Pictured: Claire Reynolds, Vodafone, technology entrepreneur Sean O'Sullivan and Grainne Barry, managing director, Anotherfriend.com
Vodafone will next month begin the first of a number of Smart Start-up Network events to give local businesses and start-ups access to successful entrepreneurs and new technologies through talks, workshops and networking sessions.
The first of the Smart Start-up Network events will take place in Dublin on 20 September at Vodafone’s headquarters in Leopardstown and will feature Sean O’Sullivan from SOS Ventures and Avego.
Five further events will take place in Cork on 10 October, Limerick on 7 November, Galway on 16 January, Leitrim on 13 February and Dublin on 13 March.
Thinking differently
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the reaction of successful entrepreneurs who want to get involved in the programme and support emerging Irish start-ups,” Vodafone Ireland’s Small Business manager Claire Reynolds said.
“We feel we’ve taken a different approach – we’ve been listening to start-ups who said they want to build business knowledge, particularly around how technology can enable growth. The programme will reach businesses right across the country, supported by a regularly updated site and mobile app.”
The events will strive to give insight into how new technologies can support business development and growth as well as provide expertise on social media, marketing and productivity.
“Ireland is one of the world’s leading ‘business-friendly’ environments, and so start-ups have a particularly good chance of success here,” Sean O’Sullivan said.
“Advice and guidance from mentors and accelerator programs are key to a start-up’s success, so Vodafone’s Smart Start-up Network can really help start-ups prosper,” O’Sullivan added.
