New Year's Resolution - Learn new tender skills
 
Learne new tender skills
Learne new tender skills

Go-2-Tender, our award winning workshops, aim to give your business the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to tender successfully for public sector contracts in your own jurisdiction and on a cross-border basis.

 

The Go-2-Tender workshops take place over 2 days with an initial half day of mentoring support.  Eligible companies can also apply for up to a further two days of mentoring from an experienced consultant.

 

The details for 2018 workshops in your area have just been announced... secure your place now as places are limited.


The tech sectors attracting investment in 2018
Forecast of 17% increase in funding for start-ups from investors
 
John Phelan, National Director HBAN
John Phelan, National Director HBAN

It may be only January but HBAN (Halo Business Angel Network) is setting out its stall.  HBAN angels have invested over  €80 million in Irish start-ups, which gives them a unique position when it comes to predicting which sectors will catch the eye of investors over the next 12 months.

 

HBAN is forecasting Artificial Intelligence and IoT to be big in 2018.Medtech had a transformative 2017, with HBAN angels investing €4.1 million in just seven deals. The popularity of the sector is also set to continue into 2018 and beyond.


National Director, John Phelan says “AI has grown phenomenally for the last number of years, it is estimated to reach revenues of $60 B by 2025, and has reached a critical point…..IoT (internet of things) is growing exponentially with lots of different platforms for both products and infrastructure. We are starting to see emerging business models for applications and it’s another exciting and fast moving space.”

Mr Phelan is keen to stress, that other sectors that have failed to live up to previous expectations are now predicted to have a real impact.

“We are also seeing companies beginning to understand the business application of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Previously in VR it was mainly the “techies” who understood the technology and created the visuals. However as more creatives engage with the technology, the images will become more beautiful and realistic. This will broaden the appeal for the consumer market and I think we’re set to see some interesting start-ups in this space as the business model develops.”

 

HBAN is forecasting 17% increase in angel investing in Irish start-ups at the economy grows in 2018, with the belief it will reach 25m per year by 2020.

 

HBAN is a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland.

HBAN will hold its national conference on Thursday, February 8, in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.

 

Could you retain your reputation in a crisis?
 

One of the most notable corporate crises of 2017 was when airport police forcibly removed a passenger from a United Airlines plane after the traveller refused to leave at management’s request, causing injury and distress to the gentleman as well as a major social media backlash.   Although a crisis of this magnitude and severity is unlikely to happen to many SMEs, it is still important to be prepared for possible negative scenarios that could realistically affect your business.   


Nuffield Foundation now looking for companies to take research placements - can you help?
 
Nuffield Research Placements
Nuffield Research Placements

The Nuffield Foundation are looking for employers to offer a 4–6 week project for their students in their summer holidays.

 

Projects must have broadly scientifc or technical content, but they don’t have to be based in a laboratory. They might be office-based or include a lot of fieldwork, or they might focus on engineering, data analysis or computer science.

 

Download the Flier for more information.


Venture Capital Conference 2018 - Early Bird rate available until end January
 
Eleanor McEvoy, Budget Energy Founder and Dragon's Den Star
Eleanor McEvoy, Budget Energy Founder and Dragon's Den Star

InterTradeIreland’s annual Venture Capital Conference returns to Belfast to the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the 7th March. The theme this year - 'The Funding Landscape'. The only Venture Capital Conference on the island it is a must for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, business angels, investors and anyone with an interest in venture capital. This year's programme includes guest speaker Budget Energy Founder and Dragon’s Den star, Eleanor McEvoy. If you want to get right up-to-date on the current investment scene on the island of Ireland, then this is the event for you.


Generating 80 new product ideas in one day
How a fresh perspective is helping to drive a business forward
 

Yes, you did read the headline correctly. Morgan’s Fine Fish in Co Louth has been in the seafood industry for 160 years but they are not content to sit back. Like any company worth their salt, they are continuously trying to develop fresh business ideas.

 

Grainne Mackin is the O’Meath firm’s Innovation Manager. She says since the company joined InterTradeIreland’s Challenge programme, it has enabled them to catch more of the existing talent in the company “Now we have a full innovation structure in place. People in the processing factory are part of the innovation team too. Previously it just used to be the management that developed new product concepts.”

 

In the video below Grainne talks us through how the firm has managed to throw open the net to develop a very wide culture of innovation and what it means for the business.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CHALLENGE HERE AND HOW IT COULD HELP YOUR COMPANY.

 


Biopharma Ambition Conference 2018, 21-22 Feb, Dublin
HBAN Conference, 8th Feb, Royal Kilmainham Dublin
2018 Equity Advisory Clinics - various locations
The vast majority of us are stressed, but some people manage better than others? Why
10 Stress Busters...we promise it will be a relaxing read.
 

Most people have a certain amount of stress in their lives. It is likely that you will always have something in your in-tray, so how can you ensure that what seems like a never-ending list of tasks doesn't bog you down?

 

Professor Cary Cooper from the University of Lancaster maintains in life "there is always a solution to a problem. Not taking control will only make your problems worse."

 

He has recommended some stress busting apps and 10 top tips to help keep your life as serene as possible. Including how to manage your time.

 


Disclaimer

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