Mobiles now serve as our books, health monitors, payment transfer devices, social connectors and tour guides. Mobile technology is embedded in our cars, homes, appliances, governments and utilities. Mobile World Congress 2013 is the premier exhibition and network event worldwide for this vital industry.The Mobile World Congress will take place in Barcelona, Spain. Click here for details re location, dates and Times.
EI client companies exhibiting at the Irish Pavillion:-
Aislinn Mahon explains how Enterprise Ireland can provide retailers in the UK, and across global markets, with access to emerging technologies from Irish companies with world class solutions for retail. Aislinn is a member of the New Market Entrants Team in Enterprise Ireland UK, and supports the Retailer Solutions Initiative. For more on Retailer Solutions, check out this short video. eTail, the practise of selling products to consumers over the Internet, is a key area for focus for retailers in the UK and across global markets. The UK is Europe’s leading eTail economy and, at £68.2bn in 2011, now accounts for 17% of all UK retail sales. According to IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group), eTail sales are expected to reach £77bn in 2012, and there are now 37m online shoppers in the UK.
Not so long ago, many of the most successful retailers across the UK had little more than transactional websites to offer customers. Nowadays with the prominence of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, customers expect personalised and interactive experiences across all channels, buying when, what, where and how they like.
Bricks and mortar retailing has evolved, and serving this multichannel customer is at the top of retailers priorities. The concept is relatively new in the retail industry, and investment is essential as retailers compete with each other to offer the best multichannel experience for customers. Irish suppliers offer a plenitude of innovative solutions to help retailers in their quest to stand out from the crowd.
Strength of Irish Companies
Every multichannel strategy is underpinned by an ecommerce solution, which enables retailers to optimise the online experience for consumers. Established Irish company Buy4Now, led by CEO Michael Veale, has been assisting major retailers to build this foundation since 2000, and is behind some of the fastest-growing and most successful eCommerce websites.
The 24/7 consumer is always switched on, with touch screen devices such as smart phones and tablets transforming the way consumers interact with brands and retailers. According to KPMG’s latest annual survey, willingness to compare prices and complete transactions on mobile devices has rocketed. Bricks-and-mortar retailers need to respond to this rapidly changing consumer behaviour by directly engaging with their customers using the mobile channel. Tony Burke of Actus Mobile, who have just launched an App for Dundrum Town Centre, Ireland’s largest premier retail location, agrees: “Branded mobile applications built on Actus Mobile’s “Mobishop” platform assist retailers in building customer engagement before, during and after their shopping experience, thus driving footfall and increasing revenue”.
The rate of adoption of tablet usage is on the rise, with retailers striving to optimise this new consumer buying experience, referred to as “couch commerce”. According to Amplience, who has developed a platform for creating and managing multi-channel retail experiences “The rise of tablets is placing demands on retailers and brand owners to create super-rich merchandising experiences in yet another medium, one that constitutes an entirely new channel, with new technology, customer journeys and content and production demands”.
In a world filled with choices, consumers look to their peers for guidance on what to buy online. Customer reviews play an important role in persuading consumers to part with their money. Conor O’Neill, CEO of LouderVoice, the customer reviews solution provider, points to the benefits of investing in this technology: “Reviews grow sales through confidence, feedback, search engine optimization and social media referrals”.
‘eTail at the Embassy’, one of the many activities run by Enterprise Ireland under the Retailer Solutions Initiative
While online sales are on the rise, retailers are still committed to the value they can derive from the traditional, bricks and mortar experience. Indeed the worlds of online and offline are constantly converging, with many stores now offering consumers experiences that are traditionally found online. Eoghan O’Sullivan, CEO of Von Bismark, confirms this; ‘We have developed The Von Bismark Wardrobe platform which allows consumers to physically try on digital clothing, create biometrics profiles and share their experiences via social networks. It allows retailers to lower costs and returns while increasing customer retention and ultimately sales’.
When it comes to paying, customers expect that their experience is fast, secure and convenient, paying how, when and where they like. Realex Payments, who process payments for some of the largest names in retail, help retailers manage international transactions across multiple channels. Consumer payment habits are fast evolving, and managing multiple sales channels is a key challenge area for any retailer.
Not only are consumers becoming more mobile, retailers are too. Worldnet TPS, a provider of multi-channel online payment solutions, has recently developed Payjack, a mobile solution that enables mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets to accept payments. According to Will Byrne, CEO of Worldnet TPS: “This means that now all merchants no matter how big or small can accept credit card payments”.
