About ICE
ICE Project - Innovation for Competitive Enterprises (ICE) - Promoting regional economic growth and development through the establishment of a Tri_Regional Innovation Network aimed at building the innovation capacity and capability of existing SMEs in the Northern Ireland, the six southern Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland.
The project is a joint collaboration of University of Ulster, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian and led by Dundalk Institute of Technology.
With significant changes in the economic landscape, there is a growing and recognised need to increase the innovative capacity and capability of indigenous companies and especially the Small Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Within the context of this project, SMEs are defined at employing more than ten people, have moved passed the early stage development and moved into the growth phase of their life cycle and operate in any sectors excluding retail and professional services. To continue to succeed as a developed and dynamic economy in an ever-increasing global and competitive marketplace, the region needs to create innovative companies particularly those SMEs who would not traditionally have an innovative culture.
The ICE project is part-financed by the European Union's European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body with match financial assistance from Scottish Enterprise.