CorkBIC was formed in 1988 with the support of the European Commission, Cork Chamber of Commerce and the public sector (local authority, statutory agencies and University/Colleges).
CorkBIC is a leading interdisciplinary venture consultancy in the South and Mid-West of Ireland and provides an integrated process for incubating and growing high potential technology driven companies.
It was licensed by the Commission as an EC-BIC in 1994 and has been regularly audited on behalf of the Commission and the CSF for Ireland. CorkBIC is part of a network of 200+ BICs throughout Europe, The European Business & Innovation Centre Network (EBN).
CorkBIC works as a hands-on catalyst or project developer in infrastructure gap initiatives.
Examples are:
- The Electronics Industry Linkage Programme, connecting SME suppliers to multinationals
- CorkBIC with the 3 main University / Colleges (University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) together with Enterprise Ireland initiated the Graduate Enterprise Programme, (later Genesis) - a 12 month rapid incubation programme that has now fast tracked nearly 200 companies.
- CorkBIC initiated in 1997 an industry association called it@cork for IT professionals to develop the region as a centre of IT excellence.
- The Atlantic University Alliance of 3 established Universities coming together to develop a cross region Technology Transfer Initiative.
- Working with the Regional Authority and Cork Corporation CorkBIC initiated the 12m Euro National Software Centre project, financed between the public and private sector.
- Digital Buildings Telecom Access Guidelines for Cork Docklands (2009)
- Partner in the IGNITE Programme in UCC - IGNITE is an incubation centre in University College Cork for higher education graduates
- CorkBIC conducted a Tier 1 Datacentre Commercial Feasibility Study for a new Tier 1 International Subsea connection between Ireland and International Networks (2012)