Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC), the not-for-profit entrepreneurial superhub, has announced it is to expand its operation internationally.
The Dublin-based centre said a series of new global collaborations will help it to build upon its soft-landing initiatives, which provide a international gateway to scaling start-ups.
The partnerships enable start-ups to access advice and guidance in new markets. They also facilitate access to office space for start-up founders.
The new collaborations will bring the Guinness Enterprise Centre’s total number of international hub partnerships up to 40 by year-end 2026.
Currently, GEC has 25 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with national and international hubs and recently signed an MOU with The Algarve STP, Portugal. The team is also eyeing up new partnerships across Europe, the US and UAE.
The centre is pursuing more collaborations with Irish and international universities, giving start-ups access to candidates in MBA programmes covering innovation and entrepreneurship.
A recent partnership with TU Dublin is providing Guinness Enterprise Centre start-ups with marketing expertise that can support international market entry.
Meanwhile, a collaboration with Fordham University, in New York, is giving GEC-based companies in the sustainability and MedTech sectors the marketing knowledge and expertise they need to expand into the New York area.
The expanded initiatives coincide with a visit of 40 delegates from the Paris-based hub STATION F, which hosts over 1,000 startups on their campus.
Niamh Collins, director of Guinness Enterprise Centre, said: “We very much welcome today’s visit from STATION F director, Roxanne Varza, and her hub team to the Guinness Enterprise Centre.
"As a meeting of the world’s largest start-up campus with Ireland’s largest start-up campus, this visit will enable us to learn from each other and exchange ideas to ensure we, and the start-ups we support, are consistently pushing boundaries.
“We are taking an important step in strengthening our relationships with leading international innovation centres.
"By building yet more global connections, we are not only creating new opportunities for collaboration, but also providing a vital gateway for our client companies as they scale into new markets.
"It’s all about ensuring that ambitious founders have the support, networks, and access they need to grow globally.”
Roxanne Varza, director of Station F, said: "The STATION F team has visited many international ecosystems over the years - and it is a true honour to visit the Irish ecosystem this year.
"We feel this is a key moment for Europe and a lot can come from building bridges and collaborating more with like-minded structures."
Photo: Niamh Collins, director of Guinness Enterprise Centre. (Pic: Supplied)
