Irish innovation working to combat Covid-19

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Irish companies are taking up the fight against Covid-19. New developments rapidly emerging from Ireland, one of the leading medtech hubs in the world, are being used to help stem the advance of the virus.

 

New rapid Covid-19 diagnostic test

Dublin based HiberGene Diagnostics develops and manufactures molecular diagnostics tests for human infectious diseases. It specialises in the manufacture of rapid and highly accurate testing solutions that are cost effective and simple to use.

Now it is developing a new and rapid test for the novel coronavirus, which it hopes to bring to market shortly after clinical evaluation at potential sites in China, Italy & Ireland.

HiberGene’s tests are based on non-invasive human samples such as swabs, and minimal sample processing.

Because the test for the new coronavirus is a “near patient test”, samples will be taken and tested on location, without needing to be sent offsite to a laboratory, it expects to diagnose a positive COVID 19 result in approx. 20 minutes, many times faster than the fastest existing molecular diagnostic tests.

 

New Protein to fight Covid-19 through diagnosis, vaccines and research

Fellow Irish biotech company Aalto Bio Reagents has launched a new protein with the power to fight the Covid-19 on three fronts – diagnosis, vaccines and research.

Its new recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (code CK 6404) is available for diagnostic test manufacturers, vaccine developers and researchers globally, all of whom are working to stem the current pandemic.

“Patients are currently being screened for the virus by PCR”, explained Philip Noone, CEO of Aalto Bio Reagents, “however there is an important need for serological tests as well to detect all those mild or even asymptomatic cases that may otherwise be missed. Sero-epidemiologic investigations, such as those aimed to better understand transmission characteristics and severity of COVID-19, are also essential.”

The medical field and diagnostic industry have an unrelenting requirement for access to scientifically proven raw materials in outbreak situations like this, where fast diagnosis is required, he said. “With our new SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein we endeavour to meet this urgent demand.”

Irish company Aerogen has pioneered new ways to help people in respiratory distress. To date more than nine million patients worldwide have benefited from its innovative aerosol drug delivery technology.

Unlike conventional nebulisers, Aerogen has an in-line circuit design, which means the ventilation circuit does not need to be broken for drug delivery. Its management team believes it could therefore be a viable option to help deliver industry-leading care to patients infected with Covid-19.

Its products offer a lower risk of transmission of patient generated infectious aerosol for health care professionals in acute care settings than traditional nebulisers.

For patients requiring ventilation, its vibrating mesh technology, and closed circuit design, makes it a viable option to help deliver industry-leading care. Recent UK government guidelines state that when treating respiratory patients a closed suctioning system must be used, and that ventilator circuits should not be broken unless necessary.

Unlike conventional nebulisers, the Aerogen Solo device has an in-line circuit design and is designed so that the medication reservoir is isolated from the breathing circuit, minimising nebulisation of contaminated fluids.

 

Air Purification System to Kill Airborne Viruses

Pioneering plasma technology developed by Irish company Novaerus is already being deployed to purify air for patients and medical staff.

Novaerus helps control the spread of pathogens by closing the infection control loop made up of hands, surfaces, and now air. It uses a patented technology that kills airborne viruses by sucking air from a room and passing it through patented plasma coils which destroy them, reducing the risk of cross-infection.

Several of its medical-grade, clean air solutions have been donated to hospitals in Wuhan, China.

These include its latest model, Defend 1050, a mobile solution designed for rapid remediation in large spaces and situations with a high risk of infection.

Coronaviruses spread via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. “The most difficult disease transmission-route to guard against is airborne because we have very little to protect us when we breathe,” explained Dr Kevin Devlin, CEO at WellAir, the Irish parent company of Novaerus.

 

New Augmented Reality Hand Washing App

Leaders across the world have stressed that the primary tool we have at all our disposal in the fight against Covid-19 is the ability to wash our hands. Stemming the virus’ spread depends on how often, and how well, we do that.

If hand hygiene is done properly it can be over 90% effective in preventing the spread of harmful germs, yet a large number of people are unaware that they are not washing their hands correctly.

SureWash is an augmented reality hand washing app developed to provide proper hand hygiene training to healthcare workers, patients and visitors worldwide.

It ensures compliance in hand hygiene to World Health Organisation protocol by delivering training in an engaging manner that encourages participation. By providing real-time feedback, it helps users to improve their technique.

The software system also provides infection control personnel with the data necessary to monitor hand hygiene progress and to guarantee positive results.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic it has launched its app to the general public, so that everyone can play their part.

 

New Covid-19 online portal allows GPs to treat patients remotely

Patient portal developer Wellola responded to a call from Ireland’s Health Services Executive (HSE), Ireland’s national health authority, to develop and launch a new secure communication portal for clinicians and primary care providers in response to the pandemic.

Called HSE Covid 19 Portal, it’s an easy to use digital tool designed to optimise doctor and patient safety.  Patients access it via an app which is downloadable via the HSE Covid 19 website. The new online portal allows GPs and healthcare providers to treat people remotely so as to protect themselves from Covid-19. The portal allows GPs and primary-care providers to easily offer patients a range of services, including online bookings, a video consultation service, secure messaging and form completion to assist in triaging.

The Covid 19 app is based on existing technology already developed and tested by Wellola and so was ready to launch just four days after receiving the call from the HSE.

Finally, in the face of a worldwide shortage of life saving ventilators, an international initiative called the Open Ventilator Project quickly came together on Facebook to design and build a 3-D printed ventilator.

In Ireland the project was led by Colin Keogh of Sapien Innovation, a specialist in applied innovation, creativity and design thinking services. Within a week it had produced a prototype it hopes will be validated by Ireland’s health authorities for use in the fight against Covid-19.

Enterprise Ireland’s top tips for entering the Chinese market

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The ambitions of both the Chinese government and the private sector to improve competitiveness is driving demand for foreign technology and expertise, which in turn is increasing opportunities for Irish firms in the region.

If you are considering doing business in China, please be sure to explore our tips to enter the market below and also be sure to reach out to our dedicated team. 

