Ladislav Muller urges Irish companies to look at new opportunities and explore Central Europe as an option for diversifying both geographically and vertically.
nearForm, Sirius XT, Obeo, Empowertheuser, APC, Equilume, Optrace and AmbiSense are all companies with Big Ideas who have successfully spun-out of the Irish research system with the support of Enterprise Ireland.
Web-based SME platform Enterpryze, has announced the addition of 200 new jobs in Dublin as it looks to facilitate its export-led growth over the next three years.
Parkpnp is an online marketplace for parking that allows homeowners and businesses to list, advertise and generate income from their unused or under-utilized parking spaces.
Creator of O'Donnells crisps, Ed O'Donnell, speaks about his product's journey from concept to reality, and all the stops along the way, including two weeks in crisp college.
Anton Musgrave delivered his ‘Colliding Worlds’ workshop, which explores current innovations and how they will shape the world, at Enterprise Ireland's SME Leaders Community Series in Dublin.
Global Futurist Anton Musgrave delivered a ‘Colliding Worlds’ workshop, exploring current innovations and how they will shape the world at Enterprise Ireland's second SME Leaders Community Series on December 2nd at its headquarters in Eastpoint, Dublin. Thirty companies from across different market sectors signed up to attend the full-day workshop, which challenged SME business owners and managers to think about how they are responding to a rapidly changing world. Throughout the day, there were opportunities for SME Leaders to network and create connections and discuss the issues raised.
In his thought-provoking presentation, Anton invited attendees to consider how their companies can stay relevant in an age of artificial intelligence when routine tasks are outsourced to computers. He pushed his audience to re-evaluate the ‘toxic limiting assumptions’ that can prevent them from seeing new opportunities and thriving. This was Anton’s second visit to Enterprise Ireland - in 2014 he opened the Innovation 4 Growth programme.
The SME Leaders’ Community aims include creating a connected network for business owners and managers to come together and attend Enterprise Ireland hosted events that support their role, as well as support each other, with the ultimate aim of growing exports. More than 500 companies are now part of the community, which is progressively expanding to provide more structured support for the community. The next SME Leaders’ Community event will take place in Spring 2017.
Building on the face-to-face events, Enterprise Ireland is also exploring the use of technology to leverage the expansion of this connected community and is undertaking research with clients in Q1 2017 to further scope this out.
The jobs, over half of which will be sourced in Ireland, will be across all engineering disciplines, as well as architecture, environmental, construction and project management. Recruitment has already commenced.
Participants on the day took part in a pitching competition with Overcast's CEO Philippe Brodeur picking up a cash price of €2,500 supported by Bank Of Ireland.
The Enterprise Ireland HPSU SPRINT programme, delivered in partnership with Dublin Business Innovation Centre, is an intensive 4½ day programme to equip our High Potential Startup (HPSU) clients with the toolkits and capabilities that they need to become investor ready in a shorter timeframe.
The programme consists of practical educational workshops, facilitated peer learning group work and a half day pitch training session. The current Sprint programme started in September and was completed in November with 29 participants.
The participants took part in a pitching competition on 8th December for a cash prize of €2,500 supported by Bank Of Ireland. The winner on the day was Enterprise Ireland client Overcast (www.overcasthq.com) which is a video collaboration platform headed up by CEO Phillipe Brodeur. Orla Battersby, Divisional Manager of the High Potential Startup Unit in Enterprise Ireland commented that the “Sprint Programme is a key part of our supports for early stage companies. It prepares our start-ups for engaging with investors and raising funding. Of the last cohort that completed Sprint earlier this year, over half have already raised seed investment from Enterprise Ireland and third parties. I wish all of today’s participants every success in raising funding to build scalable and global businesses.”
Speaking at the event, Dave Tighe, Head of Innovation, Bank of Ireland said:
“Bank of Ireland was delighted to be involved with the 2016 HPSU SPRINT programme. For the economy to prosper, a volume of new startups is important because it is a key engine of growth and to get this growth we need early stage investment in new young ventures. It’s great to work with Enterprise Ireland and help the HPSU on the SPRINT programme develop the toolkits and capabilities to become investor ready in a shorter timeframe. A big congratulations to Overcast who were very deserving winners on the day and we at Bank of Ireland wish them and all the participants on the programme the best with their business ventures in the future.”
Firmwave, a High Potential Start-Up at Enterprise Ireland, is a product and solution design company that specialises in designing ultra-low power hardware and firmware for IoT and wearable devices.
Several international contracts were awarded to Enterprise Ireland client Rothco in 2016 including, most recently, White Claw Hard Seltzer for the North American market.
Enterprise Ireland client Rothco capped off another successful year with the addition of several international contracts.
In 2016 Rothco was awarded international contracts for AON global market; Heineken Light global launch; My Taxi global rollout; Elephant Tea (a Lipton brand) for the French market; and most recently, White Claw Hard Seltzer for the North American market.
White Claw Hard Seltzer is part of the Mark Anthony Group, which is North America’s largest RTD (ready to drink) company. Rothco will handle all communications in North America of the new low-calorie alcoholic seltzer in an entirely new alcoholic category.
"The support and guidance that companies such as Rothco receive from Enterprise Ireland is invaluable in helping us to make our mark on the global landscape. There is an increasing level of commercial opportunity outside of Ireland for Irish agencies and creative businesses in general, to win, execute and manage major pieces of international creative business from an Irish base. This could not be done without the expertise & advice provided by Enterprise Ireland", says MD, Richard Carr.
"Our investment in our technological capabilities has been at the heart of this growth and thus enabled us to expand to and flourish within other markets", continues Richard Carr.
Since its inception in 1995, Rothco has continued to grow and expand its offerings, which includes core capabilities such as Brand Development; Technology; Experience Design; Strategy; Storytelling & Connections Planning. They now have a workforce of almost 160 people – making it one of Europe’s largest independent creative agencies.
CMS Chemstore in Limerick, Western Automation in Galway, Equilume in Kildare and Webdoctor in Dublin are companies with #globalambition looking at new markets for 2017.