MSc Insights and Innovation Company Placement

The MSc Insights and Innovation Management programme in partnership with DCU Business School commenced in October 2024.  

The Bord Bia Talent Academy, in partnership with DCU, has designed a world leading Masters in Insights and Innovation. The vision of which is to help drive fresh thinking and creativity in the Food & Drink industry that will see our industry thrive and overcome the many challenges we currently face. 

There are two ways you can get involved as a Bord Bia client company:

Route 1: Host a Participant 

• Apply to host a selected Bord Bia Insight and Innovation Talent Participant for a 10-month placement as part of their experiential learning. Applications are currently closed but will reopen again shortly.
• Following a high-profile and rigorous recruitment process, we can confidently say the people we’re offering you are hugely talented and driven individuals who will bring tangible value to any organisation.  
• The participants will arrive in their placement companies with deep knowledge in the fields of Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, Innovation Strategy, Consumer Insights, Brand Marketing, Digital Innovation and Leadership. 
• The cost to host a participant is €15,000 (plus VAT) payable to Bord Bia. 

Route 2: Sponsor an Existing Employee 

• Apply to sponsor an existing employee to upskill and earn an MSc in Insights and Innovation whilst completing a significant insight-led innovation project within your company.  
• Your employee will undertake a learning journey with DCU and Bord Bia where they will gain knowledge in the fields of Entrepreneurship, Innovation Strategy, Design Thinking, Brand Marketing, and more. 
• The cost to sponsor an employee is €16,000 education fee payable to DCU.

What’s in it for you? 

• You will have 10 months collaborating with a talented, qualified, well-networked and passionate innovation professional who will engage exclusively on projects for your innovation pipeline to generate new commercial ideas and convert them into tangible innovation assets for your business.   
• Access an industry experienced individual who is exposed to cutting edge thinking from DCU and Bord Bia and can bring immediate impact to your NPD, Consumer Insights, and Marketing Team, and wider organisation. 
• Upskill your existing talented employees to bring fresh ideas to the team, provide employee learning and development opportunities, and increase retention of the top talent in your company. 

What are we looking for from you? 

• Have clear project objectives & deliverables - in the area of product, marketing or process innovation. 
• Demonstrate an innovation ambition - a strategy to grow through innovation and be open to new, fresh, original inputs that are underpinned by consumer insight. 
• Resources and budget allocated to Innovation & processes to embed product, process and marketing innovations with the aim of converting to real opportunities. 
• Willingness to appoint a mentor to work closely with the participant for the duration of the learning assignment and to commit to participation at 2-3 half-day workshops and debriefing sessions at Bord Bia. 
• An openness to become a learning organisation through collaborating with the participant/ employee and absorbing programme learnings.