  • Make a strategy to protect your intellectual property before you enter the Chinese market.
  • Treating China as one large market is difficult, narrow down your target cities
  • Second- and third-tier cities might be a better option for many products since there may be fewer competitors, more demand from consumers and local governments willing to facilitate market access.
  • Best practices show that investing some time in China to meet people, experience the market, and test prices and consumer behaviour is critical before making the decision to invest.
  • Having a physical presence in China can be part of a long-term strategy to enter the country.
  • Firms should carefully weigh all the available options against their business needs before deciding on a legal structure in China.
  • In China, there are certification, registration and labelling schemes that are often complex.
  • Labour costs in China are rising quickly. High turnover is also becoming a concern.
  • Finding the right importer/distributor in China is critical for success. Guanxi (people to people relationship) is important as reliable contact can help you understand the negotiating habits of the Chinese that would otherwise require months of on-the-ground presence in China to understand.
  • Companies need 6-9 months of preparatory work to enter China, which is longer than other markets;
  • In Greater China, Enterprise Ireland have three offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong, servicing key sectors for Irish companies.

If you are considering doing business in China be sure to reach out to our team and read our Going Global Guide for more information.

 

If you would like to know what to prepare ahead of your first MA call, click the graphic below

How Payslip filled a gap in the multinational payroll market

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“Enterprise Ireland provided great support through its fintech network. They enabled us to leverage international channels and acquire clients.”


Payslip Founder & CEO Fidelma McGuirk

Overview:

  • Founded in 2015, Payslip empowers multinational companies to standardise global payroll processes and manage international data, resources and vendors on a single platform.
  • Began its seed funding process and applied for High Potential Start-Up support in February 2018.
  • Since then, Payslip has acquired 23 clients across Europe and the US, including LogMeIn, GetYourGuide and Airbus, and the company has plans to increase sales by 400% in 2020.

 

Case Study: Payslip

As CEO and Director of Operations for an international tax company, Fidelma McGuirk was in charge of company growth and management across 21 countries. At the time, her company was using a variety of payroll service vendors. Frustratingly, she found no existing technology that could automate, integrate, and streamline their global payroll operations. So, she decided to create a platform to deliver this.

Payslip provides automation and integration technology to multi-national employers to standardise their global payroll management. Payslip technology integrates with human capital management and accounting/ERP systems, automating payroll processes and standardising global payroll data and reporting. With Payslip, multinational clients can centrally manage their global payroll operations with visibility, control and governance as they expand operations across borders.

Pre-launch, McGuirk and her team conducted robust market testing. They spoke to over 470 multinational employers, payroll providers, and international payroll associations, including the Global Payroll Management Institute in the US and the Global Payroll Association in the UK. McGuirk’s instincts were correct: there was a strong need for a new global payroll model with a focus on automation and standardisation.

In February 2018, Payslip began its seed funding process and applied for HPSU support. The start-up found solid support in its Enterprise Ireland Development Advisor (DA), who helped to guide Payslip through the application process. Once HPSU status was gained, the goal was to seek a strong investor partnership that would help grow the business and open international channels to multinational companies.

“HPSU offered us established, structured support,” says McGuirk. “As an organisation, they have international market experience—they’ve been through this journey before. They were able to arrange the specific introductions needed in foreign markets.”

Over the past two years, Payslip has acquired 23 clients headquartered across Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, and the US. Clients like Airbus, Teamwork, AMCS Group, Argon Medical Devices, LogMeIn, Phorest and others use the Payslip platform to manage and control global payroll for employees in over 60 countries. Sales increased 500% after the first year and McGuirk says the company has plans to increase by another 400% in 2020.

 

Educating the marketplace on the need for payroll innovation

Initially, the greatest challenge was helping potential investors and clients to understand how Payslip technology could disrupt and transform the market.

“What we were doing was different than what was done before, Payslip is a technology solution for global payroll, not a service for payroll calculations,” McGuirk says. “We had to educate the market and help people understand that we don’t compete with payroll service providers—we collaborate with them.”

Payslip brought something entirely new to the table: a technology solution to automate and standardise the global payroll process in a way that delivers central governance, while accommodating local country payroll nuances . Previously, the established industry players were traditional global payroll service offerings like ADP, Ceridian, and CloudPay. These service firms focus on delivering in-country payroll calculation and compliance expertise. According to McGuirk, there is no other platform that provides a single, end-to-end global payroll management solution like Payslip.

Payslip began acquiring early-adopter clients and interest was high among high-growth, technology-based companies. McGuirk says the first client was naturally the hardest to land. After that, things took off quickly. Thanks to the growing number of multinational companies who are going digital to achieve central governance, Payslip is now the leader in the new Gartner industry category of digital payroll services.

 

More markets, more clients

Payslip closed its Series A fundraising in February 2020 and, so far, all its initial investors have followed their investment in Payslip. McGuirk says that being a HPSU company will help it achieve its goal of continued international growth pointing out that Enterprise Ireland has resources in the right foreign markets. Their international teams have a good understanding of what is happening locally, which is crucial for market penetration.

“We intend to extend our reach into more markets and acquire more clients,” McGuirk says. “Our single focus is to continue growing our client base internationally from our headquarters in Westport, Co. Mayo. Enterprise Ireland is very supportive of this objective.”

Part of Payslip’s growth plan includes the expansion of its sales and engineering teams here in Ireland to support those global aspirations. Working together with Enterprise Ireland and the HPSU team, McGuirk is confident that her company can optimise its commercial capabilities to capitalise on growth opportunities and gain market share.

Click here to learn more about becoming a HPSU or contact our Start-Up Enquiries Team to find out more.

Read how Flynn built its international presence

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This time last year, none of us were aware of the disaster which was about to unfold across the globe. But 12 months on, industry across every sector is still reeling from the impact of the pandemic which continues to make its presence felt.

But while some businesses were affected more than others, the construction sector in many areas of the world, has continued to carry out essential works and this, according to Cormac McKenna of Flynn, a Dublin based international construction company, has been beneficial for many companies which have expanded outside Ireland.

“We have been active in mainland Europe for four years and have branches in Denmark and Germany,” says McKenna, who has been with the company for 12 years. “We are predominantly in the data centre sector in mainland Europe and our offices have a blend of both Irish and local staff.”