Retail is a fast paced world, with customers dictating the pace of change. Enterprise Ireland client companies can assist retailers in staying ahead of the game, with a host of innovative solutions that can enhance customer experience and raise the level of innovation.
Everyone will still be talking about football on June 18th but we want to use the EURO 2012 championships as an opportunity to highlight links between Polish and Irish startup communities, and to discuss opportunities for the startups in their respective export markets. Enterprise Ireland, the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Huge Thing (the leading accelerator for start-ups in Poland) have teamed up to host a video conference event to give Irish and Polish start-ups a chance to learn from each other and participate in a pitching competition.
Date: Monday 18th June
Time: Lunch at 12.30 followed by the video conference at 1 pm;
Venues: Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin and Centrum Konferencyjne POLSKA 13 in Poznań
If you are interested in participating, please register via email to naghmeh.reilly@enterprise-ireland.com, and please feel free to pass this invitation on to others who may be interested. If you’re not able to make it we’ll be providing extensive coverage on Twitter, hashtag is #startupbridge.
Some of the key companies of the 16 exhibiting on the Enterprise Ireland stand also included:
Accuris Networks, Wi-Fi Offload and Roaming Inter-Working solutions not just for data offload but voice and messaging also.
Brite;bill, provides latest generation EBPP (electronic bill presentment) capabilities to Telecommunications companies to achieve the three goals of reducing cost to serve, improved upsell and cross sell and reducing churn.
Feedhenrycloud-based Mobile Application Platform solutions that enable the development, deployment, integration and management of mobile apps.
Socowave is launching its UMTS-based active antenna with horizontal /vertical beamforming system at this year’s MWC.
A number of Enterprise clients will also be exhibiting on their own stands including Ezetop, Adaptive Mobile and Openet.
As well as applying what I have learned to my own company, I have been blogging about bringing this thinking to the arts and cultural sector. From this, I have been invited to mentor on Growing Pains, a business development programme for 12 Danish and Swedish female Transmedia producers. Held over six months, participants will engage in modules on developing new services, financing, media training, sales, presentation skills, business development and investment. In May, they will take part in Nordic Game, one of the largest game conferences in Europe.
Image (c) http://www.stranger.no with thanks
Growing pains came from a report investigating the barriers facing Transmedia producers when seeking government support in Scandinavia. The researchers looked at funding, management and financing among others. Research found that male and female producers site similar needs for support access to funding, mentorship, investment, networking etc. It showed that more women than men apply for government funding from this sector, yet very few of them are successful.
When looking at risk taking for example, it observed that on average, men take bigger risks with significantly larger losses, should the enterprise not work out. Men also look for larger revenue deals than women. Whereas, females are less risk averse, with often a more sustainable company over the lifetime of that enterprise. Many female producers felt they needed more knowledge and training before making the leap into business, while men on the other hand, threw themselves into the enterprise.
While these findings are not new; proportionately more men successfully accessing support and being more open to risk taking; it does point to a specific need when developing enterprise development programmes for women. Why such a large proportion of women do not succeed in accessing public supports is worth examining. Putting mechanisms in place to deal with specific skills gaps is crucial to the future success and development of these entrepreneurs.
It is also important to look at risk, how women view risk when starting a business and to challenge these perceptions. Motivation and perception are very necessary ingredients when starting out, as these motivations may differ significantly from person to person and between males and females. In understanding, supporting and challenging these issues, skills gaps and perceptions, programmes like Growing Pains will help build pathways to success for female entrepreneurs everywhere.
Why is a programme like this so necessary for Transmedia right now? Digital production and distribution has made old value chains, distribution and business models obsolete. This is a great challenge for the public support system. At the same time, this new disruptive technology is the keystone for Transmedia producers’ success; to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills, to thinking beyond public project financing, in developing and exploiting brands and being innovative in finding alternate sources of funding.
The measure of success for any new programme is the traction and buzz it gains. And Growing Painsis no different, as applications to this first programme were well over subscribed. This shows there is a definite need for programmes like this and I know that it will prove to be a valuable contribution to these entrepreneurs’ success.
