The centre aims to encourage and support entrepreneurs, high-potential start-ups and the scaling of businesses via incubation programmes, mentorship, investment and industry connections.
Over two decades of operations, Irish innovation hub the Rubicon Centre has enabled and supported more than 500 start-ups, with its clients raising more than €160m in public and private equity, according to the centre.
Founded in 2006 and based at Munster Technological University (MTU) Cork, the hub aims to encourage and support entrepreneurs, high-potential start-ups and scaling businesses via incubation programmes, mentorship, investment and industry connections. A primary goal of the centre is to foster job creation and economic growth.
The centre’s 20th anniversary was marked at an event yesterday (2 September) at the MTU Arena attended by Rubicon alumni, entrepreneurs and enterprise stakeholders for reflection on its history and future role in supporting businesses.
Rubicon’s alumni include the founders of Cork-based vehicle development company Hibra design, which was developed through Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme at the centre.
In February of this year, Hibra earned a place at the western Europe regional finals of the Global Start-up Awards, having been shortlisted in the Green-tech Start-up of the Year category.
Also among Rubicon’s alumni are Swyft Energy’s Adrian Casey and Joy Freyne. Swyft Energy is a solar photo-voltaic and boiler installation company that was acquired by Bord Gáis Energy in 2024.
Commenting on the 20-year milestone, Paul Healy, the manager of the Rubicon Centre at MTU, said, “Over the past 20 years, the Rubicon has become an important part of the entrepreneurship and business ecosystem in Cork and the wider region, supporting people from the earliest stages of developing an idea through to established businesses looking to grow and scale.
“Every year, people come through our doors with an idea and a decision to take that next step. In many ways, they are ‘crossing the Rubicon’. Our role is to help them navigate what comes next through training, mentoring, and connections to investors, business networks, and the wider commercial and R&D expertise available across MTU.
“As we look to the next 20 years, we see a real opportunity to build on that network and work with more established SMEs with the ambition to scale, grow and adapt.”
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