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Geoscience Ireland

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General Information
The date when the cluster organisation was established: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2012
Number of staff in the management team of the cluster organisation : 
1-5
Legal form of the cluster organisation: 
Public Entity
Regions: 
Republic of Ireland
Cluster Excellence Label: 
Bronze Label
Membership to European Strategic Cluster Partnerships (ESCP-4i, ESCP-S3 or ESCP-4x): 
GEO-ENERGY EUROPE
Membership to other networks/partnerships: 
NameWebsite
Pole Avenia
http://www.pole-avenia.com/
GEODEEP
www.geodeep.fr/
EGEC
https://www.egec.org/
CAPES
www.appliedearthsciences.org
JESDER
www.jesder.org/
GeoPlat
http://www.energyfromspain.com
GEC
http://www.gec-co.de/en/
Cluster Management Team: 
NameSurnamePositionTelephoneEmailGender
Sean
Finlay
Cluster Manager
00353 1 6782842
sean.finlay@gsi.ie
Male
Andrew
Gaynor
ECCP Responsible Person
00353 1 6782673
andrew.gaynor@gsi.ie
Male
Jessica
Allen
Internationalisation Responsible
00353 1 6782687
jessica.allen@gsi.ie
Female
Stephen
Walsh
Project Manager
00353 1 6782808
stephen.walsh@gsi.ie
Male
Link to team description on the cluster's website: 
http://www.geoscience.ie/about/
Languages spoken: 
English
French
Irish
Spanish
Sectoral and Industrial Focus
Sectoral Industries: 
Environmental Services
Metal Mining
Technology fields: 
Carbon capture and energy
Turbines
S3 EU priority areas: 
Offshore mining, oil & gas
Civil engineering
Emerging industries: 
Environmental Industries
Areas of specialisation of the cluster not covered above: 
Environmental Consultancy; Contracting; Geo-technical Engineering; Water & WWTP Services
Composition of the cluster
Total number of members: 
40
Number of SME members: 
35
Number of start-ups among SME members: 
1
Number of larger company members: 
5
Number of research organisations/universities/technology centres: 
5
Number of other ecosystem actors : 
5
Link to the cluster members’ list: 
http://www.geoscience.ie/about/who-we-are/
Entrepreneurship and scale-up support facilities in the cluster's ecosystem (see "Organisation type"): 
Organisation/Facility NameOrganisation/Facility TypeWebsite
iCRAG - Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience
Technology center
http://icrag-centre.org/
Name and link of major players: 
NameWebsiteType
Enterprise Ireland
https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/
Technology Center
iCRAG - Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience
http://icrag-centre.org/
Research Organisation
University College Dublin
www.ucd.ie
University
Trinity College Dublin
www.tcd.ie
University
IT Carlow
www.itcarlow.ie
Technology Center
TCI Network
Research Organisation
Cluster Strategy
Mission/Objectives: 

Geoscience Ireland (GI) is a cluster of 40 companies, delivering collaborative expertise in water, minerals, environmental and infrastructure development to commercial clients in over 75 countries. The cluster is supported by two State Agencies: Geological Survey Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

Operating under a cluster dynamic, GI was founded on a belief of shared effort, collaboration, innovation, combined resources and stakeholder support. The overarching aims of GI are to develop the Irish geoscience SME sector through:

  • sharing knowledge and the networking effect,
  • increasing Irelands ratio of project wins overseas through managed collaboration,
  • investing in and delivering on R&D projects, and
  • stimulating job growth and economic activity in the geoscience sector.

In order to deliver on these ambitions, GI provides systems of support to facilitate and develop the cluster including:

  • hosting regular workshops where members share market and export knowledge,
  • undertaking Market Visit Studies to identify overseas networks and clusters,
  • facilitating interactive sessions for members to develop trust and to welcome new cluster members,
  • deliberating on the common goal that Ireland is a centre of geoscience excellence,
  • providing a forum for members to put forward ideas on the clusters future directions,
  • identifying tender and project opportunities whereby GI Members can respond with a collaborative approach to winning business,
  • marketing and branding, and
  • a uniform approach to accessing European institutions and donor agencies.

