Thriving ecosystem sets up County Kildare for success

Kildare’s population has rapidly increased in recent decades, with a level of growth far ahead of the national average.

Kildare is now the fifth-highest populated county in Ireland, with Census 2022 showing numbers had grown by 11 per cent to 247,774, an increase of 25,270 in four years.

It also has the highest proportion of young residents (under 24 years) in the state at nearly 37 per cent, which amounts to 81,000 young people, the fifth-highest number nationally.

Over the next 20 years, the population is expected to increase by 18.6 per cent, meaning the county will continue to experience significant growth.

This level of growth and development is positive, and Kildare County Council will build on the solid foundations already laid to continue to make Kildare an inclusive and sustainable county.

In developing the strategy, Sonya Kavanagh, chief executive of Kildare County Council, said the council’s policy regarding hubs reflected the shifting nature of the enterprise landscape in the county and region.

“We have acknowledged and considered multiple factors and drivers to create a fit-for-purpose, proactive Kildare Hubs Strategy,” she said.

“Increasing rates of entrepreneurship, self-employment and contract working are all leading to a growing flexibility around how, where and when our work is performed.

“Technology has opened limitless opportunities for virtual work and collaboration, reducing the need for travel and commuting.”

Kildare County Council identified both needs and opportunities through its Economic Strategy Kildare 2025, and the Local Enterprise Development Plan to 2024, to deliver a hub strategy that guides future policy and planning for this critical enterprise infrastructure.

“This strategy explains how we will support new enterprises, harnessing entrepreneurial talent and skills and investment through hub provision,” said Kavanagh. “Kildare County Council is among the first local authorities in the country to provide an integrated strategy for hub infrastructure and support.”

Supporting local entrepreneurs

The SME and micro-enterprise sector represents approximately 92 per cent of all active businesses in Kildare. Their ability to adapt to changing situations, such as the global Covid-19 pandemic, shows a level of resilience and versatility that sets them up for success.

Co Kildare is a leader in equine technology, food, tourism, supply chain and knowledge economies.

There is a particular focus on the equine industry. The county introduced Ireland’s first equine technology accelerator, with the objective of increasing the number of equine tech businesses based in the county.

This has been spearheaded by Kildare 2025 Economic Development Strategy: Kildare County Council (kildarecoco.ie), which looked at both current and future challenges as well as opportunities for Kildare’s economy and community.

It provides a roadmap for attracting new investment, sustaining existing industries and enterprises, and ensuring long-term and sustainable growth.

Hubs are a primary instrument in stimulating indigenous enterprise and promoting innovation

With the key focus on entrepreneurship and investment, climate action and capitalising on new opportunities, the strategy will continue to strengthen its key sectors by playing to its strengths and unifying its development focus.

Kildare County Council, Kildare Chamber of Commerce, and Kildare Local Enterprise Office (LEO) are working closely together to support enterprise and create the conditions for a thriving ecosystem.

A growing population and a high concentration of young people in the county mean that supporting workers is a crucial part of its strategy.

The county’s investment in its remote working and co-working hubs is a key part of this development. With a thriving ecosystem, it has hubs that can cater for all industries and those that are focused on particular sectors such as equine and tech.

The substantial work that Kildare County Council, and its partners, have done to develop a hub network since 2018 has ensured a robust foundation to build on.

“Given our proximity to Dublin and our expanding network of hub infrastructure, the county is well placed to benefit from the increased relocation of workers and companies,” said Kavanagh.

“Hubs are much more than workspaces for remote workers. They are the conduits for entrepreneurship, enterprise creation and innovation and a key instrument in enterprise and industrial policy.

“The incubation cycle means that our enterprise hubs can continuously produce high-value employment as clients start, grow, scale and exit. Hubs are a primary instrument in stimulating indigenous enterprise and promoting innovation across the local SME base.”

She said hubs could also play a significant role in the enterprise ecosystem by building partnerships with foreign direct investment operators and higher education institutes. Through this, they could create second sites for expansion projects or place teams in an innovative and collaborative environment.

The county’s enterprise hubs, innovation centres, digital hubs and co-working and remote working hubs all have a solid role as part of the wider regional and local development agenda.

Furthermore, they can support other strategic development objectives, including decarbonisation, town centre renewal, digitalisation in SMEs and building strong communities of entrepreneurs.

“Strategically, enterprise hubs are a key mechanism for supporting priority sectors in Kildare, including the knowledge and tech economy, advanced manufacturing, agri-food, the equine sector and the green economy.

“Hubs and co-working spaces have an expanded and have an important role to play in this new flexible work model by providing entrepreneurs and workers with office or desk space and shared facilities close to their homes as and when they are needed.

“Hubs provide aspects of the social entrepreneurial network or the ecosystem for clients and their staff, and valuable services such as reception, meeting rooms, canteen facilities, storage and parking. Hubs also play an important societal function in promoting quality of life and healthy work-life balance for individuals and families.”

That work-life balance is one of the ways in which hubs can positively impact a local community or area.

Benefits include town centre living, increasing the activity and vitality of town and village centres by addressing premise reuse, mixed-use development and shared services and facilities.

Hubs also positively impact local retail and services. The increased footfall and demand brings greater activity to areas and connects people back to their local area and community by creating demand for, and facilitating, more significant participation in local clubs, organisations and initiatives.

The other significant benefit of a local hub infrastructure is its positive impact on achieving a low-carbon future, reducing overall carbon levels by promoting walking, cycling and car sharing. Such hubs can create space for pedestrianisation, planting and recreation in urban areas, adding an extra dimension to towns and villages.

As the home of St Brigid and the birthplace of Arthur Guinness, Kildare is a hotspot for culture and tourism. It has a worldwide reputation for horse racing and horse studs. It is the home of Mondello Park and the renowned Japanese Gardens.

The jewel in the crown for retail is the luxury open-air shopping experience at Kildare Village, which has over 100 boutique offerings for shoppers.

At the heart of all these experiences is people, with hubs bringing an extra layer of vibrancy to towns and villages across the county in multiple ways.

“Kildare’s hubs are often catalysts for local regeneration and town and village centre renewal through reuse of dormant buildings or sites,” explained Kavanagh.

“These hubs add vitality, creating enterprising communities in localities that were, in the past, impacted by the exodus of workers on their daily commute to larger urban centres.”

With so much to offer, Kildare has established itself as a multifaceted county with technology, food, equine and professional service businesses that have grown from this county’s innovative landscape.

“With its growing and young population, its proximity to Dublin and traditional commuter flows, and its industrial structure, Kildare has ambitious and exciting plans for the future of work and enterprise,” she concluded.