Enterprise Challenge 2020 is a joint initiative between Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Dublin City University (DCU), Dublin City Council (DCC) and Local Enterprise Office (LEO) – Dublin City which matches micro / small-medium commercial enterprises and social enterprises in Dublin with teams of Final Year or Masters Level - University Students.

Students from diverse backgrounds, nationalities and cultures will work in teams of 4-5 with selected enterprises to help provide insights, propose solutions and ultimately present a bespoke and tangible plan that sets out how challenges and opportunities could be addressed.

The types of enterprise challenges that students can work on include: innovation, design thinking, new product / service development, business development, opportunity identification and evaluation, commercialisation, and new venture creation.

The programme will run from January – May 2020.

Enterprise Challenge 2020 – Aims:

• Support micro / small-medium enterprises in Dublin by providing bespoke plans / roadmaps to address challenges and develop their enterprise
• Provide participating students with real-world consultancy and enterprise experience
• Develop enterprise ecosystem links and synergies between stakeholders and enterprises

Benefits of participating as an enterprise

• Bespoke plan / roadmap addressing challenges and opportunities in your enterprise
• Gain a fresh perspective and leverage the latest theories and principles of enterprise practice
• Gain valuable market research, insights and new ideas
• No cost to the enterprise
• Intellectual property rights and confidentiality are protected
• Promotional opportunities
• Enable talented students to gain relevant real-world experience 
• Opportunity to screen potential talent

Role of the Enterprise

1. Complete the Enterprise Challenge 2020 – Application Form
2. Propose a relevant challenge for a student team to address
3. Nominate a person from your enterprise to liaise with the student team and meet with them at least four times (face to face or virtually) during the 10-week programme timeline.
4. Interact responsibly and respectfully with student team
5. Participate in a short post project evaluation survey for promotional and research purposes.

Meetings between the team and enterprise can be face-to-face or virtual and will be arranged between the enterprise and student team. It is recommended that the first meeting is a face to face meeting. Meetings should take place during each of the programme phases noted above.

Meetings can take place at TU Dublin, DCU, Dublin City Council or at the enterprise location. Students are covered under TU Dublin and DCU insurance respectively to visit enterprises / sites.  

*The pitch competition & networking event will take place for all students and enterprises who participate in Enterprise Challenge 2020. The pitch competition will feature shortlisted student teams that participated in the programme which pending agreement and approval from the enterprise regarding content - will pitch a summary of their plan. At the event, a winning team will be chosen by a panel of expert judges.

Enterprise Selection Process

• Enterprise Challenge 2020 is open for applications from registered enterprises that are primarily trading and based in the Dublin City area.
• Preference will be given to existing Local Enterprise Office – Dublin City clients. 
• The challenge is open to commercial enterprises and non-profit / social enterprises.
• Enterprises will be selected on the basis of the suitability of their proposed challenge in their application form
• Student teams will then self-select an enterprise that they wish to work with
• Please note the allocation of student teams to enterprises is limited
• Enterprises will be informed of their application status by close of business on the 07/02/2020
• Submission Deadline for Applications: 23:59, 26/01/2020

Terms and Conditions

All plans / roadmaps will be undertaken by a student team from TU Dublin or DCU. These will be submitted to the participating enterprise during phase 4 of the programme. These will be reviewed by TU Dublin or DCU confidentially to facilitate assessment and grading of the students work as part of their course.

Students participating in the programme will sign a standard non-disclosure agreement designed to protect the commercial confidence and intellectual property rights of the enterprise.

Students’ participation in the programme will be governed by the ethical research guidelines of TU Dublin or DCU as appropriate.

The enterprise is not obliged to accept or implement any suggestion proposed by the student team and accepts full responsibility for any consequences arising from the implementation of these suggestions. TU Dublin, DCU, Dublin City Council, Local Enterprise Office - Dublin City bear no liability for any loss, debts or negative impacts incurred by participant enterprises arising from participation in the challenge and / or implementing students suggestions, proposals and / or actions within the plans / roadmaps.

Apply to Enterprise Challenge 2020

(Please click on the link above)

Further Information on Industry Partners:

• Technological University Dublin, Ireland’s first Technological University, is where career-focused students, dedicated staff and academic excellence in science, the arts, business, engineering, and technology converge to create the leaders of tomorrow. TU Dublin offers an inclusive and open learning experience with pathways to graduation from Apprenticeship to PhD where 28,500 students learn in a practice-based environment informed by the latest research and enabled by technological advances. TU Dublin welcomes opportunities for students to collaborate with real-world businesses, identify challenges and opportunities, and leverage their studies to develop fresh insights and innovative solutions. ( https://www.tudublin.ie/ )
• Dublin City University is a young, dynamic and ambitious Irish university with a distinctive mission to transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation. Since admitting students in 1980, DCU has grown substantially, to over 17,000 students and 1,800 staff, across 3 academic campuses. DCU’s student body is cosmopolitan, with 109 countries represented within the student body. The number of DCU alumni worldwide now exceeds 57,000. DCU currently delivers more than 200 programmes through five faculties: DCU’s Institute of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Health, Engineering and Computing and DCU Business School. ( https://www.dcu.ie/ ) 
• Dublin City Council is the Local Authority and the democratically elected body that governs Dublin City. It is the largest Local Authority in Ireland and provides a vast range of services. Through its Economic Development Office and the Local Enterprise Office – Dublin City it encourages and supports strategic economic and enterprise ecosystem development in the city. ( http://www.dublincity.ie/ )
• Local Enterprise Office Dublin City is a first stop shop for entrepreneurs and micro and small businesses. The office provides various supports and services to help start, grow and develop businesses in the Dublin City area. ( https://www.localenterprise.ie/DublinCity/ )