Midlands Innovation and Research Centre
MIRC
The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre at Athlone Institute of Technology - working in partnership with Enterprise Ireland - provides incubation and business support for innovative start-ups, delivers the New Frontiers entrepreneur development programme in collaboration with Maynooth University, and makes available the resources and expertise of AIT to support client companies and enterprise in the region.
Whether you are a prospective entrepreneur, a start-up, an existing company committed to ongoing innovation or an academic interested in commercialising your research, the MIRC is open to you.
What does the MIRC offer?
Incubation units from 14m2 to 42m2
Business development support
Access to R&D resources of AIT
Partnership with Enterprise Ireland
The MIRC welcomes enquiries from early stage companies and potential entrepreneurs – with the possibility of significant supports to incubate their business ideas.
Leading and expanding business innovation hub
Since opening its doors in 2004, the MIRC has supported over 200 knowledge-based start-ups including 20 Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-Ups. Innocoll, a Commercial R&D client of the MIRC which has developed a range of surgical implants, had an IPO on the NASDAQ in 2014.
Enterprise Ireland has recently awarded €3m funding to support a 1,135m2 expansion of the MIRC. The extension will bring the total footprint of the Centre to almost 2,000m2.
New Frontiers
The AIT-Maynooth New Frontiers programme can help you to test and develop your business and build a strong case to secure equity investment. Our programme has built a reputation for helping start-up ventures to attract investment. Over the past two years, participants on our programme have amassed no less than eight €50k Competitive Start Fund (CSF) awards from Enterprise Ireland.
New Frontiers
ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland
Since September 2016, the MIRC is a location of ESA Space Solutions Ireland supporting the application of technologies developed for space to solve challenges on Earth and beyond and work with entrepreneurs to turn space-connected business ideas into commercial companies.
ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland
Expanded MIRC facilities 2022
