Innovation Cubed competition

5 Nov 2010

Media Cube incubation centre at IADT is offering free office space worth €8,000 for one year to winning digital-media start-up via its Innovation Cubed competition.

Based at Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), the incubation centre Media Cube has launched its second Innovation Cubed competition to help new digital media and creative companies grow.

Since its inception in 2007, Media Cube has proved successful in promoting start-ups, helping them to develop and promote business opportunities.

Speaking about the competition, Martin Hogan, Media Cube manager, said: “We are targeting applications from 60 high-quality start-ups and SMEs from across the region. The finalists will receive advice from some of the most experienced businesspeople in the country and will compete to join the community of highly successful companies in Media Cube rent free for one year.

Dynamic digital start-ups

Hogan said the prize will be a practical one to address the needs of small digital businesses.

“What we are looking for is a dynamic digital company that works on content or software, which has passed the initial start-up stage and is looking to expand and reach the next level of development and market placement. Media Cube has a growing reputation for assisting companies in this field and our goal is to support companies to achieve their potential,” he added.

Prominent judges

The judges for Innovation Cubed are industry leaders in the sector: David McRedmond, CEO, TV3; Paul Rellis, managing director, Microsoft Ireland, and Andrew Collins, managing director and owner of 123.ie.

Snowluke Pictures

The 2009 winners of Innovation Cubed were Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson of Snowluke Pictures. The company has just produced a second series of its football series Fran, which will soon be shown on Setanta Sports.

“As a winner of the competition in 2009 we have benefited greatly from our new home. Apart from advice and support, an exciting benefit to our location in the Media Cube is working with other digital companies in the centre. The prize and recognition has given us new confidence, we have secured development deals and funding over the last year and are now looking further afield for opportunities,” said Conroy of Snowluke Pictures.  

The competition will launch on Tuesday, 16 November 2010, to coincide with a workshop on ‘Opportunities in digital media in Ireland today” by Bartley O’Connor of PWC.

Competition applications will be accepted online until 3 December 2010. To enter the competition log on here.

Article courtesy of Bizstartup.ie

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com