Connor Sweeney, InterTradeIreland

Connor is the project manager of InterTradeIreland’s flagship project, the Equity Network Seedcorn competition.  A former practice accountant, Connor has a range of experience gained from working in an advisory capacity with a number of SME’s across the island.  His skills stretch from business planning, internal management accounting to raising finance and financial control and he has worked with early stage/start up businesses and more established ventures across a wide range of industries. Connor sits on the Local Advisory Board of the Career’s Academy and he is an Associate Member of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

The 2012 All-Island Seedcorn Business Competition, is the largest business competition on the island of Ireland. In addition to the prize fund of €280,000, companies will have access to the Seedcorn Network – an extensive business community which will help boost the company’s profile. The competition offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to; Develop their business idea, Improve their business plan , Make their concept investor ready, Gain exposure to venture capitalists and other equity providers, Increase the profile of the business.

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance. 

All Registrations via the website: http://www.intertradeireland.com/seedcorn/events/name,11067,en.html

http://www.intertradeireland.com/newsevents/events/eventforms/Seedcorn-Workshop-IT-Tallaght-12thJune/

EU approval has finally been received for the new EII Scheme, which replaces the old BES. The new scheme is now up and running. The Seed Capital Relief Scheme also continues to run, with some changes.  In the current climate, raising funds is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses – even more so in the case of new or less-established businesses. Getting approval for bank finance is still a challenge, so any alternative sources are welcome! Could the State be a surprise source of help? Find out how these and other schemes can assist you in raising the finance to get your business off the ground and to expand.

Michael O’Scathaill is a Chartered Accountant and an Associate of the Irish Taxation Institute. He holds a Hons. B.Comm. Degree from NUI, Galway and joined Newmarket Partnership in February 2004, having previously worked for KPMG’s taxation practice for a number of years he has extensive experience in Corporate, Personal and Capital Taxation as well as VAT and Stamp Duty. He has advised companies in the financial services, agribusiness, manufacturing and airline sectors as well as some of Ireland’s best-known High Net Worth individuals. He also has experience of property transactions, company reorganisations and pensions planning. He regularly attends tax conferences and seminars staying up to date on all current tax issues.

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance. 

Contact  Onray.brainard@ittdublin.ie or call 01-404 2083.

NB please note campus venue change – Icon Court Training Room ITT Dublin – click here for map

KEY:-Coloured dashes indicate footpath routes in the map enclosed: 

Orange route – from Synergy

Green route – from North car-park

Yellow route – from Main-Campus entrance

For 2012 we have developed an exciting collaboration with  The LINC at IT Blanchardstown. Together we will provide the New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programme 2012 – Phase 1 over 6 weeks part-time and – Phase 2 extending for 6 months full-time.

The first of the New Frontiers  Entrepreneur Development Programme Phase 1 will started in April 2012. This will bring new entrepreneurs through a 6 week programme to help them convert their ideas into Feasibility Studies.

This Phase 1 process will also help them to compete for a place on the intensive 6 month Phase 2 Programme we plan to start in July 2012.

Download the phase 2 application form

More details of the national programme are avaiable on the Enterprise Ireland website -

www.enterprise-ireland.com/newfrontiers

‘Good HR Practices: A Strategy for Success’

Speakers: Fredericka Sheppard & Joyce Rigby- Jones, Voltedge Human Resources

Fredericka Sheppard and Joyce Rigby-Jones have united in partnership to offer HR Consultancy with greater support and services providing an enterprising platform to engage with new and developing businesses. They feel that the benefits of effective Human Resources can be felt right through any business. Finding it the stimulant that makes the difference to performance, employee engagement, the work environment and to how the business is viewed by its customers and competitors. It is the most universal component across an organisation, in all industries and in all sectors, irrespective of size or business maturity.

Fredericka worked as a senior Human Resources Manager in a number of significant organisations since 1995. In September 2002, she left her then employer Entropy to set up the HR Consultancy arm of the ODCS Group. She has extensive experience developing HR Strategies for organisations, providing outsourced HR services and partnering with HR departments offering specific additional support and advice. While working across all industry sectors in the private sector, she has also won eTenders from Government Departments and Local Authorities.

Joyce is a Psychology graduate, and is currently a national committee member of CIPD in Ireland and a Fellow of the Institute. She has worked for many years in senior Human Resources positions for many significant multinational operations, including; Ericsson, Marconi, and Glaxo Wellcome/Glaxo SmithKline. Joyce has worked on a number of international assignments, hiring management teams, contributing to strategic plans and managing the HR function in business partnerships.

Hot Topics for Start-ups:

• Contracts of employment –are they in place? The different types of contract and correct uses.
• Benefits and options  - risks/opportunities
• Social Media and IT – covering all the risks/latest issues
• Essential Employee policies – Critical policies needed either in a contract of employment or  employee handbook
• Culture- what type of culture do you want/have?

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance. 

Contact  Onray.brainard@ittdublin.ie or call 01-404 2083.

Business Expansion Scheme (BES): New EII scheme

Speaker: Michael O’Scathaill, Newmarket Partnership

BES (Business Expansion Scheme) is being replaced by the new EII scheme and Seed Capital remains subject to some changes. These changes require EU approval which is at an advanced stage, but no formal approval has been given yet but likely to come by December 2011. Once approval is given Regulations under the European Communities Act 1972 will give effect to any necessary changes to section 33 Finance Act 2011. The Minister for Finance will then sign a Commencement Order to give effect to section 33 Finance Act 2011 as amended by Regulations.