“We have also been active in the UK for nearly three years and have a regional office in London, servicing this market in the general contracting, fit-out and data centre markets.”

McKenna, a director with Flynn, oversees operations in Dublin and mainland Europe and says the move outside Ireland came about as a result of building on existing relationships and pitching the expertise the firm was confident would add value to European and UK projects.

“Our network of clients, design teams and traditional contactor partners have brought us data centre opportunities in Denmark initially – and these led to further operations in Northern Europe, the Nordics and the Benelux regions,” he says. “We are fortunate to have been able to continue working in Europe during the pandemic as it affected Irish business badly because the sector has been shut down twice during national lockdowns.

“Construction has continued in both the UK and Germany and because we have been working on data centres, which are deemed essential.”

The main difficulty has been getting workforce to and from sites as every jurisdiction has its own restrictions – so in some places there are quarantine regulations and in other countries, there is a requirement to provide a negative PCR test. Everywhere is different, but you just have to roll with the punches, be nimble and able to change approach as and when is necessary. And we have relied heavily on our workforce to be flexible in their approach.”

Of course it hasn’t all been plain sailing as operating in different countries can be challenging, even without a global pandemic.

“Apart from the obvious challenges to be overcome such as supply chain, logistics, legislative issues, taxation, industrial relations and nuances in the construction regulations in any new jurisdiction we enter, working overseas also raises the additional challenge of ensuring that operations in remote locations are delivered with same culture and quality that we insist on,” says McKenna.

 

Building an international presence

“The main issues we have faced were around sourcing supply chain and getting to grips with local legislation from an industrial relations perspective and contract law perspective. But our auditors and accountants are Grant Thornton who have an international presence, which gives us a lot of satisfaction and comfort in knowing that our approach is correct.

“We have opened offices in London, Copenhagen and Frankfurt. And Enterprise Ireland and our international auditors and accountants have been key to the successful establishment of a foothold in these markets.  The key to success has also been leaning heavily on our network and ensuring we asked plenty of questions of the right people.”

Along with keeping its European interests ticking over, Flynn has also been looking after its clients here at home – but the various lockdowns have made this difficult at times.

“Like all businesses in construction, Covid 19 has affected our operations,” says McKenna. “We, like many companies, have faced difficulties and have faced additional costs for control measures and also to cover for staff who either contracted Covid or were close contacts of someone with the virus.  But we managed to get through the past year by investing in people and systems along with physical controls on our sites to ensure we have industry leading controls and management systems in place.

“Our business had well tested systems for remote working and collaboration to allow our project teams and regional offices to communicate effectively.  And as working restrictions were imposed, these existing systems have paid real dividends and we feel we are working as effectively as possible while keeping our teams safe.”

The Dublin based firm has been in business for over 16 years and prides itself in the quality of its people and the prestige of its clients.  And according to McKenna, Enterprise Ireland has helped with this success.

“Flynn is predominantly a main contractor but over the past five years we have brought our main contracting experience to package contracting in the Hyperscale Data Centre Market,” says the company director. “And we feel the expertise in bringing teams of trusted trade contractors together and managing the entire CSA solution for our clients, brings tangible added value to any Hyperscale DC we have been involved in.

“Enterprise Ireland has been a key partner in our international growth. Their representatives are always at the end of the phone for advice and have provided key introductions in local authorities, supply chain parties and in some instances leads for new business.  They have also provided tangible supports from a training and marketing perspective.

“In addition, we found the Market Discovery Fund and some of the supports we got in the marketing field to be very effective. Some of the introductions they made for us in both Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK was a great help. And also, just having someone at the other end of the phone to bounce ideas off, has been invaluable.”

The company has over 140 employees across Ireland and Europe and is currently looking to further its portfolio with opportunities in Ireland, UK and Mainland Europe. and McKenna says while 2021 may be a difficult time for construction firms to be thinking of expanding abroad, once the current crisis is over, there could be plenty of opportunity for Irish companies.

“There is a definite advantage to being an Irish company overseas, particularly one with Irish employees as we are known for having the mindset of getting things done,” he says. “In the high tech and data centre world, schedule is key and the Irish work ethic of doing what you say you will do and doing it on time, is a great advantage as we can be trusted to get the job done.

“Our aim so to grow our client base across Europe, to grow our team and to bring added value to future data centre projects.  My advice to firms thinking of doing the same, would be to complete extensive research in the jurisdiction you are targeting and use the Enterprise Ireland team as they provide a lot of useful information and contacts.”

Arab Health

How Irish – UAE partnerships are shaping the future of healthcare

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Imed Abnoun, market executive for Enterprise Ireland Dubai, outlines partnership opportunities for Irish medtech innovators in the UAE and across the Gulf region.

Imed Abnoun, Enterprise Ireland Market ExecutiveAs part of its Brexit response, Enterprise Ireland has focused efforts on supporting Irish companies to identify new market diversification opportunities, including the Gulf region, which has become an important market for Ireland. Entering a new export market is an important strategic decision for any company but with the right preparation the rewards can be mutually beneficial.

The Middle East’s largest healthcare exhibition, Arab Health 2020, took place in Dubai in January, demonstrating that the healthcare sector provides a strong example of how Irish pharmaceutical and medtech companies can enter the market or expand further to meet rapidly rising demand in the UAE and wider Gulf region for world-class innovative products, services and expertise across the full spectrum of the healthcare sector.

 

Healthcare opportunities in the UAE

In the UAE alone, this strong demand is clear with market analysis estimating that spending on healthcare will reach $3.6 billion by 2030. Irish healthcare companies are ready to forge new partnerships with healthcare providers in the UAE to provide patients with the latest world-leading innovations that further enhance the patient experience, improve patient outcomes, and supply lifesaving technologies that are used in healthcare systems worldwide.

Ireland and the UAE already have strong economic ties and mutually beneficial partnerships, including across the healthcare sector. Take, for example, the partnership in Dubai that Martin Dunne, the Director of Ireland’s National Ambulance Service has focused on. Martin has been actively supporting the Dubai Ambulance Service in the provision of training for paramedics, equipping them with world-class life-saving professional training and development. Ireland’s National Ambulance Service, in partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, provides the curriculum and accreditation for diplomas in emergency medical services that train paramedics and advanced paramedics with life-saving skillsets that benefit Dubai and the UAE.