I am extremely fortunate to be working with two visionary leaders in this field; Cecilie Stranger-Thorsen who devised the programme and Angeli Sjöström process and implementation coach. Both Cecilie and Angeli bring the best thinking and an in-depth knowledge of this field together and I’m looking forward to learning lots from them. The Growing Pains programme is funded under the EU Regional Development Fund in partnership with Nordic Game Resources.
Open Data is a theme that EI that pursuing actively in 2012, due to the opportunities that it holds for our client companies. This article was originally published in EI’s Technology Quarterly Magazine.
Public sector bodies within the EU are sitting on a potential treasure trove of data worth up to €27 billion. John Cradden looks at the international movement pushing for governments to open up this data and get it working for businesses and society.
The term ‘open data’ might not mean a whole lot to most people, but a movement that aims to make public data more freely available and free to re-use online has been growing in strength here and overseas. The logic behind the movement is simple enough: governments collects and creates huge amounts of information and data relating to public administration, such as in transport, infrastructure, health, crime, and the environment. Why not make that information, which we pay for with our taxes, more freely available to individuals, developers, businesses and communities?
What kind of information? In Ireland, good examples could include data on polling stations and election turnouts, school enrolments, bathing water quality, noise maps, street lighting, cycle routes, bring banks, traffic cameras, vehicle licensing and zoned land for commercial, green or residential use.
“This information is already attainable via Freedom of Information requests, but releasing it as open data means it is easier to find and free to reuse”
says Deirdre Lee, an e-government researcher for the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), based at NUI Galway. Much of the focus of the open data movement is on improving transparency and accountability in the public sector, and removing inefficiencies by generating more “two-way” discussions on public data, but there is now a strong incentive for entrepreneurs to get involved.
It is estimated that public sector bodies within the EU are sitting on a potential treasure trove of data worth up to €27 billion. “Firms and entrepreneurs should see open data as a resource that they can incorporate into existing or new products,” said Lee. “Each business could identify what kind of open data would be most valuable for them, for example public-transport data, Co2 emission data, grants data, etc, and then lobby their local or national authority to release this data under an open data license. This will create a demand for open data, which in turn will encourage greater amounts of it to be released.”
According to Lee, there are over 195 open data ‘catalogues’ available, including at global sites such as data.worldbank.org, and UK sites like data.gov.uk. In Ireland, local authorities are leading the way with initiatives like Fingal Open Data and Dublinked.ie, which is run from NUI Maynooth and supported by all the four Dublin local authorities. Other open data sets are available from CKAN, a community based open-data catalogue.
At the recent launch of Dublinked.ie, the site’s co-ordinator, Dr Ronan Farrell of NUI Maynooth, told businesses and entrepreneurs of the potential to use public data to develop innovative and interesting business ideas that would drive job growth while also enhancing city living.
“We have seen fantastic examples in other cities of new user interfaces for public transport information, the property market or healthcare data. One of the unique benefits of open data is that applications developed here can easily be adapted for other cities around the world,”
Lee cites a few examples of UK businesses already using open data: Placr.co.uk offers access to timetables and live-running information on all of London’s public transport; and TubeTap.co.uk is a mobile app that enables users to claim refunds from London’s tube services if they are late because of service disruptions.
In both Ireland and Europe, a head of steam appears to be building under the open data movement in terms of interest from both the public and private sectors. A recent seminar in Galway organised by DERI on opening up government data was attended by over 50 people, including representatives from 13 local authorities and a number of Irish SMEs.
In addition, the National Cross-Industry Working Group on Open Data, coordinated by Enterprise Ireland, is working to lobby central government for a national open data initiative. As well as being involved in this group, DERI is also participating in European initiatives, such as “Linked Open Data Around-The-Clock” (LATC), an EU-funded project.
Enterprise Ireland wants to continue to help grow the Irish economy during 2012 with a focus on jobs and exports. For Software and Service companies, a key success factor in growing export sales is taking part in the right event, in the right market, at the right time.
We need your feedback about which events you rate most highly. Take 10 seconds to fill out the form below, and let us know which events you’re most interested in.
More details on these events are at the bottom of this post (click on ‘more’).
