Culminating three and a half years of a determined effort by the voluntary Board of BIA Innovator Campus CLG, the opening is in sight. Peter Feeney, Chairperson of the Board, pays tribute to the founders and funders that have invested in the future of food. “When we shared our vision for this project in Athenry in 2017, we were so encouraged with the reaction from the food sector. They told us they needed food-grade space to produce and grow their businesses.  They needed food-specific technical support and business guidance in a more accessible way.  COVID-19 has put the spotlight on our food sector and the critical supply chains from farm to fork. If anything, the demand for local, quality food has increased. With challenge comes opportunity. BIA Innovator Campus is ready to provide the infrastructure, the programmes and the community to help a new generation of food entrepreneurs and those who see the potential to grow their food businesses but lack the space to do so”.

We are the first food infrastructure project in Ireland that clusters food sector incubation & innovation supports at one location. While our campus has three buildings spanning 2301 square metres (23,767 sq. ft) to support over 40+ food-related on-site food businesses, hundreds of others will use our facilities. We offer the base from which to reshape careers through upskilling in the food and hospitality sector, host and attend food tourism events and to connect to a community (our tribe) of food champions in Ireland West.”