Innov8rs workshop
During the past month, BluSpecs continued its collaboration with ESB on the Innov8rs Graduate Innovation Programme, an ambitious initiative co-organised with ESB and designed to nurture innovation talent whilst addressing real-world challenges aligned with ESB’s Net Zero 2040 strategy.
Over the next nine months, this structured programme will empower eight cross-functional teams of graduates to explore, validate and develop solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing Ireland’s energy future. The initiative reflects ESB’s commitment to building internal innovation capabilities and cultivating a pipeline of future leaders who understand both the technical and human dimensions of energy transition.
Second workshop: stakeholder engagement and approach methodology
The second workshop in the programme focused on a critical competency for any innovation initiative: stakeholder identification, selection and engagement. Participants were introduced to a structured methodology for mapping stakeholders, assessing their influence and interests, and designing tailored engagement strategies. Teams then applied this methodology to their specific energy challenges, learning how to select priority stakeholders, craft meaningful engagement approaches and prepare their first outreach.
The day began with a comprehensive overview of Sprint 2 objectives, led by Brendan Rowan, followed by an inspiring fireside chat with Grainne Byrne, who shared her first-hand experience from ESB’s X_Potential programme. This candid discussion gave participants valuable insight into the realities of innovation within a large organisation, the challenges of validating ideas in a complex stakeholder environment, and the mindset required to turn concepts into implementable solutions.
The afternoon sessions were entirely hands-on. In Workshop 2A, participants learned how to structure an interview and build robust question scripts tailored to their specific challenges, ensuring that every conversation would yield actionable data. Workshop 2B then focused on turning interview outputs into validated insights, teaching teams how to synthesise findings, refine problem statements and begin visioning solutions that are grounded in real stakeholder needs rather than assumptions.
The session was highly interactive, combining theory with practical application. Graduates worked in their cross-functional teams to develop stakeholder maps and rehearse their initial engagement strategies, receiving feedback and guidance to refine their approach.
Grounding innovation in the energy landscape
The day was rich with activities, learning and practical insight, offering graduates a first glance into the real-world business opportunities and constraints that will shape their innovation projects over the coming months.
Whilst this is a graduate programme, the stakes are real. ESB’s investment in the Innov8rs initiative reflects a long-term commitment to building the internal capabilities needed to deliver its ambitious Net Zero 2040 strategy and to developing a generation of leaders who can navigate the technical, commercial and societal dimensions of energy transformation.