Of course, these events are only a small part of the full list of EI Events that are taking placing during 2012. The RSA (Security) , MWC (Mobile World Congress) and SxSW (IT and Digital Media) events are already well underway. If you’re interested in BestConnected updates on EI Software and Service events, and the other activity in the sector, you cansubscribe for updates via Email or for updates via RSS
The IAMCP is the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners. It is an independant grouping of people and companies within the Microsoft Ecosystem and offer a major opportunity for EI clients to learn, network, and find the best ‘route to market’
In Brussels on 26-27 March 2012, the major event will bring together up to 140 of your IAMCP colleagues from across Europe to network, create business links, and influence the development of vital policies that affect your business. This is a chance to catch up with IAMCP peers, meet new colleagues and forge exciting new business opportunities, as well as to learn more about developing EU policies that affect your business, such as the Single Market, privacy and data protection.
For more info: David.Smith[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Security Software & Services Networking Dinner
April , Date TBC, London
Event size 25 EI clients. A business dinner at the Irish Embassy London for clients operating in the information security sector. Information Security Ireland (ISI) was established in 2009 as a networking body to act as a central force in the industry. In addition to 6 founding companies there are now 50 Irish companies operating in the information security sector. Objective is to increase exports by Tier 1-2 clients and provide business development arena for Tier 3 companies, facilitating introductions, new relationships and positioning of suppliers as well as Ireland as source of high quality info security.
Due to the limited size of this event, the final invitee list will aim to achieve the maximum impact on Irish jobs and exports.
For more info: Gavin.McWhirter[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
CTIA 2012
May 8 – 10 in New Orleans, Louisiana
We will have an Ireland Pavilion at CTIA and will host 7 clients
This is the largest wireless show in the USA with 40,000 attendees
For more info: David.Smith[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2012
The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2012 takes place in Toronto, Canada from July 8th to 12th and provides a forum for companies to connect with other channel partners and with Microsoft staff, and to learn about the latest Microsoft programs, strategies, and cutting-edge technologies.
The WPC is an annual gathering for the Microsoft partner community to learn about Microsoft’s roadmap for the upcoming year, network and build connections, share best practices, experience the latest product innovations and learn new skills and techniques. The Microsoft WPC week is anchored around keynote presentations from Microsoft’s senior leaders, training sessions led by partners, Microsoft professionals, and industry leaders and thousands of meetings responsible for many new business transactions.
Enterprise Ireland hope to have a stand at Microsoft WPC and are looking for expressions of interest from client companies to be involved. Please visit Digital WPC to find everything you need to know about the event.
For more info: Paul.Browne[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
IBC
6 to 11th September. RAI Amsterdam
The IBC Conference is the leading international forum for analysis of the electronic entertainment industry. Attended by the most influential thinkers from the world’s foremost companies including The Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, Facebook, Microsoft, Vodafone, Liberty Global and ESPN the IBC Conference gives a unique insight into the state of the industry and a glimpse at the roadmaps that will govern its future.
For more info: JanJaap.Dijkman[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Dreamforce 2012
Dreamforce 2012 takes place Sept 18-21, 2012 in San Francisco
Dreamforce is salesforce.com’s annual user and developer conference and the enterprise cloud computing event of the year. This year’s event takes place from September 18-21 at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, and it’s an all-you-can-learn, one-stop-shop for success! There’s no better way to take on the latest advances in cloud computing: sales, marketing, customer service, and social CRM. We’ll have you doing the impossible in no time. The types of companies that attend Dreamforce are just as varied—ranging from large enterprises to small startups. From long-time customers to those just implementing Salesforce CRM. And from ISVs to systems integrators. More than 350 of the leading solution providers in cloud computing. From more than 40 countries across the globe.
For more info: William.Corcoran[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Oracle Open World
The Oracle Open World Conference 2012 takes place September 30th to October 4th in San Francisco.
It provides an opportunity for companies to connect with other channel partners and with Oracle staff and keep abreast of the latest Oracle trends through keynote sessions, forums, demos, and exhibitions created by and for Oracle business and technology users. It offers a premier chance to meet partners, industry luminaries, and experts for education and networking. With more than 1,800 sessions, 400 partner exhibits, and hundreds of demos to explore, Use this opportunity to meet with Oracle industry leads and product managers, to understand their strategy and to position yourself in the Oracle eco system.
Enterprise Ireland hope to have a stand at Oracle Openworld and are looking for expressions of interest from client companies to be involved.
