UCD-based software firm gets €25,000 funding


19 Jul 2007

Specialising in software for event marketing and management, NovaUCD based company Eventznet has been awarded a grant of €25,000 to develop the first ever events industry skills network.

Skillnets Ireland is an organisation for promoting and enhancing employee skills across all Irish industries and is funded by the National Training Fund with stakeholders such as IBEC and Chambers Ireland.

Eventznet will use the funding to examine what training skills are essential to the growth and development of the events industry in Ireland.

On completion of this project, a proposal will be given to Skillnets, outlining the development and deployment of a countrywide training programme for event organizers.

Eventznet, founded in 2002, provides websites, ezines, booking systems, and e-mail invitation services for conferences, seminars, exhibitions and other events.

However, currently over 70pc of all events in Ireland are planned by people who are not professional event organizers, driving the need for an accredited, enterprise-led qualification.

“Most of us have learned what we know the hard way as dedicated training for events organisers and suppliers to the events industry has been seriously lacking up to now,” said Sarah Carroll, managing director of Eventznet.

“We know how to throw a good party, but ensuring that we have the paperwork and the processes to demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of organising the event is another matter altogether.”

Together with the Network for Event Organisers (NEO) Ireland, Eventznet is organising a series of talks around the country starting in Cork on July 31st, Sligo on August 1st and ending in Dublin on August 8th.

Skillnets is currently managing a fund of over €50m for the next two years which is available to SMEs who can develop skill building training programmes in their sector.

By Marie Boran