The partnership is a good example of health diplomacy in action, through country-to-country institutional collaboration that mutually benefits all parties, both public and private sector and country-to-country bilateral relations, and ultimately leads to lives being saved in Dubai.

However, the collaboration goes further than education and training. The Dubai Ambulance Service is equipped with cutting-edge Irish hardware and software related to patient and paramedic safety, operational efficiency, and fleet maintenance and diagnostics. Irish company Acetech, a global manufacturer of vehicle intelligence solutions for emergency service fleets, provide this hardware and software.

At Arab Health 2020, we saw further collaboration between the 14 Irish companies hosted on the Ireland pavilion in the medtech, digital health and pharmaceutical sectors and healthcare providers from across the region – resulting in 10 major contract signings. The companies showcasing their world-leading expertise included:

 

From its life sciences sector, with a vibrant pharmaceutical industry that exports almost €70 billion annually, through to the innovation of the medtech sector, with exports of €12.6 billion to over 100 countries worldwide, the Irish healthcare industry is a big success story. In the UAE alone, 40% of all Irish goods exports last year were pharma, wellness and medicines-related. Ireland is a global leader in the medtech industry and will seek to leverage its innovative expertise to meet the demand in the region in a sector estimated to be worth $31.6 billion by 2025.

The UAE and Ireland recognise the significant mutual benefits that arise from collaboration and partnership. Arab Health 2020 added a new chapter to this, helping to shape the healthcare services of both countries to benefit their people.

Speaker at Ambition North America

Joining the American tech revolution

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When Alan Turing devised his eponymous computer he could have had no idea that it had set in motion multiple technological innovations so disruptive the effects will likely eclipse the last Industrial Revolution.

That’s according to SKOUT CYBERSECURITY CEO, Aidan Kehoe, whose foray into the US market 15 years ago led to the foundation of his global business. The technology set in train by Turing has led to seismic shifts that we have still yet to fully grasp and is fueling innovation in artificial intelligence, privacy, big data, blockchain, connected cities, cloud computing, voice, audio, augmented and virtual reality.

 

Innovation key to getting heard in US market

They are megatrends, according to Kehoe, who asked delegates at Enterprise Ireland’s Ambition North America event: “Do you want to be part of the megatrend or deal with the consequences of it?”

The question posed is important because, according to Kehoe, the US economy has embraced megatrends. Innovation is seen as a key driver in business and is part of the US business psyche. Any value proposition that speaks to innovation and solves megatrend problems and pain points will get a hearing in the US.

“To understand the American business mind, you have to realise they start from the perspective that they have no choice but to make it. That, in itself, acts a great driver for innovation,” says Kehoe.

In almost every sector, from AI, machine learning, fintech, medtech, agritech, pharma, life sciences and beyond, the US leads, and thrives on, innovation. More patents are filed in the US than any other country; in fact, it files three times as many as its nearest competitor, Japan.

It’s why, if you have an innovative solution, be prepared for the US to at the very least, give you facetime.

 

Don’t try to be all things to all people

As the world’s largest economy, currently enjoying a decade of unbroken growth –  last year nudging 4.95% – and a GDP of $20.49trn, the US remains the prize export market. But exporters attempting to ‘break’ America can run into common pitfalls, not least viewing the United States as a single business monoculture.

David Walsh, CEO of Netwatch, which has 250,000 customers in North America, told delegates that the US is “where you go to scale” but warned:

“You simply cannot be all things to all people over there. You have to be clear what you can deliver and even clearer on what you can’t. It’s effectively 50 different markets sharing the same bit of land. We concentrated on four key markets and built on that. California is not the same as Texas and neither are the same as the East coast.” says Walsh.

Enterprise Ireland’s Market Research Centre at its Dublin HQ in EastPoint (and via eight regional hubs), together with grant funding such as the Market Discovery Fund, will help you to put boots, not only on the ground but in the right place to build your network.

Once in the US, do not fall into the trap of trying to bootstrap your operation, said Rob Rae, co-founder of Littus, the business development consultancy.

“Time and time again, the biggest and worst mistake we see is firms falling into the DIY trap, trying to do it all themselves. It’s only natural, Irish firms are entrepreneurial and it’s worked in other markets in the past and in Ireland but this is a different ball game. Spend your money on expertise at this early stage because it will save you many multiples later on, if what you did on your own goes wrong.”

He told the conference: “Above all bring a value proposition to the table. Don’t go to the US hoping to be the best Irish tech company there is. Go there to be the best tech company in the US that happens to be Irish.”

Key to planning is securing visas for your team in the early stages. Business visas will help for initial networking and sales but ultimately you will

need resident work visas and the paperwork can be lengthy and detailed both in time and scope, added Rebecca Mancini, Corporate Immigration Attorney at Clark Hill.

“The climate under the current administration is ‘buy American, hire American’ so in bringing skilled staff from abroad, you need to demonstrate why a US citizen could not do that.” For Irish firms with IP and trade secrets that cannot be replicated, this should be emphasised and should help the process to get key personnel in place, added Mancini.

If you have your market fit and personnel in place, be prepared for being able to scale, said SKOUT’s Aidan Kehoe, a sentiment echoed by Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer, Combilift.

“Our sales doubled in the last three years in North America,” said the firm’s North American Sales Director, Anthony Rooney.

For Kehoe, he had no doubt that riding the current internet megatrend was fundamental to the firm’s success.

“We’re in cybersecurity. Even if we weren’t any good, we would probably be doing very well indeed. That’s what riding the megatrend means.”

 

Learn more about doing business in the USA and Canada and the Enterprise Ireland supports available.

John O Carroll Eblana Photonics

Eurostars support invaluable for SMEs developing new products

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John O'Carroll

“Eurostars funding is invaluable to small businesses as it reduces the risk involved in developing new technologies.”

