In 2017 Momentum completed the feasibility study for BIA Innovator Campus, a step change project transforming the food entrepreneurship landscape in the West of Ireland by realising a dynamic food and drink innovation centre creating jobs in over 40 businesses while unlocking far reaching innovation ecosystem benefits.
It is the first food infrastructure project in Ireland to have multi food sector support at one location, including key specialisms in meat, dairy and seafood. It is a dynamic food and drink innovation centre of scale to deliver regional (West of Ireland) and national agri-food growth and regeneration by developing key infrastructure, supporting food businesses, creating employment, encouraging investment and facilitating collaboration among all key stakeholders.
BIA Innovator Campus CLG will redress the fact that Ireland does not have enough food incubators. A 2016 study, completed by Momentum, highlighted that there is a seismic gap in infrastructural resources for food entrepreneurship and this is particularly acute in the West of Ireland with a dearth of facilities. Those that are in place are full and operate waiting lists e.g. The Food Hub, Drumshanbo (employing 75 people across 8 businesses) and with whom we are working closely to deliver a regional supply base.
- 2017 – secured €2.44m grant aid as one of 8 Strand One projects funded under 2017 Enterprise Ireland REDF programme.
- 2017 – secured €700,000 from Teagasc and Galway County Council as co-founders in a three-year Service Level Agreement.
- 2018 – secured €2.9 million under Rural Regeneration Development Fund.
- 2019 – secured €80,000 under two EU Transfer of Innovation programmes.
- 2020 – secured €400,000 under 3 separate LEADER applications.
- 2021 –secured over €1.8 million under Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme application.
- Momentum secured 4 EU funded projects for BIA Innovator Campus