ENFUSE 2025
Open for Applications: Transform Your Business with Innovative Solutions!
The open call for businesses to apply to ENFUSE 2025 is now live! Led by Dublin City Council and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Dublin, the pioneering and award winning programme ENFUSE, connects local enterprises and social enterprises with Master’s level university and college students. As part of a module, students work in teams to conduct research and ultimately provide bespoke plans for participant businesses. The plans set out innovative solutions for addressing challenges and developing opportunities.
Student teams can assist across a spectrum of areas, including: Strategy, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Design Thinking, Innovation, Digital Transformation, Project Management, Circular Economy Principals and Design, Tourism / Hospitality / Event Development, New Product / Service Development, Business / Market Development, Finance, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, and more.
Highlighting the benefits of ENFUSE, Ross Curley, Dublin City Council said:
“ENFUSE brings together Masters Students and businesses to engage in a friendly competition for the ENFUSE trophy. It connects education with enterprise development, creating a win-win situation for all involved. Businesses benefit from new ideas, research and a tangible plan, while students benefit from real world experience and the chance to apply their learning”.
Now in its seventh year, the programme takes place during semester 2, from January to May, as part of a module where students apply their learning to gain real-world experience. Masters level students from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Dublin City University (DCU), National College of Ireland (NCI), University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and National College of Art and Design (NCAD) will collaborate with and support local enterprises using their module learning and skills. The students will provide insights, propose innovative solutions, and ultimately deliver a customised, tangible plan.
ENFUSE is collaboratively supported by numerous stakeholders and contributes to the implementation of various policies and strategies. ENFUSE empowers enterprises by offering bespoke solutions that drive innovation, overcome challenges, and uncover new avenues for growth. It also promotes the various LEO employment grants and Enterprise Ireland’s Gradstart to participant enterprises in regard to employing students or internship opportunities as a follow on. In partnership with the Dublin Regional Skills, a key focus is also to equip students with industry relevant skills and enrich their learning experience.
For more information and to apply to participate in ENFUSE 2025, visit: ENFUSE
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For further inquiries and information about ENFUSE, please contact
Economic Development Office, Dublin City Council – economicdevelopment@dublincity.ie
Notes to Editor:
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 National College of Art and Design (NCAD). 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 Finals 2024 Info: https://www.dublincity.ie/news/dublin-city-council-delighted-announce-team-trinity-college-dublin-were-awarded-winners-enfuse
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.
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, and in 2021 students from National College of Ireland participated. In 2023, students from UCD and TCD participated. In 2025, students from NCAD will participate. 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.