Eblana Photonics, lead partner on TLPON Eurostars project

Key Takeouts:

  • Dublin company, Eblana Photonics, led a small consortium whose aim was to develop novel photonic integrated circuits (PIC) for optical communication applications.
  • The project was part funded by the European Union’s Eurostars research and innovation programme which is aimed at R&D-performing SMEs.
  • The TLPON project has opened new doors for Eblana to develop PIC-based laser products for telecom and spectroscopy.

Case Study: Eblana Photonics

Dublin-based Eblana Photonics, which specialises in the design and production of advanced lasers for communications, sensing and measurement, has long appreciated the value of collaborative projects. Over much of its 20 years in operation it has drawn on the support of European funding programmes to enable it to target new markets with innovative products and establish itself as a provider of world-class technology.

Recently the company completed a project, TLPON, funded under the European Union’s Eurostars programme. Eurostars is a large international funding programme for SMEs that want to collaborate on R&D projects to create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation.

The main goal of TLPON was the development of novel photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for optical communication applications, with the new NG-PON2 application being the primary target. NG-PON2 is a telecommunications network standard mainly for higher speed fibre to the home networks.

“TLPON was about developing a multi-channel laser approach to increasing the speed and capacity of networks to meet future bandwidth demand, which is rising because of the use of Netflix and similar media and also the increasing resolution in 4k and 8k devices,” explains John O’Carroll

 

Building the European consortium

Eblana Photonics put together a strong consortium that included Dublin City University (DCU), Foton Institute and Orange Labs, the last two based in France.

“We were able to build on our close relationship with DCU. I talked to them about this project and they were interested as it’s an area they were researching as well. Through DCU’s links with one of the French partners, Foton, we were able to bring them on board and they and in turn brought Orange Labs in as the fourth partner.

“Once we had identified the consortium, we contacted Enterprise Ireland and got great advice on what to focus on in the proposal to qualify for the Eurostars programme,” says O’Carroll.

 

The benefits of collaboration

Eblana’s experience of device manufacturing married with the other partners’ research expertise and systems knowledge created a highly effective consortium. This was underpinned by the fact that the partners’ roles within the project complemented each other, and members of the consortium had successfully worked together in the past.

“Having access to the experience of DCU and the international partners was invaluable. For example, we got feedback from Orange Labs on the requirements of an end user and we benefitted from DCU’s characterisation and device packaging expertise and from Foton’s electronic circuit design and device characterisation capabilities.”

 

Commercial application

As the project progressed, however, the NG-PON2 standard was overtaken by other standards.

“When we started TLPON there was a lot of interest in the market for next generation optical networks, and it looked like it was going to be widely applied. But during the project, some other standards came into force and the market went in a different direction,” explains O’Carroll.

“However, the research wasn’t wasted as we were able to modify it and select elements of it to apply to our products roadmap. Before TPLON we didn’t have PICs in our product range, but afterwards we were able to use the research learning to integrate a laser with a modulator.  And if NG-PON2 gains traction within the next couple of years we can turn our attention back to that and develop products in that area.”

TLPON has been transformative in developing Eblana’s capabilities in the area of photonic integration and has presented new opportunities for the company to develop PIC-based laser products for telecom and spectroscopy.

Why Eurostars?

The technologies developed with the support of EU funding have been instrumental in helping Eblana Photonics target new markets with new and innovative products over the years.

“Most of our current product portfolio has been developed with the help of a European research project; the company has benefitted immensely. As with TLPON, what we developed in the projects didn’t necessarily always end up as the commercial product, but the learning led to new products for us because we were able to look for other applications for the research,” says O’Carroll.

“Particularly in the early days of the company when we didn’t have a big R&D budget, the opportunity to be involved in EU projects was invaluable. It would have been difficult for us to risk developing something ourselves that we might not get a return on. So EU programmes such as Eurostars are of great benefit to small businesses.” explains O’Carroll

“On a personal level it’s also very rewarding, particularly for people like myself who come from a research background, as it allows you to work on projects that are outside your day-to-day job and keep up to date with new research.”

Eurostars is primarily a programme for R&D-performing SMEs.  Although universities and research organisations can take part in a project, the main project partner must be an SME.

Companies that take part in Eurostars projects typically see an average of 15% annual turnover increase, while almost 70% of them enter new markets or gain market share.

For advice or further information about applying for Eurostars support please contact David Flood or consult the Eurostars website.

 

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Evercam drone install

How Agile Innovation enabled Evercam to capitalise on the AI revolution

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“Construction is high value so when things go wrong, it’s expensive. We’ve become that single source of truth.”

Marco Herbst, CEO, Evercams

Overview:

  • Enterprise Ireland’s RD&I funding enabled Evercam to apply AI and machine-learning algorithms to its time-lapse videos.
  • Cameras extract useful, actionable data for project managers, contractors and engineers and generate valuable reports about activity and progress.
  • Partnerships with installation companies are key to Evercam’s growth in international markets.

Construction cranes are redrawing the Dublin skyline and building rates are back at boom-time levels, transforming the city into a world-leading centre of finance and technology  — and Evercam, which supplies time-lapse and project management cameras to the construction industry, is capturing the progress as it happens.

“We’re putting cameras on construction sites for marketing purposes, for project management and for dispute avoidance,” shares Evercam CEO Marco Herbst, who co-founded the company with Vinnie Quinn in 2010.

“We wanted to use cameras for more than just security and we always felt that images and pictures could be used for a much more productive, proactive, communicative purpose to try and improve how people do their jobs,” Marco explains, adding, “We spent quite a while trying out different business models and industries until we found construction about four years ago.”

Evercam’s products are now used by a number of high-profile construction companies including BAM, SISK, Bennett and Stewart on projects for the likes of Google, Facebook, ESB and Central Bank, to name a few.

“Construction is high value so when things go wrong, it’s expensive,” Marco says. “And construction sites are complicated environments with lots of moving parts and a lot of issues around trust, what happened when and who did what. Pictures, images and video are just beautiful ways of capturing all that so that everybody is on the same page.”

 

Harnessing the power of AI

Evercam cameraTime-lapse is an incredible way to visually display progress but Marco and his team saw potential in video analytics, a technology that applies artificial intelligence and  machine-learning algorithms to video feeds — thereby allowing cameras to instantly recognise people, objects and situations.

