With figures revealing growing numbers of Irish start-ups* last month, Fingal-based small business owners and entrepreneurs are today joining forces with local enterprise support agencies to launch this year’s Fingal Enterprise Week programme.
An initiative of the Fingal Local Enterprise Office, over 1,500 local businesses and start-ups will benefit from sixteen major business events, workshops, networking opportunities and mentoring clinics, being held between October 6th and 10th across the region.
Now in its fifth year, the annual event is organised in association with Vodafone Ireland, Regus, Bank of Ireland and Newstalk.
Recent statistics show an 8.4% increase in the number of new businesses set up in August 2014 compared to last year*, indicating a growing confidence in the small business sector and consequently, an increasing demand for start-up support.
Organisers of Fingal Enterprise Week are responding to this growing demand with a flagship event called: ‘Fingal Start-Up Day’ on Wednesday, October 8th. In association with Vodafone, this will be a full day tailored to the needs of those in the process of setting up a new business, with expert advice and practical information available to the participants, alongside insights from Sonya Lennon, one of Ireland’s rising Tech fashion entrepreneurs. In conjunction with the workshop, free Business Advice Clinics will be available throughout the day. There will also be a range of government agencies present to lend their support and expertise to participants.
Technology will be another key focus during Fingal Enterprise Week 2014. ‘Future Tech Trends’ will feature predictions from Google’s David O’Mahony, Andy O’Donoghue of Beaumex and John Beckett from Eirtight Technology, of what technology trends will impact on business life in 2015 and beyond. A series of Social Media and Digital Marketing workshops will also be running during the week.
Speaking ahead of today’s programme launch, Paul Reid, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council said: “As Ireland’s fastest growing county, Fingal is excellently placed to lead Ireland’s economic recovery. With transport networks, demographics, services and infrastructure in place to support new and existing business, Fingal Enterprise Week is another vital platform upon which we can nurture the growing confidence and energy in the small business sector.”
Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Fingal Local Enterprise Office said: “Inspiring and connecting small business is a key strategy of this year’s Fingal Enterprise Week, with a series of go-to events that will support enterprise and business development in the region. Joining forces with other organisations and state agencies in the area, Fingal Enterprise Week 2014 will help small business identify key supports at a local level as well as learn from specialist industry experts. We’re therefore encouraging business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to ‘Be Part Of It’, with full details on the Fingal Enterprise Week website.”
Another highlight is expected to be the ‘Success Leaves Clues’ networking event, hosted by broadcaster Ian Guider and featuring Keynote Speaker, Sean Gallagher. Sean will be sharing business lessons learned both from his own experience and that of Irish entrepreneurs around the country. It will also be an opportunity to meet the Fingal Enterprise Award winner for 2014 and the Winners representing Fingal in the €2million euro ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition.
‘Strategic Thinking’ will be the topic of discussion for Nicola Byrne, co-founder and Chief Executive of 11890, who will detail her experiences in making hard choices at a breakfast seminar, while communications expert Terry Prone of The Communications Clinic will head a panel of PR and branding specialists in ‘Get Noticed’.
New to the line-up is ‘The Next Generation of Innovators’, a workshop welcoming young aspiring entrepreneurs from local primary and secondary schools, as part of the Fingal Student Enterprise Awards Programme.
‘Ethnic Enterprise’ is expected to be another popular event during Fingal Enterprise Week, designed specifically for people of various ethnic backgrounds, living in Ireland and who are considering starting a business in the capital.
As well as events focused on networking, finance, and craft and design, the topical issue of Food-On-The-Go will be in the spotlight at the Dublin Food Chain event, in association with the Dublin region Local Enterprise Offices, Bord Bia and Irish Exporters Association.
Fingal Enterprise Week 2014 is taking place in venues across Fingal with online bookings and more information on the full schedule at www.fingalenterpriseweek.ie. Places are limited and only nominal fees apply so early booking is advised. The official Facebook account is www.facebook/LEOFingal, Twitter is @LEOFingal and the official hashtag is #few2014.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Engage Ireland
Adrienne Ferguson 01-427 8388 / 086-3552974/ aferguson@engageireland.com
Sarah Bohan 01-427 8388 / 087-6539936/ sbohan@engageireland.com
Notes to Editor
Photography: Photocall Ireland has been commissioned to syndicate images from the advance photocall taking place at Roganstown Hotel, Swords on Friday 5th September. Tel: 01 8747124 or email: info@photocallireland.com
Fingal Enterprise Week 2014
Fingal Enterprise Week runs from Monday, October 6th to Friday, October 10th throughout Fingal. The official website for all information and online bookings is www.fingalenterpriseweek.ie
*Source of research around new start-ups for August 2014: http://www.vision-net.ie
“More encouragingly, growth in the number of company start-ups continues to remain strong. 983 new companies have been formed in August - a figure up 8.4% on the same period last year. This amounts to an average of 38 company start-ups every day this month.”
Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Fingal Local Enterprise Office, Nicola Byrne, 11890, Terry Prone, The Communications Clinic, Cllr. Mags Murray, Mayor of Fingal, Paul Reid, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council
