Dogpatch sustainability programme to encourage environmentally-focused tech

The initiative is being backed by the ESB, Coillte, Kerry Group and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The US-based environmentally-focused Grantham Foundation is also supporting the 2050 accelerator.

As well as Dublin’s Dogpatch facility, regional hubs in Cork (Republic of Work), Kerry (RDI Hub), Galway (Portershed) and Wexford (GreenTech HQ) will be involved in the effort.

Organisers say that both Irish and international startups will be able to apply for a place on the accelerator and will “benefit from access to Ireland’s national sustainability infrastructure, such as wind farms, dairy farms and forestry” through the industry partners.

Industrial partners will also give qualifying startups access to expertise on agriculture, energy and forestry, through their own involvement with farms, turbines and land management.

And startups are being promised help to scale their products and services, up to and including possible funding arrangements.

Three of the 14 weeks from May to August will be ‘core weeks’ at Dublin’s Dogpatch, whose CEO is Patrick Walsh, with scheduled workshops, talks and mentoring taking place.

“We expect pilots to take longer than three months to establish so there will be a further three months of tailored support provided to startups to help them get the pilots up and running with our industry partners,” said a spokesperson for the initiative.

As part of the programme, space will initially be provided for the startups at Dogpatch Labs for each of the ‘core weeks’. If the startups need to work outside Dublin while developing pilots with industry partners in Cork, Galway, Kerry or Wexford, a desk will be available for them in the innovation hubs in those regions.

In addition to general supports and access, the Grantham Foundation is to sponsor a specific stream focused on supporting startups developing carbon dioxide removal solutions.

“The goal of [the accelerator] is to position Ireland as a global leader in sustainability innovation by 2050, aligning with the country’s ambitious aim to achieve carbon neutrality by the same year,” said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson added it would “connect participants with a network of global experts”