“Customers were already using our videos to check how many trucks arrived at the construction site, how long the crane was on-site, how many people were on-site at any given moment, but we weren’t using video analytics,” Marco says. “We had the data, we had real customer problems to solve but we needed data scientists and hardware and for a company at our stage of growth, it could be risky to suddenly shift a load of our resources into an R&D project.”

That’s why Evercam decided to apply to Enterprise Ireland’s Agile Innovation Fund for support, which offers up to 50% funding to a maximum of €150,000 in grant aid for innovation projects with a total cost of up to €300,000.

“With Enterprise Ireland’s support, we were able to buy GPUs (graphics processing units), hire developers and researchers, spend time in iterative dialogue with customers and spend time designing the product,” Marco explains.

“The Agile fund is a very holistic, wholesome support and Enterprise Ireland is happy to support all of those different moving parts, not just financially but also with advice, letting us know where to spend our energy.”

Evercam now combines the latest developments in machine learning and AI to construction site videos to extract useful, actionable data for project managers, contractors and engineers and generate valuable reports about activity and progress.

“We’ve become that single source of truth,” Marco states.

 

Next steps in Evercam’s growth strategy

Evercam’s customer base today is predominantly in Ireland and the UK, the latter of which relies on channel partners such as CCTV installers.

“From the customer’s point of view, the end-user, they get the time-lapse video which they need and want from their existing CCTV supplier which is great because they don’t need to have an extra person on-site — they can buy it from somebody they’re already working with,” Marco explains, adding, “That’s been key to us growing in the UK, particularly in London, and now we’re actively setting that up everywhere else.”

And the company’s products continue to evolve. One of the most popular features is Snapmail, which captures key stages in a project and emails them to those who need it. Another is a tool that compares before and after images from any point in time.

Evercam plans to open an office in New Zealand as well as grow its presence in markets such as Singapore and the US where it’s already started selling its cameras.

“Enterprise Ireland has been amazing at making introductions in new markets, from New York to Paris to Amsterdam, steering us towards the types of people we want to hire or the kinds of companies we want to talk to,” Marco says.

Learn how the Agile Innovation Fund can support your R&D ambitions.

 

Barry Napier, CEO Cubic Telecom

CASE: How automotive disruption offers huge opportunities for Irish tech companies

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The automotive industry is at a crossroads. In an era where digital technology is disrupting the status quo throughout the global economy, few industries are being so profoundly impacted as automotive.

Under pressure over emissions and sustainability, manufacturers are focused on transitioning from the internal combustion engine to a future of connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicles,(CASE). Traditional supply chains are changing dramatically, as new technology providers force manufacturers to rethink where value can be created and by whom.

To assess the level of opportunity this offers Irish business, Enterprise Ireland asked a panel of experts what lies on the road head.

 

From hardware to software

Barry Napier, CEO of Irish company Cubic Telecom – who provides global mobile connectivity solutions for automotive manufacturers including Audi, Skoda and VW – believes the future will be driven by software rather than hardware.

“The mindset has changed,” he says. “Historically when you went to an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and you said to them, we want to do something, there was panic in their faces because they had to go and change the hardware, and then there were multiple partners they had to talk to in order to do that.

“It’s easier to change software, so now they are looking to do as much as they can via software solutions, putting mainframe concepts into vehicles and then seeing how they can run that through the cloud. The mindset is there with the OEMs to make the car lighter, faster and doing it all via software.”says Napier.

Hiren Desai, Head of Strategy and Innovation North America for Continental, agrees that tier one suppliers will need to be able to create value by manufacturing intelligence rather than just parts.

Hiren says: “The supply chain is going to undergo disruption over the next 10 to 15 years significantly when it comes to software coming in and replacing all the hardware that companies are used to producing.

“Companies like Continental are experts in industrialisation, which essentially means manufacturing. Now, what we’re really talking about is having software factories able to produce intelligence, able to write code, able to produce artificial intelligence, that’s where it is heading.”

 

Automotive industry rethinks the car

Whether it is in vehicles that transport people, goods or freight, OEMs will be looking for partners who can help them meet this demand. Traditional players will have to adapt and make room for new entrants from non-automotive backgrounds.

For Dr Engelbert Wimmer, CEO and founder of German specialist automotive management consultancy and investment company E&Co (Entrepreneurs and Consultants), this level of disruption can be seized upon by Irish companies.

“We are reconsidering every bit and piece of the traditional car,” he says. “That means changing materials and a whole new supply chain because the concept and characteristics of a vehicle that you want to operate 90,000km a year on a shared mobility or on an autonomous platform will be completely different because the durability and ownership will be changing.

“This means we will need to change the materials that vehicles are made from – from the rubber in the tyres to the steel and the chassis. We need to do a lot on recycling and greening the car by what components we will need. For companies who have interesting materials, who operate in material science and can supply components that are recyclable, this is a massive opportunity.

“You’re not just talking about tech companies, you’re looking at companies such as plastic moulders, or in the textile sector. It could be somebody from surface technology. It could be somebody in glass technology. Glass is a super interesting surface with a lot of functions, such as integrated light and displays. All these technologies are being reborn at the moment.

“You’re looking at an awful lot of companies that couldn’t previously have looked at the automotive sector. Every time you have a disruption in that size and with this technology scope, new entrants will have a super chance.” says Napier.

 

Hub for CASE development

Many Irish companies enjoying success in the automotive sector are part of the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) cluster, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Department of Transport, and the Lero research centre.

With Jaguar Land Rover’s Centre for Networked and Autonomous Vehicles at Shannon and French vehicle technology giant Valeo’s facility in Tuam as members, CAV Ireland is fast establishing the West of Ireland as a hub for CASE vehicle development.

CAV companies collaborate to identify products and services which can capitalise on export opportunities in the automotive supply chain. It is an approach which Engelbert believes fits well with the future of mobility.

He says: “Whether it is software or materials, it is not about one company producing all this. It is about collaboration and partnership. The tool chain has many, many links that need to be linked together.”

