Press Release: Thursday, July 22, 2021.

Funding announced for expansion at Arbutus Innovation Centre

Arbutus Innovation Centre in Athlone is among a number of Enterprise Centres around the country that has been allocated funding under the Connected Hubs Scheme

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today (July 22nd, 2021) announced over €8.8 million in funding under the Connected Hubs Scheme – a key deliverable of Our Rural Future.

The funding will enable existing hubs and broadband connection points to enhance and add capacity to remote working infrastructure in every region across Ireland.

Grants will also fund measures to assist hubs to deal with COVID related challenges.

The funding will benefit 117 projects and will support a wide range of relevant works nationwide, including the expansion of existing hubs, installation of privacy booths, access control and security systems, the conversion of existing open plan space to modular offices, and provision of enhanced audio visual, networking and conferencing facilities.

This investment will support the ongoing development of the recently launched National Hub Network - connectedhubs.ie - which already has more than 100 hubs using the platform and 380 hubs mapped.

The supports delivered through this network will help build on the fantastic asset Ireland already has in its connected working ecosystem.

Announcing the successful projects in Carlow today, Minister Humphreys said:

“Our Rural Future recognises hubs as ideal locations for people to work remotely, as well as acting as key economic assets for towns and villages.

“The increased shift to remote working as a result of the pandemic has provided a golden opportunity for a greater regional distribution of jobs to support a better work life balance for many people.

“This opportunity is reflected in Our Rural Future and in policy initiatives across the whole of Government, such as Making Remote Work, the National Remote Working strategy.

About Arbutus Innovation Centre

Arbutus is Athlone’s first privately run Enterprise Centre and Co-Working Hub. Set out over two floors and boasting 10,000 square feet of space, the centre currently supports seven local start-ups, four international projects and employs eight staff. It aims to support the creation of 30+ jobs through it’s incubatees each year.

The brain child of Leah Fletcher from Athlone, and her husband James DeMello from Canada, Arbutus Innovation Centre offers a range of services and facilities for start-ups and innovative projects in the region. The founders are dedicated to supporting and developing impactful entrepreneurs and high potential start-ups focused on carbon-zero projects, green-technologies, plant-based foods and pharmaceuticals.

Arbutus’ state-of-the-art facility provides a carefully designed ecosystem, supporting sustainable jobs in the Midlands region through business supports, financing supports, consulting, access to offices, clean-room manufacturing spaces and pathways into international markets.

Arbutus’ first set of incubatees are focused on a wide variety of projects including carbon negative consumer goods, plant-focused carbon sequestration, analytical testing, nanotechnologies, speciality food and biopharmaceuticals.

For more information on facilities: https://arbutus.ie/facilities-2

For more information on Arbutus’ Incubator Program: https://arbutus.ie/incubator

For more information on work spaces: https://arbutus.ie/new-page-53

To learn more about Arbutus, or to express interest in the centre please contact us through the form below or email info@arbutus.ie