Innovation and Transformation
Discover how Dublin City Council supports innovation and transformation by providing funding, training and opportunities for social enterprises, small businesses and entrepreneurs.
How we live and work is constantly changing, from smart cities and the gig economy to the growth of AI. Dublin’s economy and ecosystem must be able to adapt alongside these changes by finding new, disruptive solutions for our evolving needs.
Innovation and transformation involve the deliberate use of information, imagination and initiative to create new or improved value from existing resources. To be called innovative, an idea must be replicable at an economical cost and satisfy a specific need.
The Circular Economy
In the traditional linear economic model resources are taken, products are made and the result is waste. The circular economy model takes a different approach. It aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them while they are in use and regenerate materials at the end of their service life.
Circular economy business models include:
- Circular supply chains
- Resource recovery
- Product life extension
- Sharing models
- Product and service system models
These approaches are a business opportunity. They can provide competitive advantage, increased efficiency, and reduced costs.
With new green procurement standards and the European Green Deal, it is essential that Irish businesses understand and adapt to the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy.
The MODOS Programme
MODOS is a circular economy programme for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It is a joint initiative of Dublin City Council and the Eastern Midlands Waste Regional Office.
The programme includes:
- Training and online classes on circular economy principles
- Guidance on sustainable supply chains and resource efficiency
- Design thinking and customer engagement supports
- Networking events and webinars
Find More Information
Find more information on the MODOS webpage or email the MODOS team.
Social Enterprise
Dublin takes part in the European Commission’s European Social Economy Regions project which works to:
- Build networks of social economy and social enterprise stakeholders
- Encourage collaboration between organisations
- Raise awareness of the social economy at local and regional level
Social enterprises bring economic, community and policy benefits such as jobs (often for those who are marginalised), new services and education. They also provide opportunities for people to get involved in their community, leading to a greater sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Dublin City Council encourages and supports social enterprise by providing training, mentoring, events, grants and promotion through the Economic Development Office and Local Enterprise Office Dublin City.
The Dublin City Social Enterprise Committee (SEC) takes a strategic approach which includes:
- Identifying specific areas of need and opportunity
- Reviewing suitable strong growth business sectors for social enterprise
- Supporting the Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards
Social Enterprise Awards
The Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards support social enterprise creation and development. The awards programme provides grants, mentoring, promotion, and other supports to successful applicants to enable them to further develop their activities, increase their social impact and benefit more individuals and communities.
Each year a total of approximately €60,000 is awarded to innovative social enterprises.
The awards are funded and supported by Dublin City Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development. Inner City Enterprise is responsible for managing the awards programme and providing mentoring to awardees. The awards align with the policy objectives of the National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland 2024-2027.
We are now accepting applications for the 2026 Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards. The closing date is 12 noon on 24 June 2026. Submit your application.
Events
The Economic Development Office supports events and initiatives with the mission of innovating, collaborating and growing enterprise in Dublin City.
Dublin Tech Week
Dublin Tech Week is a week-long celebration of innovation and technology, uniting tech lovers, professionals, and communities across the city, taking place from 22-29 May 2026.
For further information and event listings visit Dublin Tech Week – A Collaborative Celebration Of Innovation In Dublin.
Pendulum Summit
Pendulum Summit, The World’s No. 1 Business & Leadership Summit will be back at the Convention Centre Dublin on Thursday, January 21 2027. The annual inspiring and actionable programme brings together the best orators & authorities on the planet to share their insights and empower Pendulum’s delegates to maximise their impact and potential in all aspects of their lives.
Pendulum delivers solutions in vocational training for individuals, companies, and business clients, in leadership, high performance, and a broad spectrum of growth-focused competencies. The networking extravaganza is another world-class feature and it is also brilliant for team building, business acquisition, & company branding opportunities via its world class expo & partnership opportunities.
For further information visit Pendulum Summit.