5 ways to make the most of your Market Discovery Fund project 

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Learning that your business has been approved for a support like Enterprise Ireland’s Market Discovery Fund is great news. But it is followed by an important question. How can you make the best use of that financial support to maximise its value to your business?

 

1.    Make the most of Enterprise Ireland’s resources

Use all of the resources available to you as a company supported by Enterprise Ireland while you carry out the project and conduct your research.

Your Development Adviser 

Stay in touch with your Development Adviser throughout the project. Let them know you’re interested in attending relevant market and sector events and they will keep you top of mind.

39 overseas offices* 

Make time to visit Enterprise Ireland’s most relevant overseas offices as part of your project. With offices in 39 locations worldwide, our advisers have expert knowledge of the markets and sectors of most importance to Irish exporters.

If you alert the in-market team to your visit well in advance, they may be able to arrange meetings with valuable local contacts. After your visit, remember to stay in touch with the market advisers you know to stay up-to-date with local opportunities and developments.

(*39 correct as of 3 December 2019, date of publication)

Market Research Centre

Conducting the right market research is vital to maintaining your competitive edge and enjoying successful export growth – but it can also cost time, money and resources for which your business must budget.

The information specialists at Enterprise Ireland’s Market Research Centre offer a wealth of experience available to guide you to the most relevant reports and databases for your needs, and to provide support before and during your visit. They can help you to access current market research reports from some of the world’s leading publishers, such as Euromonitor International, Frost & Sullivan, and Mintel. The Centre is available free-of-charge to companies supported by Enterprise Ireland across the regional office network.

 

2.    Focus on your most promising markets

One important rule of thumb is to consider no more than three markets within a Market Discovery Fund project. Carrying out a market prioritisation exercise and comparing the potential of two or three markets within a region can be a smart use of this type of support.

Whichever markets you consider, remember that internet research alone will only take you so far. Travel to each market you are considering where feasible. You will learn far more on the ground than you can from behind a screen.

Also think carefully about the bandwidth (covering both people and finance) required to manage the project. Projects such as this typically take no more than six months, unless you recruit a graduate or entry-level executive to undertake a more substantial piece of research.

 

3.    Assess trade fair options

If you are planning to exhibit at a trade fair, try to visit the year or season before, so you can assess if it really is a good fit for your business. The most important factor to look out for is if the right kind of buyers and decision-makers attend.

If it is a big fair, spend some time establishing which is the right hall for your company to exhibit in. Being in the wrong hall is a waste of time and resources and can leave you and your team feeling frustrated.

If you decide to exhibit next time around, get in touch with the organisers as early as possible to find out costings or packages in addition to availability, as previous exhibitors are likely to be given priority.

 

 

4.    Know the claims process and track everything

You can find all the information and forms you need to submit your claim(s) to the Market Discovery Fund here. This includes:

  • Instructions for making your claim
  • The claim form
  • A claim form checklist
  • A timesheet template
  • A Director’s Statement template
  • A progress report form
  • More information on the claims process.

 

While at this point your application has been approved, it is vital to keep detailed records of all expenditure relating to your project. This can include:

  • Timesheets for employees, as relevant wages and salaries can be covered, subject to conditions outlined here
  • Receipts and invoices for all foreign travel and subsistence expenses directly related to the project. Remember these must be incurred by company employees supported on the project
  • The cost of purchasing reports and databases relating to a new market or sector (when relevant and not accessible through the Market Research Centre).

 

5.    Understand the value of what you learn

At first, it might seem disappointing if research indicates that a valid opportunity to bring your product or service to a particular market or markets does not exist. But it is actually a great lesson.

It is far better to be aware of this insight before committing fully to a market, as discovering a lack of potential later will cost your business much more.

Knowing which markets not to prioritise can be just as important as understanding which ones are most worth investing your time and resources. Refining your overall market strategy is a valuable outcome of a successful Market Discovery Fund project.

Remember, you must contact your assigned Enterprise Ireland Adviser to discuss your Market Discovery Fund application before you submit it. If you’re a first-time applicant, you need to register on the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System.

To discover how your company can take the step into new markets, visit: globalambition.ie/steps.      

InvoiceFair: how their innovative financing platform proved to be a game changer for Human+Kind

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Experienced financial services professional Helen Cahill saw that SMEs were being restricted by financing barriers. Along with two like-minded colleagues, she set up an innovative financing platform to enable Irish businesses to reach their full potential. For a company like Human+Kind, the solution was a game changer.

Human+Kind began in a kitchen in Cork in 2013, where founders Jeroen Proos and René van Willigen first brewed their signature ‘family remedy’ cream.

“It was a shared passion for animals, nature and healthy living that made us want to develop a natural, vegan and cruelty-free skincare line,” explains Proos, “but we also wanted a product that is kind to humans: kind to skin, and kind to the wallet.”

By 2015, Human+Kind had extended its line of Irish-made skincare products and reached an eclectic range of customers from across the globe. Jeroen explains, “We really want to be affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.”

In 2016, they brought Jeremy Smith on board as an executive officer. Together, the Human+Kind team began to build their customer base. “We really put a lot into good, smart networking, at trade fairs and online, getting our products out there.”

The hard work paid off. With persistence and “a bit of luck”, the company has placed Human+Kind amenities in 50,000 hotel rooms, and has an annual lip balm order from Turkish Airlines.

The real break came last year, with a purchase order worth $2.2 million from a US subscription box company called FabFunFit. “They had seen some of our products and they approached us and asked us if our production capacity was big enough to do large numbers. We have always set our sights on building as a global brand so we said yes. But we didn’t actually have the capital to meet the order!” explains Jeroen.

“The problem was,” adds Jeremy, “not only did the order exceed our credit limits with our suppliers and manufacturers, it was also pushing our manufacturers to exceed their credit limits with their material suppliers. After talking to the bank, we realised there was no solution there. I even looked into whether I could swing financing it personally.”

Having exhausted these options, the team sought advice from Enterprise Ireland. “I reached out to our advisor,” says Jeremy, “and she put me in touch with someone who recommended a couple of companies that might be able to help. After talking to InvoiceFair, I very quickly realised that they could really help us, not only for this one deal but also in the long term.”

