News

DCU Link host Get Started 2011

22 February 2011

Over 300 budding entrepreneurs attended 'Get Started' a free start your own business conference hosted by the DCU LINK Techspectations team last Friday 18th February. Speakers included economist and Newstalk presenter Marc Coleman, founder and chief executive of 11890 Nicola Byrne, Eibhlin Curley, Assistant Chief Executive of Dublin City Enterprise Board and DCU President, Prof Brian MacCraith. Amongst the audience were over 150 Next Generation Management students from DCU who are working on real projects with SMEs all over Ireland.

Speaking after the conference, Theo Lynn, Director Industry Engagement, DCU Business School "At DCU we believe small business is big business and international business is good business for Ireland. According to Enterprise Ireland, Irish exporting companies spent an estimated €19 billion in the Irish economy in 2009.

"As such, it is no surprise that a key part of Ireland’s response to the economic crisis is to assist the building of new internationally trading high potential start-up businesses. In 2010, Enterprise Ireland's goal was the start-up of 75 such internationally focused innovative businesses.In 2010, DCU Business School worked with over 35 such startups as part of the Innovation Voucher programme alone. Several hundred businesses have benefitted from events, training and other student and faculty engagements."

'Get Started' is one of many conferences being run by DCU Business School - which also included Get Digital and Get Mobile - and which hosted speakers from facebook, Google, salesforce.com, IBM, Microsoft, ICAP Media and Samsung Ireland.