Donegal County Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Catalyst to help accelerate innovation in the North West.
The agreement will formalise both organisations’ commitment to work together to develop the innovation economy in the region.
The new MOU sets out how Donegal County Council and Catalyst will work together to capitalise on the benefits of developing the knowledge-based economy, in line with Catalyst’s collective ambition with colleagues and neighbours in Derry City & Strabane District Council to create opportunities for people in the North West.
Plans are in place to develop innovation workspace in both Letterkenny and at the Catalyst Fort George base.
Under the terms of the MOU, Catalyst and the Council have committed to;
· Collaborate to support a North West regional ecosystem to accelerate the creation of new early-stage knowledge-based businesses.
· Further strengthen the economic infrastructure in the North West City Region as a means to create employment opportunities for local people.
· Create a more diverse and dynamic economy in the region, providing the infrastructure and expertise to unlock potential for Innovation Driven Enterprises
· Support the economic development agencies in their pursuit of small, R&D based, FDI opportunities, where proximity and links to higher education institutions are critical, and proximity to the border is advantageous.
· Identify synergies between Donegal County Council and Catalyst-managed research, facilities, and training activities where they relate to Donegal County Council’s economic development strategies.
· Act mutually as advocates for innovation, research opportunities, and each other, when interacting with decision-makers and other stakeholders on both sides of the border.
