SEEPP
is always interested in hearing from anyone
interested in joining or finding out more
about the programme. Contact the Programme
Manager, Eugene Crehan on ecrehan@wit.ie
or 051-302953 for an informal, confidential
discussion of your business idea.
The
SEEPP team would like to congratulate the winners of the SEEPP Enteprise Awards
2011 sponsored by Ulster Bank South East
Business Centre and Ernst & Young which
was held in May in WIT. The winner of the Start-Up Enterprise category was Paul Ryan, Forcelink ,the Early Stage Enterprise category winner wasFrank Walsh, Grattan Integration Ltd and
winner of the best exhibit was Cian Murphy and Brian Heylin, Rise Social Media.
These awards were open to both current and past participants of the highly
regarded South East Enterprise Platform Programme. The Enterprise Awards
acknowledge the contributions made by entrepreneurs to the economic development
and progression of the South East region. The judging panel included
Brian O’Sullivan, Manager, Ulster Bank South East Business Centre, Dermot Carey,Director, Ernst & Young, Dr. Tom O’ Toole, Head of the School of
Business, WIT and was chaired by Louise Grubb, Managing Director, Nutri Science
Ltd. Eugene Crehan, SEEPP said "The SEEPP
finalists all presented their business ideas excellently to the panel of highly
experienced judges and I think the finalists benefitted greatly from the
feedback given by the judges! The guest speaker on the day was John Conway, Managing Director, Chevron Training.
Sonru, a multi award winning video interviewing technology company, today announced that it has appointed Daniel Richard as Managing Director of Sonru UK. A trained occupational psychologist with more than 15 years sales and consulting experience in multinational recruitment and HR services companies, Daniel will lead Sonru’s sales efforts in the UK, helping to grow its rapidly expanding customer base. Prior to joining Sonru, Daniel spent 10 years at Taleo (NASDAQ: TLEO), the leading provider of on-demand talent management solutions, helping build the company from a small regional start-up to a true industry leader. Daniel held a variety of sales and consulting positions on various continents, including the US and Europe. His last responsibilities included managing direct and indirect sales for EMEA from his base in Amsterdam. Previously he held a position in HR with Bombardier, a global aerospace and rail transportation manufacturer. Daniel has a Master’s degree in Organizational/Occupational Psychology from Queen’s University in the UK. ’’It is an exciting time to join Sonru, we’ll be seeing the use of video in recruitment a lot more in the coming years’’, said Daniel. I look forward to helping Sonru stay on the leading edge of recruitment solutions.
Fergal O’Byrne, CEO of Sonru, commenting on the appointment said, We are excited about Daniel’s move to Sonru. He brings extensive experience in HR and recruitment services and his broad range of international expertise means he is well equipped to contribute significantly to Sonru’s ambitious international growth plans.
Ex SEEPP
participants, MIT Education Solutions, who now have over 50 customers using
their technologies throughout Ireland and Europe, have successfully completed a
rollout of their online enrolment, online payment, and admissions management
solution to all schools and colleges in Co. Meath VEC.
The system allows
adult students to apply and pay for evening classes online using the MIT eNROL
system, and manages the entire admissions process for the colleges.
Seamus Ryan,
Education Officer in Meath VEC said:
“The system (eNROL)
has revolutionised the way we do our business, made it simpler for students to
apply and pay, and made it easier for us to manage our application and
payment processes. The system provides class lists, enrolment statistics,
financial reporting and reconciliation features, and provides us with an
invaluable information management tool.”
Other customers of
MIT Education Solutions include City of Cork VEC, Co. Carlow VEC, Co. Wicklow
VEC, Co. Dublin VEC, City of Waterford VEC.
If you would further
information please contact MIT at 051 357996 or info@mit.ie
The management and staff are currently interested
in hearing from people with new business ideas who are starting scalable
knowledge based businesses. Interviews will be
held in June / July and August. One delegate from a qualifying company/start-up can apply
for a position on SEEPP. The 2011-2012 programme will begin on September 19th.
This year long programme offers a wide range
of supports to innovative start-up companies in the South East including:
Comprehensive Business Management and
Development training, leading to a
fully-accredited Post Graduate Diploma in Enterprise Development
Incubation Facilities in Arc Labs, the WIT Research & Innovation
Centre - dedicated desk space, desktop PC, VoIP telephony, meeting and
videoconferencing facilities - all provided free of charge to qualifying
participants
Business Mentoring - experience mentor
assigned to each participant for duration of the programme
Business Networking - opportunities to meet
and network with like-minded entrepreneurs, successful businesspeople,
state agencies etc
Financial Support - Participants are also
eligible to apply to Enterprise Ireland for CORD funding, which allows participants claim up
to 50% of their previous years salary (subject to a maximum of EUR30,000) There
is no guarantee that CORD funding will be awarded to successful SEEPP
applicants as CORD is administered by Enterprise Ireland and is subject to
a separate application and interview process.
