30 business innovators gathered for the first in a series of new events called “INC”

30 business innovators gathered in the Seven Oaks Hotel for the first in a series of INC (Innovation, Navigation, Creativity) – inCarlow 2019 events by Carlow County Councils Local Enterprise Office as part of Local Enterprise Week. The event featured Broadcaster and Journalist Richard Curran with panel members Kim Mackenzie-Doyle, Jo Mangan and Joanne Sweeney who engaged in a panel discussion on the merits of innovation in the business setting.

The panel discussed the challenges and opportunities of innovation for SMEs and also discussed innovation in a wider context as part of society, speaking on the panel Kim Mackenzie-Doyle spoke about “Oftentimes, people don’t know they need a new-to-the-world innovation and sometimes they have been settling for a workaround or poor substitute for so long that they don’t realize an alternative is possible” while Joanne Sweeney Burke spoke about “listening to your customer in an innovation process”. Jo Mangan outlined the challenges between creativity and innovation and the lack of understanding in society of same.

Speaking about the event Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council said: "In the Local Enterprise Offices our events are designed to inspire, engage, develop and create opportunity and we are delighted to be able to host the INC events”, Comerford continued to say “in the Local Enterprise Offices we know that innovation is key and during the year we will host 3 INC events which will be followed by an innovation weekend later in 2019 that will be designed to accelerate innovation in participating SME’s”.

Co-ordinator for the event Aine Carey, Graduate with the Local Enterprise Office said “we were delighted to present this innovation event”, Carey continued to say “to us innovation is turning an idea into a solution that adds value from a customer perspective and we hope that INC has added to the innovative knowledge of the people who attended”, Carey concluded by saying “we hope that companies stay on this innovation journey and I would highly recommend anyone starting on an innovation process to get in touch with the Local Enterprise Office and see what support is out there. ”.

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For further details, contact Kieran Comerford on kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie or by phone on 086-8252037