Michael O’Scathaill holds an Honours B.Comm. Degree from NUI, Galway and is a Chartered Accountant and an Associate of the Irish Taxation Institute. He joined Newmarket Partnership in February 2004, having previously worked for KPMG’s taxation practice for a number of years and has extensive experience in Corporate, Personal and Capital Taxation as well as VAT and Stamp Duty. He has advised companies in the financial services, agribusiness, manufacturing and airline sectors as well as some of Ireland’s best-known High Net Worth individuals. He also has experience of property transactions, company reorganisations and pensions planning. He regularly attends tax conferences and seminars staying up to date on all current tax issues.

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance. 

Contact  Onray.brainard@ittdublin.ie or call 01-404 2083.

Innopharma Labs develop and integrate custom designed Process Analytical Tecnologies for pharmaceutical companies.

Innopharma Labs successfully develop and sell pharmaceutical process controlling technologies by providing customer directed instruments in a turn-key manner. These instruments will

1. Reduce batch losses

2. Reduce non-compliant batches

3. Support parametric release of products

4. Support pharmaceutical formulation research

5. Reduce scale-up costs

Innopharma Labs work with pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities to develop Robust Manufacturing Processes.

www.innopharmalabs.com

Minola Technology Limited leads the way for manufacturing companies using SAP ERP systems to automate their customs duty deferment management. In addition to providing Inward Processing Relief (IPR) and Processing under Customs Control (PCC) management and consulting, Minola Technology also provides SAP consulting, development, project management and training.

Minola Technology provides an unmatched level of SAP ERP R/3 product expertise and consulting experience. No other SAP consulting company specialises in EU duty relief processes. We have developed an integrated SAP solution that expertly manages a customer’s Duty liabilities and revenue compliance. Our consultants are dedicated experts in their respective fields and are the best the industry has to offer.

We deliver a comprehensive packaged service of software and consulting. Whether you are an existing IPR/PCC user or not yet embarked on this cost saving initiative, our mission is to help our clients reduce their costs, improve their cash flow and productivity while at the same time insuring that they are totally compliant with Custom & Excise Duty requirements.

 Synergy Centre, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin 24
Ph: +353-1-525 3072
Email: mail@fijowave.com
Web: www.fijowave.com

Product Development

Fijowave is an electronics R&D company, developing a wireless machine to machine (M2M) technology platform. The primary focus is on bringing to market wireless machine to machine products, which have superior range performance over existing designs, are smart, green devices, which use minimum power, and can connect easily to the Internet for global remote telecommunications.

Design Services

Fijowave provides electronic product design services to companies in all phases of a product development life cycle; from concept stage, through feasibility, design, verification, approvals, trials, product launch and support.

Fijowave has a team of highly experienced experts in the world of telecommunications spanning cutting edge wired and wireless technologies. With a combined industry experience of more than 70 years, the team’s expertise has resulted in the design and launch of several highly successful telecom products for national carriers in European, Australian and American markets. We have a proven track record in designing embedded product solutions for major network providers.

Micheal O’Keefe CEO

David Lochrin CTO

 Procurement:

 Simon Bradshaw: Senior Market Adviser, Public Procurement Unit, Enterprise Ireland

Simon trained as an Aerospace Engineer (BEng Hons) specialising in aircraft incident recovery and assessment. After completing a bilingual MBA in Turin, Simon managed aerospace and automotive export clusters in Piedmonte, Italy before moving to Ireland in 1996. After one unsuccessful and two successful ventures in Dublin, in 2008, Simon set up the Public Procurement Unit in Enterprise Ireland which today has a staff of eight.

The Public Procurement Unit pro actively engages with the Irish SME community, government departments and state agencies to facilitate and maximise contract opportunities for SMEs available through the domestic public sector.

Simon’s portfolios include Cleantech and Construction clients with particular emphasis on Tier 1 aggregators as conduits to budget holders. He has specific responsibility targeting Local Government tender opportunities for SMEs in energy, water, housing and waste. Simon is considered as a thought-leader in the field of market-driven procurement solutions.

The Public Sector still has many opportunities to offer – citizens have to be cared for, transported, protected, educated etc. In a well-functioning public sector, leveraging domestic public sector contracts (valued in Ireland at €13 billion annually) to convert into export markets (the EU budget for goods and services alone is €2.1trillion) is an irresistible challenge that any SME should rise to. Encouraging and guiding budget-holders to responsibly buy innovative solutions locally will provide one of the cornerstones of a well functioning society

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance. 

Contact  Onray.brainard@ittdublin.ie or call 01-404 2083.

Emma Fidgeon-Kavanagh, Tax Manager at KPMG in Ireland, discuss and shares the expertise of her department covering R&D Tax Incentives Practice

When innovation is crucial and cash is king, R&D incentives such as the R&D Tax Credit could give your company the support it needs in these uncertain times. So whether you’re a start-up wondering if the R&D Tax Credit is applicable to you, or an established SME already claiming the credit, it pays to make sure you get the most out of your claim.

As part of their Innovation Series, KPMG presents The Synergy Centre ‘Juice’  for an R&D Tax Credit seminar and walk-in clinic. As part of this free event, you can attend a one-to-one consultation for expert advice on an existing or potential R&D Tax Credit claim and learn how to maximise your cash payment and prepare for a Revenue audit.

Emma Fidgeon-Kavanagh, AITI, ACA, heads up KPMG’s SME R&D Tax Incentives Practice. Emma has extensive experience in this specialist area, having managed R&D tax credit claims for multinational groups, large Irish indigenous companies, SMEs, and start-ups. Emma is actively involved with key industry groups such as IBEC, ISME, and the American Chamber of Commerce; she has also written articles and been quoted widely on the topic of R&D tax credits in publications such as The Irish Times, Sunday Business Post, and Irish Tax Review.

*All breakfast briefings are free of charge but places should be reserved in advance.

Contact  Onray.brainard@ittdublin.ie or call 01-404 2083.