Midlands Regional Enterprise

The #Midlands region of Ireland covers the counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath. The region is well served with direct access to three international airports: Dublin, Shannon and Ireland West. It is also just 60 minutes’ drive away from the Dublin, which connects to more than 185 #global destinations. The Midlands has welcomed over 50 world-leading businesses, employing over 8,000 people in the region. Companies who have come to call the Midlands their home include: Avery Dennison, Ericsson, Medtronic and Solventum. The pool of companies is extremely diverse, spanning technology, MedTech, pharmaceuticals, engineering, and business services. Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) is the region’s hub, with its principal campus in Athlone. In September, TUS will open a multi-million euro #STEM building, to ensure it continues to meet the huge growth in the industries operating in the region. You can read more about the Midlands region here: https://lnkd.in/ec-5QeyH #InvestInIreland #InvestInExtraordinary 

Join us on Wednesday March 26th for a landmark Conference, Together We Thrive: Realising Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Enterprise, Tourism and Communities in the Midlands. Taking place in Tullamore County Offaly, the Conference will bring together leaders in enterprise, tourism, skills and community development to explore how sustainability and regenerative practices can drive economic growth across the Midlands.   This collaborative conference and networking event offers a unique platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, partnership building, and strategic insights into enterprise development, sustainable tourism, community development, and skills which underpin the transition to more sustainable practices. Thos who may wish to attend include Entrepreneurs and business owners looking to pivot towards sustainability, Tourism and hospitality businesses, Local authorities: Enterprise, Community, Climate & Tourism Teams, Sustainable Energy Communities and remote working hubs, Community groups and leaders, and development groups, Skills providers and enterprise support agencies   📅 Date: Wednesday, 26th March 2025  📍 Venue: Tullamore Court Hotel  ⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM Book your Free Place here: https://lnkd.in/gCkCfUET #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #togetherwethrive #conference #sustainability #collaboration #midlands #community #enterprise Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Laois Chamber Athlone Chamber of Commerce Mullingar Chamber Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce Longford Chamber of Commerce & Industry Fáilte Ireland Offaly Local Development Company Laois Partnership Company Westmeath Sports Partnership Laois Tourism

Join us on Wednesday March 26th for a landmark Conference, Together We Thrive: Realising Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Enterprise, Tourism and Communities in the Midlands. Taking place in Tullamore County Offaly, the Conference will bring together leaders in enterprise, tourism, skills and community development to explore how sustainability and regenerative practices can drive economic growth across the Midlands.   This collaborative conference and networking event offers a unique platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, partnership building, and strategic insights into enterprise development, sustainable tourism, community development, and skills which underpin the transition to more sustainable practices. Thos who may wish to attend include Entrepreneurs and business owners looking to pivot towards sustainability, Tourism and hospitality businesses, Local authorities: Enterprise, Community, Climate & Tourism Teams, Sustainable Energy Communities and remote working hubs, Community groups and leaders, and development groups, Skills providers and enterprise support agencies   📅 Date: Wednesday, 26th March 2025  📍 Venue: Tullamore Court Hotel  ⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM Book your Free Place here: https://lnkd.in/gCkCfUET #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #togetherwethrive #conference #sustainability #collaboration #midlands #community #enterprise Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Laois Chamber Athlone Chamber of Commerce Mullingar Chamber Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce Longford Chamber of Commerce & Industry Fáilte Ireland Offaly Local Development Company Laois Partnership Company Westmeath Sports Partnership Laois Tourism

