TechInnovation - Distance Education

This course is for people who wish to learn how to create technology innovation-driven enterprises or new products/services in existing corporates. This includes learning how to identify commercial needs, to respond to the need in the form of a high-level solution, to test the viability of that solution, to develop a business plan to create a company or a new business unit within an existing company, and all with a particular focus on innovation-driven enterprises that can scale up. We have chosen the successful "Disciplined Entrepreneurship" 24-step process from MIT as the basis for our approach. The learner will work through the issues of market analysis, technology viability assessment, competitive positioning, team building, product lifecycle planning, marketing strategy, sales channel analysis, and with a strong emphasis on the entrepreneur/intrapreneur as a salesperson. Business plans will be developed based by the learner on the 24 steps, and will include an executive summary, vision and values, market analysis/segmentation and competition, a product and manufacturing plan, a sales plan, a financial plan, and a marketing plan.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

RequiredEE5113: TechInnovate I: Needs Finding to Concept Generation

RequiredEI5101: TechInnovate III: Innovation Project

RequiredEI5102: TechInnovate IV: Minor Dissertation

RequiredEE5114: TechInnovate II: Concept Development and Implementation

Applicants should normally hold a qualification from a university or other internationally recognised academic institution or authority, corresponding to Level 8 of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), to a minimum standard of Second Class Honours (or equivalent). It is expected that successful applicants will come from a variety of academic disciplines.

1 year Part Time

Next start date September 2026

This course is suitable for those who have a business idea and wish to explore the full potential through a structured approach. It will help to guide students and increase their skills, to share best practices in entrepreneurship and to accelerate innovation maturation and transfer into business. It will ideally place students to fill the entrepreneurial need in the West of Ireland and equip graduates with the skills required to become integral members of innovation driven enterprises. Programme participants will have the benefit of an experienced team who will help them to meet their goals in terms of entrepreneurial and innovation skills acquisition.



Our graduates fill key posts as innovators and managers in industry. Recent graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies including:



ABEC

Allianz

Cork City Council

European Commission

Phrase

3DWIT

Tympany Medical