For more info: Paul.Browne[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Showcase Ontario , Canada
First week of September, dates TBC
Showcase Ontario is the Ontario Government’s primary technology event. Following the interest in Irish companies at GTEC, (the equivalent federal government event), Enterprise Ireland will be taking a stand at Showcase with limited space for a number of Irish companies. This will be an opportunity to find out about potential opportunities in supplying to the Ontario government, and to network with senior IT and technology heads over the course of the conference.
For more info: marguerite.bourke[at]enterprise-ireland.com
Financial Services Networking Dinner
15th November, London
Event size 25 EI clients. Increase exports by Tier 1-2 clients and provide business development environment for key Tier 3 companies, facilitating introductions, new relationships, more effective positioning in a risk averse industry. Position Ireland as source of high quality financial services and solutions and Enterprise Ireland as an important partner organisation to UK institutions.
Due to the limited size of this event, the final invitee list will aim to achieve the maximum impact on Irish jobs and exports.
For more info: Gavin.McWhirter[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
PhoCusWright Travel Conference
The annual PhoCusWright conference brings the most influential industry leaders together to debate and define the most influential trends shaping the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Top executives, visionary thinkers and innovators from across the world attend this engaging conference. The Travel Innovation Summit@The PhoCusWright Conference shines the spotlight on the new applications and ideas that change the industry.
For more info: Edel.Coen[at]Enterprise-Ireland.com
Telecom Time
12th and 13td December Expo Houten, The Netherlands
The largest and most visited trade fair for telecom professionals in The Netherlands. The fair gathers suppliers of telecom equipment, system integrators, and telco operators.
Following on from the success of the Dublin Web Summit in 2011, the 19th of March will see two of the best know web events for start ups join forces for the first time. GeeknRolla and the Dublin Web Summit, are merging to create the London Web Summit.
TechCrunch Europe Editor Mike Butcher will co-curate the Summit with Paddy Cosgrave of the Dublin Web Summit. With a focus at the summit on Trends in Local, Social and Mobile, Growth and Investment Strategies for Start Ups and Insights on Cloud and Data, speakers at the Summit include an array of exciting speakers including Matthew Prince Founder, CloudFlare, Jason Goldberg, Founder of Fab.com, Mark Read, CEO of WPP Digital, Jessica Powell, CMO of Badoo and many more.
“We’re really delighted to be teaming up with the Dublin Web Summit lads. They’ve managed to do it again and put together a fantastic lineup of incredible speakers. Hopefully we’ll have a bit of that Irish magic in London for the London Web Summit”
There is a lot of buzz around the event with over 350 people registering to attend within the first 3 days of registration. Paddy Cosgrave encourages Irish startups to get get over to the event:
“We’re offering Irish startups an opportunity to exhibit at the London Web Summit and we’ve seen quite a number of investors sign up, people from Accel, Atomico, Balderton, Index, Graylock and many more, so its a great opportunity to meet some of the top investors in London. For any startups under two years old we’re also running a startup competition to find the top five startups who’ll present in front of an audience of 800 at the end of the day.”
For more information about the event and the opportunity to showcase your company as one of Europe’s hottest start ups, see the startup competition entry.
Enterprise Ireland will be supporting the event and the London Web Summit have agreed a rate of £995 + VAT to any Irish companies who wish to exhibit at the event.
To avail of this special exhibition rate, please contact the London Web Summit directly on bronagh@websummit.net
Trade fair support from Enterprise Ireland may be available to Enterprise Ireland client companies only (subject to eligibility) up to the value of 50%. For more information, Enterprise Ireland clients need to discuss their eligibility with their Development Advisor directly.
For general information, please contact Claire Bodys on Claire.bodys@enterprise-ireland.com
As Michael Caine might say – not many people know this! According to a recent TechCocktail report Ireland has three of the top eight start-up accelerators in Europe – despite having less than one per cent of the European population.I reckon this is an important piece of news that needs to be put out there, particularly in the context of private sector funding sources for start-ups and early stage companies.
Another snippet of information I picked up recently is that in the past few years over 35 overseas VCs have invested in Irish start-ups and/or early stage companies. Apparently, these VCs find the quality of the start-ups, the advantages of the country’s business and tax environment and our proximity to the main European VC centres extremely appealing. As you know by this stage, Enterprise Ireland has goodrelationships with many of these VCs and is, therefore, in a good position to to arrange introductions.
I think this is one of the many good news stories about Ireland that we really need to tell people about, especially people looking for a good start up location.
Any ideas on how best to do that? Thoughts and feedback welcome
