The regional winner of Ireland will receive a comprehensive support package (min. value of EUR 20,000). In particular, the following elements will be included:

• An incubation programme (facilities available for up to 3 people)
• Business coaching and training to help get your business off the ground
• Testing facilities
• Technical support
• Marketing activities including web, logo and branding design
• Access to experts
• Travel costs and conference tickets are provided
• Access to public funding / venture capital

Ireland has a knowledge-based economy supported by a highly skilled workforce, which has produced a strong technology sector, leading to the highest concentration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) activity and employment in the OECD.

The ICT sector in Ireland attracts global investment with seven of the world's top ten companies now operating from Ireland. ICT accounts for EUR 50 billion in Irish exports and this is forecast by the Irish Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to grow as companies take advantage of competitive opportunities on offer.

National Space Centre is located in the South of Ireland, based at Elfordstown Earthstation, just outside Midleton, Co Cork, and is Irelands only teleport. National Space Centre provides world class carrier grade teleport facilities from Elfordstown Earthstation. Elfordstown serves as one of Eutelsats new pan-European network of 8 groundstations, connecting to Eutelsats purpose built Ka-Sat satellite and delivering high speed broadband to remote regions across Europe. Elfordstown has been appointed an official ESA Earth Observation Groundstation to receive data for research and distribution from ESA satellites.

National Space Centre is currently involved in a number of emerging satellite technology projects, including the development of Satellite Automated Information Systems (SAIS) and marine mapping feeds with ESA and has provided technical support services for the European Galileo satellite navigation programme.

National Space Centre provides services to facilitate

• Hub Management and Co Location
• In Orbit Validation (IOV)
• R&D for Space related projects
• GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment & Security)
• ICT (Integrated Computer Technologies)
• Data Broadcast and Multi-cast