ENFUSE

ENFUSE matches local enterprises and social enterprises with teams of Master’s university / college students. During semester 2 (January-May) as part of a module, students work in teams of 4-6 members with selected enterprises. The students help provide insights, propose solutions and ultimately present a bespoke and tangible plan that sets out how the enterprise can innovate, address challenges and develop opportunities. Student teams present the plan to the enterprise to implement and to their module lecturer to assess. In addition, shortlisted student teams compete at the ENFUSE finals in May. The teams represent their university and compete by pitching to expert judges on the plan they created for their assigned enterprise.

Student teams can assist participating enterprises with:

ENFUSE Mission

• Support local enterprises by providing bespoke plans to innovate, address challenges and develop opportunities
• Provide Master’s students with real-world consultancy and enterprise experience
• Enhance the local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem

Enterprise - Benefits of Participation

• Market research, insights and new ideas
• Opportunity to screen potential employees from student teams (Grants available to support employing graduates: LEO Priming / Business Expansion Grants; Enterprise Ireland Gradstart)
• No cost to the enterprise
• Promotional opportunities
• Intellectual property rights and confidentiality protected

Role of Enterprises

1. View the terms and conditions (detailed below)
2. Complete the ENFUSE – Application Form (Link Below)
3. Propose a relevant challenge / opportunity for the student team to develop a plan. Nominate a representative to liaise with, meet the team (Approx.) 4 times, provide information
4. Interact responsibly and respectfully with the student team
5. Rate the student team
6. Participate in an evaluation survey
7. Approve presentation content if allocated student team is selected to compete at the ENFUSE Finals

Enterprise Selection Process

• ENFUSE is open to enterprises, social enterprises and entrepreneurs
• Preference is given to LEO – Dublin (City / DLR / South Dublin / Fingal) client enterprises and enterprises that are primarily based in Dublin. Enterprises based outside Dublin can still apply and will be considered and matched with student teams where possible
• Enterprises are selected according to the suitability of their proposed challenge / opportunity / area for the students to develop a plan on and according to the availability of student teams
• Student teams will be allocated or will self-select an enterprise that they wish to work with
• Applications portal open from: 02 December 2024
• Once an application is made, efforts will be made on a rolling basis to match the enterprise with a team
• Deadline for submitting Applications: 23:59, 17 Jan 2025
• Enterprises will be informed of their application status by March 2025 TBC

 ENFUSE Timeline

 (Please note the timeline is subject to change) 

*Meetings will be arranged directly between the student team and enterprise. Meetings can be physical or virtual. If physical meetings are permitted, students are covered under their institution’s insurance respectively to visit enterprises / sites. After each meeting, student teams should share minutes / notes taken / next steps with their respective enterprise. 

**ENFUSE Finals will feature shortlisted student teams. The teams represent their university/college and compete by pitching to expert judges on the plan they created for their assigned enterprise. Participating students and enterprises along with industry guests will be invited to attend the ENFUSE Finals. 

Apply to ENFUSE 2025

(Please click on the link)

Testimonials: 

'In trying to take a deeper look at the data behind our business, ENFUSE provided the perfect gateway to some of the top university talent available in the data science space in the country. The time commitment to the value gained in this programme has to be experienced to be believed. If you want to add a new dimension to how you look at the business you work in, I would recommend participating in the ENFUSE programme'. Jack Dwyer, Vyra 

 ‘ENFUSE is a wonderful way for the gap to be bridged between students and businesses. MAKER has taken part in the initiative for three consecutive years and has found the student's research to be insightful and a valuable asset to the evolution of the business. I highly recommend businesses to participate. It keeps businesses in touch with emerging trends and fresh thinking from the students and allows students to gain live experience with businesses in their community.’ Kate O'Moore, MAKER

Terms and Conditions

The availability of student teams is limited. A submitted application does not guarantee that the applicant enterprise will be matched, or will be matched with their preferred Masters/Skill area student team.

Plans will be produced by Masters level student teams from the participating universities/colleges and will be presented to participating enterprises during March-May. The plans will be reviewed confidentially by relevant lecturers/staff for academic assessment. Plans may also be reviewed by relevant staff in DCC/LEO Dublin City to shortlist for the ENFUSE Finals.

At the end of the module / at a lecturer assigned date, student teams may make presentations to each other in their respective module class on the plans they produced as part of a peer to peer learning exercise. Relevant enterprises may be invited to physically / virtually attend these sessions.

ENFUSE is not a work placement for students in participating enterprises. Students research and develop a plan for enterprises as part of a module on their course. During the programme, students will spend a portion of their time each week researching, liaising with the enterprise and developing the plan. Students are not responsible for implementing the plan.

Although unlikely, due to external circumstances, student teams may be forced to disband or be unable to continue their participation. University/college partners reserve the right to withdraw their students from the programme.

When matched with an enterprise, students will sign a confidentiality agreement designed to protect the commercial confidence and intellectual property rights of the enterprise. Students’ participation in the programme is governed by the ethical research guidelines of the universities/colleges as appropriate.

