Council joins InnoCom EU partnership to assist County Carlow SMEs to attract more funding.

Carlow County Council has joined a new EU partnership project called “InnoCom” which is funded under Interreg Europe.

InnoCom aims to introduce innovative models, digital tools, and services, reduce obstacles, and make other changes for better and more user-friendly interaction with businesses. In follow-up, it will monitor the expected outcome: SMEs empowered to raise their game through access to public services, finance, and other supports.

Partners from a balanced mix of regions and cities in Italy, Romania, France, Latvia, Slovenia, and Ireland will work together with the University of Latvia (Advisory partner) to identify weaknesses, seek solutions, and exchange good practices and ideas through the interregional learning process.

Recent global events (COVID-19, War in Ukraine, etc.) have made it even more crucial to support SME’s development and competitiveness. European cities and regions can respond by making funding more accessible, so businesses can expand or innovate, export within and beyond the single market, undertake energy-saving upgrades, hire from traditionally disadvantaged groups, increase digitalisation, etc. Communication of these opportunities must be better targeted, digitally accessible, interactive, equally distributed, and clearly presented, reducing bureaucratic jargon as much as possible.

Welcoming the project, Cllr. Andrea Dalton, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council said, “I am delighted that Carlow County Council has been accepted on this project and we look forward to working with our partners over the coming years on delivery of the objectives of InnoCom”.  Andrea continued to say, “EU funding helps county councils improve lives, promote economic development, and reduce regional disparities and the focus of this project on supporting our business community is timely considering the challenges in the business environment currently”.  Concluding Andrea said “For us EU funding is not just about money. It is about partnership. It brings together different countries and regions to work together on common goals. I am committed to building strong partnerships with our EU neighbours”.

Speaking about the delivery of the project, Kieran Comerford, Head of Economic Development & Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council said, “the project is delivered in a number of phases and phase 1 will look at research in each of the partner countries”. Comerford explained locally as part of the project we have to setup a local stakeholder group and we are delighted to be working with County Carlow Library, County Carlow Chamber, Carlow County Development Partnership , Carlow Tourism, Bagenalstown Area Chamber of Commerce, Network Ireland – Carlow Branch, Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board, South East Technological University and Carlow College on this project”.

InnoCom is co-financed by the European Union (ERDF) through the Interreg Europe program with a total budget of 1,511,394 euros for the period 2023-2027. The Irish Budget on the project is €254,000. For companies who wish to feed into the initial research they can do so on IRELAND InnoCOM survey - Online Survey Software | QuestionPro Survey or go online at INNOVATING COMMUNICATION TARGETED TO SMEs | Interreg Europe - Sharing solutions for better policy

For further information contact, Kieran Comerford on 086-8252037 or e-mail enterprise@carlowcoco.ie