Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 November 2023
7. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the data relating to the funded NDRC accelerator and unfunded pre-accelerators between 2017 and 2023; the breakdown of number of company applicants for each programme to the funded NDRC accelerator and unfunded pre-accelerators from women-only founder companies, men-only founder companies and mixed founders men and women companies. [52797/23]
View answer8. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of founder participants applicants for each programme to the funded NDRC accelerator and unfunded pre-accelerators from women-only founder companies, men-only founder companies and mixed founders men and women companies. [52798/23]
View answer9. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of number of successful companies to the funded NDRC accelerator and unfunded pre-accelerators from women-only founder companies, men-only founder companies and mixed founders men and women. [52799/23]
View answer10. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total monetary value awarded to companies on the funded NDRC accelerator programme based on the gender make up of founders. [52800/23]
View answerI propose to take Question Nos. 7 to 10, inclusive, together.
NDRC is one of the State’s supports for early-stage enterprises operating in the pre-seed investment funding gap between entrepreneurs/researchers and the commercial investment sector offering accelerator and pre-seed support for enterprises in the digital sector.
NDRC was initially established in 2006 under a Concession Agreement. The initial value of the concession agreement was €5m per annum and was €3.5m annually since 2013.
Following a procurement process a contract was awarded in November of 2020 to Dogpatch Labs to continue the NDRC supported by its regional partners in Kerry, Cork and Galway. This contract expires in 2025 and has a value of €3.5million per annum. The principal services, provided under the NDRC name include:
1. Accelerator Programmes and capital investments in early-stage digital enterprises
2. Regional services: a variety of pre-accelerator programmes and “training the trainer” services
3. Investment portfolio management.
The nature of concession agreement and reporting thereunder means that my Department does not have access to the information relating to applicants prior to the current services contract for the then NDRC programmes.
