Creating a hub network of excellence

The Kildare Hubs strategy, commissioned by Kildare County Council in 2022, had set out several cornerstones for developing the county’s hub network and infrastructure over the next four years.

The 15 present and future hubs operating share common goals: to give back to the community, help them, and provide the framework for indigenous businesses to start, grow, and thrive.

The town of Naas is home to several hubs, each offering their unique take on co-working and flexible office space, such as County Kildare iHub Office Facility, a professionally operated office space run by the Kildare Chamber of Commerce.

The space has seen many upgrades, with the office space refitted thanks to two funding grants from the Department of Rural & Community Affairs. It has four single privacy booths, a private four-person meeting booth, 16 new desk spaces, and two relaxation spaces.

Sinéad Ronan, public affairs manager for County Kildare Chamber, said that iHub had taken off in the past year, rarely having a free desk since January and bringing opportunities for networking and socialising.

“Christmas socials, lunches, and in-office networking events are all essential to building a sense of trust within the group of people sharing this space, and from that, a sense of community and friendship between them,” she said.

Just a 15-minute walk from the town centre is the Osprey Hub. It combines remote working and office facilities with all the mod cons of a modern four-star luxury hotel.

Alongside dedicated desk space and booths with access to soundproof pods for confidential calls, users can access the gym, spa, restaurant, conference rooms, and more, and special discounts are offered to them as well.

“To have such facilities on your doorstep, not many hubs would have what we offer here in Osprey,” said Lorraine Birchall, business manager.

Empowering locals

Serving the business and community needs of North Kildare you will find, easily accessible to the N4 and the N7, The Thompson Enterprise Centre, owned and managed by Clane Project Centre CLG, a pioneering community-based not-for-profit company started in 1994 to alleviate unemployment in the area.

Started as a Community Enterprise Centre for local entrepreneurs, it provides light industrial units and office space for start-ups as well as established local companies.

“We feed into Clane Business Park creating an extended family of like-minded industrialists who share experiences and knowledge,” said Ted Murray, chief executive of Clane Project Centre.

“We cater for everything from engineering to arts, childcare to men’s sheds, providing over 70 full-time jobs.

“We constantly strive for improvement to offer the latest in technology and space management to our clients. Leading-edge companies in engineering, digital, medical and craft, sit side by side with beauty, massage, and exercise facilities in our campus in Clane Business Park.”

A short drive south from Naas is Ballymore Eustace, where you will find The Hub @ Market Square. Based in a picturesque region of Kildare, the recent building of two estates has helped a younger demographic and has made it the perfect spot for it to thrive.

Run by award-winning property developers Ballymore Group, the hub caters for local business needs by offering workers world-class, flexible facilities designed to meet their needs.

Mandy Kelleher, hub manager and marketing manager, mentions how it has the right mix of accessibility for people from all areas, even abroad.

“People choose to come in here just to get away from all the distractions at home and get a good day’s work done,” she said. “We have many visitors during Christmas and summertime as they’re visiting their relatives and want to work.”

People choose to come in here just to get away from all the distractions at home and get a good day’s work done

South of Naas and close to the Wicklow border is Crookstown near Ballitore, where you will find Venture House. The only hub in the south Kildare area, it offers a refurbished space full of nooks and crannies designed to cater to all types of companies and situations.

Its top-of-class facilities – offering fibre broadband and an eco-heating system – are tied together with a vibrant aesthetic where more than 80 per cent of non-tech furniture and items are reused or refurbished.

Lauren O’Reilly, owner of Venture House, said it’s built up customer loyalty over time.

“You need to be on demand as there will be a last-minute ask,” she said. “Sometimes you might get a booking at 10pm because a childminder booking has fallen through and they can’t go to the office.”

Revitalising history

The region has a significant heritage and history where old buildings get a new lease of life. The most recent example is Newbridge Business Centre, which opened in Charlotte House, the town’s former post office and the birthplace of Kathleen Lonsdale, biophysicist, crystallographer and peace campaigner.

Offering a state-of-the-art business centre with fully serviced office spaces, Sinead Smyth, marketing manager at Newbridge Business Centre, said how happy they were with the uptake from businesses since it opened in May 2023.

“The nice thing about our building is how flexible the space is,” she said. “We’ve already had one client who came into a two-person office and moved to a three-person office within two weeks.”

The five-year regeneration project has brought the protected building back to life as a modern workspace with high-speed internet connectivity and top-tier cyber security boasting a 60-desk capacity, three meeting rooms, 18 private offices and co-working areas plus a soundproof booth for content creators.

Having been in existence since the ’90s, the social enterprise Allenwood Community Development Association (ACDAL) has grown in prominence in its area with its remote working hub.

Located on the former Bord Na Móna ESB Generation Station site, the scenic location consists of three segments: the Enterprise Park, The Training Centre and BrightSparks Community Childcare Centre.

The appointment of a new board in 2018 has helped revitalise the hub and surrounding facilities.

“We’ve made a lot of progress,” said Cara Clancy, general manager of ACDAL. “The board’s skill set is impressive, and they’ve brought a lot to the organisation.”

Prioritising innovation

Innovation and creativity come in many forms, and Kildare has several facilities dedicated to this.

NUI Maynooth is home to MaynoothWorks, a business incubation centre that builds innovation capabilities within early-stage start-ups and micro companies.

The hub is fully integrated into the university; It includes training, mentoring, and connecting them to NUI Maynooth and the Local Enterprise Offices.

Joe Moore, manager of MaynoothWorks, said it was a year of transition: “When people move on, it’s because we’ve done our job. They can stand by themselves, and that’s a sign of success for us.”

Likewise, MERITS, focused on innovation and located in Naas, is a tech hub committed to supporting digital and technology innovation.

It offers next-level facilities such as a podcast studio, content creation lab, meeting and conference rooms, video conferencing, and mixed reality facilities.

Chris Fogarty, hubs manager in Kildare, said the multimedia offerings ensure businesses can start up without fuss, and bringing them together creates networking opportunities.

“There’s a lot to be said about having mentors and trainers who are physically close to you,” he said. “Starting a business can be a lonely place, and here you can end up chatting to someone you didn’t realise had a shared vision with you.”

Specialist expertise

Not all hubs are strictly about tech or remote working; some focus on key industries and bring specialised expertise to the region. The National Equine Innovation Centre (NEIC) is one hub providing this.

Located in the home of Irish horse racing, the Irish National Stud and the Curragh Racecourse, what was originally a museum is now a hub for equine tech start-ups.

As the home of equine tech, Fogarty says that companies there see doors open for them as the name carries such a reputation.

“There’s a concentration of expertise when you focus on a niche area,” said Fogarty. “Because it can be so nuanced, there’s much to know about the industry.”

Likewise, Athy Enterprise Centre focuses on the light industrial and manufacturing sectors. Located on the outskirts of Athy town, it comprises light manufacturing units, modern office space, and on-site training facilities.

The manufacturing industry has many moving parts, and shared expertise is essential in showing support. As it is a specialised industry, it’s also home to consultancy businesses that support manufacturing companies, not to mention networking and sharing knowledge.