Enterprises are not obliged to accept or implement recommendations proposed by their allocated student team and accept full responsibility for any consequences arising from the implementation of such recommendations. ENFUSE project partners and support organisations accept no liability for any loss, debts or negative impacts incurred by enterprises arising from participation in ENFUSE and / or implementing student’s recommendations / plans.

Participating enterprises may be featured in promotional material/reports in order to promote the enterprise, ENFUSE or the services of DCC/LEO Dublin City and other project partners/support organisations. Enterprises that are represented by finalist teams at the ENFUSE Finals will be featured in promotional materials.

Privacy Notice

DCC / LEO – Dublin City and ENFUSE project partners respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. Please read this notice as it describes why your personal data is needed to apply and potentially participate in ENFUSE, and also how your personal data will be used. For further information on privacy and your rights, please see the Dublin City Council Privacy Statement and the Local Enterprise Office Personal Data Protection Notice.

To apply to participate in ENFUSE, applicants are required to complete an online application form. In this form, applicants are asked to provide data which includes contact details and information on their enterprise and area / challenge / opportunity that they would like a student team to complete a plan.

The reason for requiring and processing this data is to process applications and to manage the programme. Contact details are required to allow for efficient communication and to inform applicants of their application status and to provide relevant updates on ENFUSE and other LEO supports. Applications are confidentially shared with participating lecturers and relevant student teams as part of selecting and matching enterprises with teams and to enable the teams to contact and directly liaise with their allocated enterprise. Participating enterprises will be connected with their student team by DCC / LEO – Dublin City and the relevant lecturer. Applications and data provided will be securely stored in line with retention protocols in DCC, LEO and university / college project partners. 

If you have any questions regarding the application form, process and management of your data, please contact: economicdevelopment@dublincity.ie

Further Information:

Project Partners / Support Organisations

ENFUSE is led by Dublin City Council (DCC) / Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Dublin City in collaboration with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin); Dublin City University (DCU); National College of Ireland (NCI); University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Institute of Art, Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire (IADT).

It is supported by and operated in alignment with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin and Fingal County Councils and their respective Local Enterprise Offices, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER); Our Public Service 2020; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Enterprise Ireland; GradStart; Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Dublin Regional Skills (DRS); Community Resources Network Ireland; Irish Social Enterprise Network; Dublin Place Brand; Dublin Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024; European Commission - European Social Economy Regions Project and the European Year of Skills.

ENFUSE is managed in alignment with and towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in particular: 4 Quality Education; 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth; 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 10 Reduced Inequalities; 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities; 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.

Project Awards

In national recognition of the innovativeness and potential to scale, DCC was awarded Public Service Innovation Funding in 2020 from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the Our Public Service initiative. The funding was used to develop branding, communications and programme materials.

ENFUSE was selected as a National Winner in the European Commission’s - European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA) 2022 under category 3 which recognises innovative projects and approaches that improve the business environment and support the digital transition. In addition ENFUSE was shortlisted as an overall EEPA European finalist project. 

ENFUSE was shortlisted in the Chambers Ireland - Excellence in Local Government Awards 2022 in the Promoting Economic Development category and shortlisted in the Dublin City Council Three Castles Staff Awards 2022 in the Innovation Category.

Project History

ENFUSE began in 2019 when 13 local enterprises and social enterprises were matched with 60 students from TU Dublin. The students worked in teams to research the context, challenges and opportunities regarding their allocated enterprises. In 2020, students from DCU also participated, in 2021 students from National College of Ireland participated and in 2023, students from UCD and TCD participated. 2024 will see students from IADT participate as well. Each year since it began, the programme has expanded and the impact has increased as more enterprises, students and project partners have participated and benefited.

ENFUSE Finals 2023 Press Release: https://www.localenterprise.ie/DublinCity/News/Press-Releases/Master%E2%80%99s-Students-support-Local-Enterprises-at-ENFUSE-Finals-2023.html 

ENFUSE Finals 2022 Press Release: https://www.localenterprise.ie/DublinCity/News/Press-Releases/Students-awarded-for-supporting-local-enterprises-at-ENFUSE-Finals-2022.html

To stay informed about future similar initiatives, enterprise supports, events and LEO Dublin City News, please sign up to our Newsletter using the link at the top of the page.

Testimonials from participant enterprises

'With ingenuity, creativity, and flair, the fantastic team of students devised an intelligent marketing campaign that translates a complex topic into something that will really resonate with our target. Taking part in ENFUSE helped us think outside the box, provided us with a framework for how to translate theory into publicity, and shaped our marketing for the years to come.’ Steve O'Reilly – The Rediscovery Centre

‘The team of students we worked with delved into the background of our company to try and further understand our future objectives. The final document we received helped us to achieve a more intensive expansion model and also gave us a fresh perspective on certain aspects of our business, ENFUSE was an excellent learning experience for us.’ Jessica Conlon, Twigs

ENFUSE Videos