Applicants should ideally
have:
An innovative, well-thought out business
idea or technology, with export potential and the ability to
scale up relatively quickly. For example software
development, e-learning, new media/entertainment, food, engineering,
manufacturing, environmental/waste management, energy, medical devices,
pharmaceuticals.
Third-level education (minimum Diploma) -
APEL may be considered here.
High level of practical experience gained from
working in a relevant professional environment
The time commitment to setting up their
business
Intend to set up and register a business -
ideally in the South East region.
BUDDING
entrepreneurs are being inspired by the successful business people of the past
through a new site which celebrates innovation and success in the South-East
region across several generations.
Business
mentors at the Centre for Enterprise Development and Regional Economy (CEDRE) at
Waterford Institute of Technology, have developed the www.southeaststories.blogspot.comsite which traces the roots of the bacon, ship-building, brewing and other key industries
in the region.
The
site also profiles the counties of the South-East and has a host of links to
agencies and groups which support enterprise and job creation in the region.
It
is fitting that, on the week we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of
the first man walking on the moon, we look back at some of our own South-East innovators
and pioneers who contributed so much to the region, to Ireland and the rest of
the World, according to CEDRE’s David Coffey.
“The
South-East region has produced some truly enterprising and innovative people
who made an enormous contribution to all walks of life. Although many of these
people made a huge difference to the world around them, their contributions have
not been highlighted enough.
“The
aim of this site is to bring to light the many Stories and Tales of an
Enterprising Place – the South-East and show appreciation and admiration for
those who stepped up and made a difference. Among those we have already
featured are the Jacobs, Dennys,Walton,
Ryan, Brophy, Malcolmson, Penrose, Boyle and Magnier.
“But
these are just some of the more famous names that have shaped the landscape of
the South-East. There are many more. We want to promote the rich enterprising
history of the South-East; remember those who made a difference and hopefully
encourage visitors to the site to be more enterprising and innovative in their
own lives.
“We
hope that those with information about the rich entrepreneurial heritage of the
South-East region will share their stories on the site. We’ve already got
articles about the bacon, ship building and brewing industry, but we want much
more. We want to create an online museum, one which celebrates the great
South-East innovators of the past and also supports and encourages pioneers of
the future.
“Those
in business or thinking of starting up businesses in the region will find a
host of links to other key sites, such as the various chambers of commerce in
the region, county councils, enterprise boards etc. We hope the success stories
of the past will spur today’s entrepreneurs to emulate their amazing feats,”
Mr. Coffey added.
The
EI Society has been established at Waterford institute of Technology to support
students with innovative ideas, creative minds, and entrepreneurial
aspirations. At present the society is based in WIT’s Research and Innovation
Centre and is supported by the Centre for Enterprise Development and Regional
Economy (CEDRE), under the guidance of Dr. Bill O’Gorman. The
recent economic downturn has emphasised the need for regions, such as the South
East, to create more home grown entrepreneurs. To do this, an entrepreneurial
mindset needs to be cultivated in people as early as possible.
The
EI Society will help transform the South East into a more enterprising region
by encouraging students to think about self-employment, stimulating new student
business and bridging the gap between enterprise support agencies and the
student body. The society includes an eclectic mix of students from the main
WIT campus, Carriganore campus and College Street Campus. As such, members are
currently studying a variety of subjects ranging from music, to psychiatric
nursing, to architecture, and of course business.
The
EI Society website will offer students a platform to showcase their
innovativeness and entrepreneurialism. It will also act as a hub for all news
and events on campus and will contain a ‘mini ebay’ section for students of the
institute. As such, www.eisociety.ie will
become a melting pot for enterprise, creativity and action at WIT.
The
society will officially launch next September with the site going live at the
same time. Plans are already in place for a number of enterprise related
events. So, hopefully the next crop of innovative South-East entrepreneurs are
not too far away.
Contributions
for SEEPP News are welcome
- please submit information for next issue
to dhall@wit.ie or cwhitty@wit.ie
South East Enterprise Platform Programme Waterford Institute of Technology ArcLabs Research & Innovation Centre Carriganore Campus Waterford