exists in France.
• Set up a not for profit company to provide a service connecting investors and entrepreneurs. Investor can also provide skills relevant to start up business.
• A “Rewards Service” that rewards companies that are innovative and take risks. This will promote other companies to do the same.
• Irish Government to set up a ‘Citizen Ideas Bank’ where public would bring in idea, they would be evaluated, and any good ideas uploaded to a website where businesses or investors could see and buy the idea off the person who created the idea.
• Provide funding for renewable energy postgraduate study similar to, or as part of the graduate skills conversation program.
• Position Ireland as a “Green Nation”. Provide energy efficient electricity and export the excess energy to nearby countries. The energy sources would come from mini wind farms, solar panels for houses etc.
• Change all cars to run on bio-fuel. This is good for farmers, manufacturers and the car industry.
• Start up companies to have a six month reduction in rent. Town centres could regain some vibrancy and retain employment if the owners of empty buildings gave start-ups office space for a nominal fee for the first six months, which would drive more people into town centres and help support struggling businesses there - whether it’s through buying a cup of coffee, a daily newspaper or some office supplies. This could get a start-up to a stage where they are earning enough to pay office rent. The owner of the building is more likely to have a paying tenant (albeit after a six-month wait) rather than having it lie idle for a couple of years.
• Provide training to those who want to start up business and are unemployed. Enable them to maintain their social welfare benefits provided they attend the training courses.
• The government should have a policy which stipulates that public broadcasters should have a bias towards reporting positive good news stories. They should actually insist on a 60/40 split where 60% of the time the public broadcaster. This has a direct impact on consumer confidence which will in turn have a direct impact on spending which in turn is the quickest way out of this recession.
• Allow start up company’s to claim for broadband costs against rent or council rate taxes. Broadband is an essential tool to help start up companies keep running.
• Mandatory secondment for public sector workers to the private sector. This would enable a cross over of efficient working practice which would then apply to all sectors.
• Major tax breaks for international companies locating their R&D functions here.
• The current issue of Studies contains an article, ‘Interrogating Irish Policies Revisited’. The book itself has suggestions about how changes in legal protection for innovation could transform the possibilities for repairing the economy.
• Promote Enterprise Ireland and make it more along the lines of a better promoted regional enterprise board. Some people who have good ideas, can not read or write, and need an interface to help drive an idea from a secure dream to an official reality. I don’t see either Enterprise Ireland or the Regional Enterprise boards promoted at all except for their websites.
• Form an innovation focus group by established entrepreneurs to advise citizens, local and national government on how to create an innovative society.
• Ireland should aim to imitate the best practices from other nations, such as road building in France, and then innovate on top of the imitation.
• To broaden the funding for innovation to include any start up companies that lead to job creation and commercial success. The government could provide support and in return they would take a stake in the company, for a limited time.
• Use small towns around Ireland as testing grounds for new products. The government can charge the companies for this service and the communities will benefit from the promotions.
• Develop a space where all Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland funded companies can advertise their open positions. This will cut down on the cost of this process which could be prohibitively expensive for these companies.
• Provide seed capital and support services for start up businesses to generate employment.
• To teach techniques that foster innovation to business people, schools and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s). This will lead to more innovation in the economy and better opportunities in Ireland.
• Enterprise Ireland and the IDA should develop a forum in which people can discuss their potential innovations and receive feedback and guidance. This will help to develop people’s ideas leading to a number of successful innovations in the future.
• Enterprise Ireland should be doing similar initiatives to the Northern Ireland Innovation Master Class.
• Ireland needs to develop the business angel culture.
• Get innovative with ideas for the environment, the idea here is capture the excess energy from anything that moves.
• Enterprise Ireland or a similar body could arrange a service to provide the following the potential ideas:
  1. Provide an initial screening service for potential start ups
  2. Assist with advice an guidance on the next steps in achieving proof of concept
  3. Put potential credible ideas in touch with potential partners.
• To develop a special type of shoe lace for use on football boots that would not unravel easily. A potential solution could be the use of plastic cleats.