The Midlands region has once again been named a European Region of the Future for 2025 in the annual rankings from fDi Intelligence and the Financial Times. For the second year in a row the region has joined the prestigious list for FDI Strategy, this year jumping 6 spots to secure 2nd place in the Small European Regions category. This recognition highlights the region’s exceptional performance in attracting foreign direct investment and its ambitious roadmap for continued economic growth, as outlined in the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan (MREP), and is underpinned by the incredibly strong collaboration and cooperation coming from the many stakeholders who contribute strongly to the ongoing growth of the region. Read more: https://lnkd.in/edQTayuG #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #europeanregionsofthefuture #regionofthefuture #fdistrategy #fdi #midlands #foreigndirectinvestment #ireland #fdiintelligence #financialtimes Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Enterprise Ireland IDA Ireland Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Midlands ICT Cluster atim cluster Engenuity Midlands Engineering Network The CUBE Laois Chamber Longford Chamber of Commerce & Industry Athlone Chamber of Commerce Mullingar Chamber Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce

Enterprises and Communities across the Midlands are invited to a series of county events outlining the variety of supports available across the Midlands. The series begins in Laois on Tuesday 25th of February in BloomHQ in Mountrath, with further events taking place in Longford, Offaly and Westmeath in the coming weeks. These free events will provide valuable insights into funding, mentoring, climate action initiatives, and training opportunities. Organised as part of the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Just Transition programme, this initiative is designed to highlight the supports available to communities and enterprises in regions affected by the transition to a green economy. The Just Transition Fund aims to facilitate economic diversification, job creation, and social inclusion by providing financial and advisory support to enterprises, workers, and communities adapting to a low-carbon future The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Transition is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027. This project is a collaborative initiative of the Local Authorities of the Midlands region, with Laois as the lead partner, alongside Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath. Come along to discover how your business or community can benefit from these supports and take the next steps towards a resilient and sustainable future See below for more information and to register for the event in your county: https://lnkd.in/ev2b7GmF #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #community #enterprise #supports #justtransition Laois County Council Laois Chamber Laois Partnership Company Laois Sports Partnership Laois Tourism Local Enterprise Office Laois Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board

For 2025, the Midlands region is once again designated a European Region of the Future in the annual rankings from fDi Intelligence, part of the Financial Times. This year the results saw the Midlands jumping 6 spots to 2nd place in the Small European Regions category for FDI Strategy. This recognition highlights the region’s exceptional performance in attracting foreign direct investment and its ambitious roadmap for continued economic growth, as outlined in the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan (MREP), and is underpinned by the incredibly strong collaboration and cooperation coming from the many stakeholders who contribute strongly to the ongoing growth of the region. The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Just Transition Programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027 Read more: https://lnkd.in/edQTayuG #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #regionsofthefuture #europe #investment #regionalenterprise #FDIstrategy #FDI #investment #foreigndirectinvestment #award #collaboration #teammidlands Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Enterprise Ireland IDA Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Midlands Ireland Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Offaly Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Technological University of the Shannon atim cluster Engenuity Midlands Engineering Network Midlands ICT Cluster

JOB ALERT – please share - We’re looking for a Midlands ICT Cluster Manager to join the team. This role would be ideal for someone interested in working to grow and develop the future of the ICT industry in the Midlands! The successful candidate will be responsible for the delivery of the Midlands ICT Action Plan, working in the region with the Midlands ICT Cluster, Midlands Regional Enterprise and key stakeholders across enterprise, local government and industry. For more information on this contract role, see below, and PLEASE SHARE with your networks. Applications close on 19th February 2025, with interviews expected to commence soon after. The role is led by Laois County Council and can be located across the Midlands region. https://lnkd.in/d7HA6b29 The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Just Transition project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027 #MidlandsICT #midlandsadvantage #euinmyregion #jobfairy #job #irishtechjobs #techjobs #ITjobs #manager #cluster #clustermanager #jobs #vacancy #techcluster #midlands Midlands Ireland Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus Laois Chamber Mullingar Chamber Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce Athlone Chamber of Commerce Longford Chamber of Commerce & Industry Zinkworks Mersus Technologies Ortus - Managed IT & Cloud NIS Ltd Future Ticketing Emarkable.ie Scopey Irish Tech News Tech Tribes Ireland Midlandjobs.ie Midlands Women in Tech Google Developer Group Portlaoise GDG Athlone