This well-managed system of supports recognises the human factors involved in developing industry. Through careful management and support, the GI Member Companies have developed and continue to grow a trusting and open relationship with other cluster members. This network approach enables SMEs to grow and for the Irish geoscience sector to develop and become part of the global community.

Do you have a formalised strategy?: 
Yes
Link: 
https://www.geoscience.ie/wp-content/uploads/Geoscience-Ireland-Strategic-Review-2018-2022-1.pdf
Do you have a specific strategy focus that addresses internationalisation ?: 
Yes
Services
Support services provided: 
Internationalisation support (= Access to third countries markets)
Access to public support (regional/national programmes, innovation vouchers, etc.)
Facilitation of collaboration between members
Promotion of activities (marketing/ visibility)
Provision and facilitation of access to training for members
Cooperation Activities
International Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
Canada
Ethiopia
Ghana
Kenya
United Arab Emirates
Our cluster organisation undertook the following international activities to support our members: 
Participation at missions/events/study visits/fairs
Trans-national Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
France
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom
Our cluster organisation undertook the following trans-national activities to support our members: 
Participation at missions/events/study visits/fairs
Please explain: 

GI participates on Trade Missions and attends International Conferences on a regular basis with the aim of identifying opportunities for GI Cluster Members, some recent examples include:

  • France - GI conducted two Market Study Visits facilitated by the French Cluster Programme: 'Pole Competititive'; the trips included site visits to French cluster companies, B2B meetings with Norwegian delegates and conferences.
  • UK - GI regularly attends networking events hosted by UK public and private sector organisations, enterprises development agencies and foreign embassies.
  • Nordics - GI conducted a Market Study of potential partners and is planning to attend conferences relating to infrastructure development in the region.

GI has also completed Trade Missions and Market Visits to West Africa, South Africa, the Gulf and Canada.

Which clusters do you collaborate with?: 
Pole Avenia - Geoscience Innovation Valley
Support Programmes
Participation in Funded Support Programmes: 
European ProgrammesProject NameLinkName & Description (Regional/National)Link (Regional/National)
FP7
H2020
CIP/COSME
INTERREG
EIT KICs

Geo-Energy Europe (COSME); led by Pole AVENIA and supported by GI and 6 other partners.

DESTination RAIL (H2020); delivered by GDG Solutions; 

InfraRisk (FP7); GDG Solutions.

LEANWIND (FP7); GDG Solutions.

iFOSTER / RawMatTERS (KIC); SLR Consulting & GSI

Tellus Border (INTERREG); GSI

http://www.geoscience.ie/geoscience-ireland-successful-eu-cosme-application-for-geothermal-energy-study/

Geoscience Ireland is part of a COSME project directed at subsurface energy (geothermal), the project will run from 2018 to 2020.

A number of GI Member Companies participate in funded support programmes - primarily European Programmes relating to R&D (see next section for details).

Ireland's national geoscience organisation: Geological Survey Ireland (the GSI), and the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience offer support programmes in the geoscience sector.

http://www.gsi.ie/Research/
Promotion
Success Story / Achievements: 

Geoscience Ireland (GI) has a number of Case Studies available online (www.http://www.geoscience.ie/case-studies/) that showcases projects won in overseas markets through a combination of collaboration between its Member Companies and interaction with the Irish state.

Such success is driven by the trust developed between cluster members and their collaborative effort in exchanging information, market intel and connections to new markets.

In 2020, Ireland's Minister of State for Natural Resources, Sean Canney TD (MP) published the Geoscience Ireland publication: "The Formation and Maintenance of a Successful Business Cluster May 2020’" which details GI's pathway.

https://www.geoscience.ie/minister-canney-launches-the-formation-and-maintenance-of-a-successful-business-cluster-may-2020-manual/

Why should partners choose you for cooperation?: 

GI Members have great experience in international cooperation and continuously aims to establish relationships and grow partnerships with European and non-European companies, clusters and agencies.

We are very interested in networking with state, commercial and research entities, i.e.:

  • Cluster agencies relating to geosciences
  • State & semi-state enterprise agencies
  • Public sector ministries e.g. Natural Resources, Energy, Transport, Water, etc.
  • Private sector (both Small & Medium and Larger Companies) with experience in international markets
  • Research & Development and Innovation institutions and funding agencies.