Summary of ideas submitted in the Innovation category…

• Establish a community-based mentoring system. People with new companies can seek advice from this mentoring service which could be manned by people with differing experience.
• Rain water harvesting should be developed in rural areas in Ireland as it may provide a self sustaining, local drinking water source.
• The Ideas Campaign should be extended and chambers of commerce should develop local think tanks to generate ideas for economic recovery in their areas.
• To follow the example in Argentina where older professionals who were let go teamed up with young college graduates who were full of enthusiasm and ideas. This led to synergies between the two groups of people and lead to success reviving an economy that was once in crisis.
• Each University in Ireland should be asked to focus on one type of alternative energy instead of focusing on all types of energy. This would enable each of them to become a specialist in that area.
• A database should be developed with innovative ideas of how people may recycle items or by putting everyday items to an alternative use. This can save people money and people could be asked for a donation if they want to become members of the website.
• We must promote innovation and make it easier for indigenous business start-ups by tax breaks for small firms.
• Set up business incubation centres in all universities.
• Establish an International Office in Ireland which provides a non-binding opinion on Patent Litigation.
• The Government should promote more research in fourth-level especially in the areas of science and technology. This could be done by promoting the formation of innovation alliances between Universities. These alliances could be established as special colleges that would award PhD’s on a joint basis.
• Professor Francois Grin, an economist at Geneva University, published a study showing that the EU could save €25 billion per year by giving a role to Esperanto as a common means of communications in the 27 EU countries. The Irish Government should propose this idea to the EU.
• Create a website where people with business ideas can ‘meet’ online. Those with similar ideas could then join together to form a ‘virtual team’ in an attempt to develop a business plan.
• In an attempt to reduce social welfare fraud, set up a forensic accountancy unit within the Social Welfare department to examine the bank accounts/assets of anybody who is claiming unemployment benefit and/or other welfare benefits.
• Tradefirst, Ireland’s Business to Business Trade Exchange helps small Irish businesses save a lot of cash, simply by reducing their need for cash in the first place using a very simple, low cost contemporary version of the ancient concept of barter.
• Set up an Innovation Development Team, whereby aspiring entrepreneurs can bring along their plans in confidence, pitch their idea to experienced business advisors, who will identify the areas of expertise required. The advisors could then assess and match the individual with an investor or manufacturer or perhaps link the individual with a specific business in order to progress the idea.
• Make aid for new start up companies more assessable.
• Develop a major water quality testing lab with a third level institution.
• Establish a National Innovation Centre with a research centre attached which would provide assistance and guidance to potential inventors.
• Invest in innovation in science, technology, green energy, and any other market driven needs.
• Set up a series of regular annual workshops/short courses associated with the Institutes of Technology in an attempt to aid students evaluate their career and college options
• There is currently a shortage of experts in the area of high quality affordable video conferencing and web casting.
• Encourage the use of rain/sea water for flushing toilets etc as a means of saving our drinking water.
• Use free and open source software instead of the existing commercial alternatives. This would be especially appropriate in government offices/semi state bodies as a means of saving money.
• Facilitate the bringing together of individuals with vacant retail units, individuals with business ideas and unemployed individuals e.g. Accountants, marketing consultants, solicitors etc. who have the necessary skills and qualifications to get a business up and running.
• Establish workshops to instill confidence the Nation once again perhaps encouraging people to start spending money again.
• Identify a town with a particularly high quality of life and the necessary infrastructure capable of attracting the best and brightest scientists and engineers from around the world. Market this town as ‘PhD town Ireland’ or something similar and provide special incentives for R&D activities.
• Invest in forestry. The conditions for growing trees are ideal and a significant export market exists for timber.
• The Irish community in England should be canvassed for ideas on how to get over the present economic crisis.
• Ensure R&D undertaken by 3rd level colleges but funded by the State is commercialised
• Put all university IP ownership in the hands of a holding company in order to ensure that the innovative ideas are commercialised. If university does not exploit within one year, advertise IP to Irish industry.
• The government should establish a website where skilled professionals can exchange services directly over the internet e.g. accountants, solicitors etc. in exchange for money.
• Set up steering committees in different towns to survey the talents and skills of unemployed people in the area. Advertise for people who have ideas, inventions, products needing to be developed, and any other viable creation. The using local community centres, small empty factories, etc. bring suitable groups of people together that will help the people to develop their different concepts /ideas.
• Establish a central website where those with business ideas could log them. This could also provide a central location where people interested in start up businesses could register their availability and skills.
• Create an ongoing online “Dragons Den”, efficiently matching ideas and/or existing businesses with willing investors and other services providers such as accountants, solicitors and providers of office space.
• Compile a register of skilled experienced personnel from industry who would be prepared to act as voluntary mentors/helpers to new startup-ups on a no-fee basis
• Apply a scheme similar to the Artists’ Tax Exemption to Engineers and Scientists to encourage people to take up careers in these areas.
• Establish a body which will provide the necessary know-how, funding, support and credibility to start up companies in order to increase the number of incredible ideas that become, and are sustainable as, credible businesses.
• Establish centrally managed funds (categorised by business area) in which taxpayers can invest in order to obtain tax relief. The money invested in the fund will subsequently be invested in start up companies and will also go to provide advisors and mentors to these companies.
• Enterprise Ireland currently use retired business persons to mentor and advise new businesses. A national campaign should be run to recruit further retired individuals for this purpose.
• Create a TV series which could be run during the winter following the exploits of 6 entrepreneurs and providing mentors in key areas to help the businesses get off their feet. The progression of the businesses could then be followed throughout the series.