The Midlands region showed 3% growth in employment numbers in the Enterprise Ireland End of Year Results for 2024. Nationally, it was the 4th year in a row of positive job creation results, with total employment at client companies increasing to a record 234,454, made all the more impressive in what was a challenging year for some export sectors. The regions continue to perform well, with 64% of job creation outside of the capital. Results by sector showed employment increases across Enterprise Ireland’s three core economic sectors - Technology & Services (+2%), Industrial and Life Sciences (+3%) and Food and Sustainability (+3%). Strong employment growth was reported in specific sub sectors such as: Climate, Sustainability and Agritech (+8%) Digital Technology (+2%), Construction (+4%) Fintech, Financial Services (+2%) Lifesciences (+7%) Prepared Consumer Food (+4%) Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: “I am delighted to announce that 2024 was another strong year with our client companies creating 15,741 new jobs and growing net employment by 3%. 2024 marks the final year of Enterprise Ireland’s three-year strategy ‘Leading in a Changing World’ and we can confirm that our client companies have overachieved on our key targets to create 45,000 new jobs by 2024 and increase exports to €30bn. Over the three-year period Enterprise Ireland client companies created 50,931 new jobs and at the end of 2023 over €34 billion in exports was recorded. Two thirds of the jobs created in the three-year period were outside Dublin and we supported 479 start-up businesses, up over 20% on the prior three years. The results announced today give us a really strong platform on which to further grow and expand our enterprise base in a sustainable way over the next five years.” #midlandsadvantage #enterpriseireland #jobs #enterprise #support #jobcreation #business #exports #irishbusiness #euinmyregion Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Members of the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Steering Committee came together at the Backstage Theatre in Longford for the latest committee meeting on the implementation of the regional plan. The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan consists of 3 strategic objectives, underpinned by 11 key actions. The Strategic Objectives include the transition to a climate-neutral economy, smart specialisation and placemaking, with updates from across the region on initiatives in areas including Regional Skills, Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, Marketing, Tourism and Food & Drink. #midlandsadvantage #EUinmyregion #regionalenterprise #regions #midlands Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Midlands Ireland Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Westmeath Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus Fáilte Ireland Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly IDA Ireland Enterprise Ireland Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) Ibec atim cluster Midlands ICT Cluster Engenuity Midlands Engineering Network

The new €3.9m Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Just Transition project to support the economic growth of Ireland’s Midlands has been launched by Ministers Eamon Ryan and Peter Burke at The CUBE, Low Carbon Centre of Excellence in Portlaoise. The project aims to support the economies of Longford, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath. The funding for the project is provided by the EU Just Transition Fund: Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme, which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027. Under the scheme a series of actions will be implemented to support the regions’ economy in five distinct areas: - Midlands Pathway to Transition – supporting the transition to a net zero economy - Delivering the Midlands Advanced Manufacturing Action Plan - Delivering the Midlands ICT Action Plan - Delivering the Midlands Ireland Placemaking Programme - Delivering the Midlands Ireland Regional Food and Drink Strategy In addition to supporting economic development this Midlands Pathway Plan places a heavy emphasis on education and future skills. There will be an expansion of award-winning regional #STEM education programmes, such as Dream Space and VEX Robotics, to over 280 primary and secondary schools across the region. The programme will also support investment in digitalisation and equipment for schools. Read more below: https://lnkd.in/dfxUPWPw The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Just Transition Project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027. MidlandsIreland.ie Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly Pobal Laois County Council Longford County Council Offaly County Council Westmeath County Council Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Fáilte Ireland Enterprise Ireland IDA Ireland Technological University of the Shannon Local Enterprise Office Laois Local Enterprise Office Longford Local Enterprise Office Offaly Local Enterprise Office Westmeath atim cluster Midlands ICT Cluster Engenuity Midlands Engineering Network