The partnership will focus on ESB’s three strategic pillars – decarbonising the electricity system, building resilient infrastructure and empowering customers.

UK global accelerator and corporate innovation specialist IoT Tribe has announced a three-year partnership with Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB) that will focus on X_Potential, ESB’s flagship innovation incubator.

IoT Tribe works to accelerate technology growth and adoption for corporations, government agencies, investors, start-ups, SMEs and other ecosystem players. As part of the collaboration, the organisation will strengthen and scale X_Potential, empowering ESB to identify, develop and deploy future‑facing ventures. 

“We’re incredibly excited to be working with ESB on the next phase of X_Potential,” said Tanya Suarez, the CEO and founder of IoT Tribe. “What makes this collaboration so powerful is the combination of ESB’s ambition and IoT Tribe’s experience in building programmes that turn strong ideas into real ventures, leveraging cutting-edge research and external investors.”

X_Potential operates as an internal innovation platform enabling ESB employees to propose new ideas that advance the organisation’s Net Zero 2040 ambition, and early cohorts have already delivered significant progress. The new team will be located at Trinity College Dublin’s innovation hub, which opened in November last year, and the partnership will focus on ESB’s three strategic pillars – decarbonising the electricity system, building resilient infrastructure and empowering customers.

Commenting on the partnership, Derek Hynes, the head of innovation at ESB, said, “The energy sector is changing rapidly and ESB needs to keep creating the space, support and partnerships that help new ideas develop into real solutions.

“X_Potential plays an important role in that, and this collaboration with IoT Tribe and Trinity College Dublin gives us access to the expertise, structure and external perspective needed to help our people turn strong ideas into ventures with real potential.”

In April, IoT Tribe added to its Dublin base of operations with two new hires, a head of and an associate of venture incubation and acceleration. 

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