Intel launches new initiative called ‘Intel Labs Europe’ at the European Parliament in Brussels today

This new programme has the objective of ensuring that Intel will be a global driving force for innovation and computing technology into the future - The message from Brussels today is that Ireland is very much open for business - Craig Barrett, Global Head of Intel was the guest speaker at a conference that I organised for 130 Irish and EU companies on the issue of how best can Europe use technology and research programmes to stimulate job creation.

The Intel Global Corporation has today announced a new Intel Corporation initiative called 'Intel Labs Europe' in the European Parliament in Brussels. This new programme will co-ordinate the work of the 800 researchers working on research and innovation issues in Europe for Intel at present in a variety of different universities, research centres and laboratories.

The objective of the 'Intel Labs Europe' initiative is to ensure that Intel will continue to be a global force in technology, research and innovation issues. The 'Intel Labs Initiative' will prepare a platform for potential investment and advanced innovation activity.

Intel is establishing two open labs in Europe, which will act as the focal point and portal for this new initiative. One focal point and portal for this programme will be in Leixlip in Ireland and the other in Munich in Germany. The Intel Labs Europe programme will be managed from these two centres.

The Intel Labs Europe initiative will drive an even greater level of collaboration between European researchers and policymakers on a number of EU initiatives including exploratory research, methods to improve ICT (information and communications technologies), methods of using ICT to improve the efficiency of industries and increasing the quality and productivity of ICT overall. Likely areas of focus for the Intel Labs Europe programme include visual computing, software development, enterprise solutions, green computing, advanced microprocessor research and high performance computing.

This announcement was made today in the European Parliament in Brussels by senior Intel executives including Justin Rattner, Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Intel, Diane Bryant, Chief Information Officer at Intel and Christian Morales, Vice President of Intel with responsibility for Europe and the Middle East.

Brian Crowley MEP organised this key conference today for 130 Irish and European technology companies on the issue of how Europe can best use Research and Technology programmes to stimulate job creation at which Craig Barrett, the Global Head of Intel was a guest speaker.

Companies represented at this conference included Google, Panasonic, IBM and Philips.

Craig Barrett said, “Intel has completed a global re-structuring of its company and Intel has no immediate plans to cut jobs in Ireland. He said that Ireland and America are very similar in nature and he said that Intel can do business in both America and in Ireland.”

Brian Crowley MEP said, “Intel is Ireland's biggest multi-national company. It is clearly the case that Intel rightly sees new technologies and innovation as the way forward for its own company development so as to be a global leader in these policy areas and create more jobs. The Intel labs Europe initiative is a new programme which is preparing a basis for potential investment.

It should be noted that Irish companies are drawing down 1 million Euro a week under the 7th EU Research and Technology Framework programme. This conference that I organised today is very timely. 2009 is the European year for creativity and innovation.”

January 28th 2009