WDC opens call for Mayo companies to join new Landing Studio
The Western Development Commission (WDC) has opened applications for creative enterprises and innovation-focused startups and SMEs from the west and northwest, including Mayo, to join the new Landing Studio at CREW Galway, launching in January 2026.
The Landing Studio is a pilot initiative designed to primarily support regionally based creative businesses to access a high-quality support infrastructure in a collaborative innovation space at CREW in Galway city.
The studio will enable companies to experiment with new technologies, explore creative possibilities, and work across sectors to develop new products and services.
By bringing creative and innovation-driven businesses into CREW, the WDC aims to stimulate collaboration, share expertise, and strengthen the creative economy across all counties in the WDC region.
Located within CREW, the region’s leading creative enterprise and innovation hub, the studio will help to connect companies with resources, networks, and expert support to help them develop and grow. CREW was established in 2024 by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the WDC, with Enterprise Ireland as a key partner. The Landing Studio marks the next step in the WDC’s ongoing collaboration with CREW to grow the region’s creative industries.
Allan Mulrooney, CEO of the WDC, commented: “We have cultivated deep expertise in Galway, particularly in creative technologies, digital storytelling, and design-led innovation. Now, our focus is to broaden that expertise across the west and northwest.
“The Landing Studio will act as a space for experimentation and collaboration, helping companies scale and bring new capabilities back to their local communities. Ultimately, this initiative is about creating a sustainable, region-wide creative economy.”
Selected startups and SMEs will receive dedicated workspace at the Landing Studio until the end of 2026. AIM, the AI and innovation centre based in Sligo, will join the Landing Studio as an anchor tenant, bringing expertise in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. While AIM continues to operate and scale in Sligo, AIM's presence and involvement at the studio will give selected startups and SMEs access to cutting-edge innovation and opportunities to integrate AI and digital processes into both creative and traditional enterprise activities.
Supports offered at the studio include workspace (dedicated desk space at the Landing Studio until end of 2026), tailored support (access to CREW and AIM’s partners, programmes and resources), advisory services (strategic guidance from AIM on AI and emerging technology projects), collaboration (opportunities to work with companies across tech, design, and creative industries), and networking (connections with peers, clients, and the wider regional ecosystem).
Applications are now open for eight companies from the west and northwest, including (but not limited to): creative enterprises such as digital design, animation, film, visual arts, music, immersive tech, and other creative sectors; innovation-focused startups and SMEs like AI, machine learning, blockchain, and other emerging tech; and design-led innovation in the form of companies using design and technology to develop solutions across sectors.
Niamh Costello, CEO of CREW, stated: “CREW was founded to accelerate the creative industries in the west and northwest, and the Landing Studio reflects the collaborative ecosystem our region needs. By partnering with the WDC and AIM, we are strengthening the pipeline between creative enterprises and industry, opening access to new markets, technologie, and opportunities. AIM’s expertise will enhance how creative companies innovate, experiment, and scale, ensuring innovation developed in Galway benefits communities across the region.”
Applications are open to creative enterprises and innovation-driven companies across Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway, Clare and Donegal. The deadline for applications is Friday, December 19, at 2 p.m. Full eligibility criteria and application details are available on the Western Development Commission website, with updates shared via social media.