 

The final hurdle

“The most difficult thing in business should be winning the sales order, not financing it,” says InvoiceFair’s co-founder, Helen Cahill. She has spent her career working with SMEs in all sectors: “I saw companies blocked from expanding because they didn’t have access to progressive and relevant working capital finance solutions. At the same time, in the investment world there is a continuous search for yield, particularly returns that are not correlated to the broader market.”

With co-founders Peter Brady and Ivan Fox, Cahill set out to develop a solution. “We were all seeing what SMEs were struggling with,” says Helen, “Peter had spent much of his career in manufacturing, so he has been in the trenches with a deep understanding of the challenges associated with working capital.

“We knew the problem we needed to solve, but it was really working with SMEs that inspired us to develop solutions to their specific problems,” Helen Cahill, co-founder InvoiceFair

The resulting solution, InvoiceFair, is an online platform where SMEs with a funding need connect with a pool of institutional funders. The model is based on receivables trading. SMEs leverage their future receivables, such as invoices and purchase orders, as tradeable assets. Funding is secured on the back of these assets.

“SMEs can leverage their quality receivables when they need to release cash,” explains Cahill, “and not just at invoice stage, SMEs can do this at the very beginning of a contract”. This is known as ‘purchase order finance’, where up to 70% of the contract value is released to pay suppliers upfront and fulfil contract costs. This source of finance means that companies can tender for much larger orders. In addition, the model does not limit funding due to debtor concentration, transaction size or geography, for example country of export. The latter is of particular benefit to companies with global markets.

“In order to develop the best solution, we always meet our clients face-to-face,” says Helen. “Jeremy met with Peter, Ivan and I to discuss Human+Kind, their vision for the company and the opportunity with FabFitFun.”

The core of InvoiceFair’s work involves independently researching companies and their customers. “Our due diligence is often more thorough than a bank’s, both in terms of the SME and the funder. This ensures the integrity of the marketplace for everybody,” says Helen. Jeremy provided the purchase order and background financial information on Human+Kind, while InvoiceFair researched their US customer, FabFunFit. In this way, InvoiceFair enabled Human+Kind to leverage on the blue-chip purchase order from FabFunFit to finance the sales order. Within five days, Human+Kind had secured their funding.

 

InvoiceFair provides a launch pad

“This case study is what we are about,” says Helen, “connecting Human & Kind to a pool of institutional funders enabled them to leverage their high-quality purchase order to pay suppliers upfront. More importantly, it resulted in their skincare brand being in two million homes in the US. And now they have successfully scaled the business internationally, which is so exciting for them.”

“This deal has really provided a nice launch pad for us to grow the business in the US and Ireland,” says Jeremy, “and it’s changed things. Prior to this we were doing around a million in turnover, and now we are doing that several fold. That would not have happened without a partner like InvoiceFair.”

Alpha Wireless, CEO Fergal Lawlor

Loose Wires: Laois-based Alpha Wireless takes on the global market

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“It’s our ability to innovate that sets us apart,” explains Lawlor. “If the right antenna does not exist, we are committed to creating it.”

Fergal Lawlor, CEO Alpha Wireless

Overview:

Alpha Wireless is a market-leading specialist in high performing, superior quality antenna solutions covering macro to small cell antennas.

The company exports to 22 countries worldwide and has opened its first research and development office in Australia.

Enterprise Ireland supports include research and development projects, trade shows, market development programmes, and access to overseas networks.

By the time Fergal Lawlor discovered that the company he worked for was closing, he was already too invested to stop: “By then I had been a designer for two very innovative antenna companies that were disruptive in the market and were coming out with new products and challenging the incumbents that were there,” he says. “I had seen how that worked and I very much liked being part of that.”

Lawlor had spent several years designing wireless solutions with Argus Technologies in Australia, before returning to Ireland to work for an independent company, Sigma Wireless: “We were working on a number of innovative designs in the 3G space at the time,” he explains, “We had good products and we understood what the customer was doing.”

In 2005, US company PCTEL bought the Finglas-based business. “In 2007, they closed their Irish operations.”

 

Unfinished business

For Lawlor, there was too much good work being left behind in Ireland: “I didn’t feel we were finished, so to speak. I knew the antenna designs, I knew a lot of the customers we were talking to, and I knew there was a skilled workforce in Ireland.”

Lawlor approached Enterprise Ireland, who helped him to conduct a feasibility study into the potential for continuing some of this work.

“We looked at the various market segments that I had been working in previously,” he says. “Because we were a newer company, we had to come in with something that wasn’t already there…”

We came up with the conclusion that, yeah, there is a potential market there in this new emerging WiMAX for 4G. We went ahead and set up Alpha Wireless in 2007.”

 

Global ambition from the middle of Ireland

Lawlor describes the gruelling process of expanding from a small office to a global business: “From day one we aimed at becoming a global player. Enterprise Ireland helped us through multiple rounds of funding, market development programmes, research and development projects, and trade shows. They also really helped us with contacts. This market is changing all the time. By focusing on new solutions, we have been able to break into overseas markets from our headquarters in Ballybrittas, Co. Laois – smack bang in the middle of Ireland.”

Lawlor’s previous designs had been tailored primarily for tier-one operators like Vodafone, and o2. “As a new company starting up, there was no chance we were going to be able to sell back into those tier one customers,” he explains, “so we picked a different market segment – WiMAX for 4G – where there wasn’t this existing relationship with vendors going back over the years. We were able to bring our expertise working with these tier ones to this market. It allowed us to go in and become the preferred antenna company for many radio vendors in this emerging market.”

 Alpha Wireless had soon won their first contract from Israeli company, Airspan Networks.

“A meeting with Airspan in Israel brought an opportunity to participate in a trial in Romania – giving just 12 hours’ notice. Martin Barrett quickly responded by booking a flight to Romania and hand-carried the AW3023 antenna for the forthcoming trial. All testing went very well, and the trial resulted in Alpha Wireless winning a contract for 1,500 antennas.” This is testament to Alpha Wireless’ agility and responsiveness providing fast and efficient solutions for their customers.

As the company grew, he brought in some of the designers and engineers who had worked together at Sigma: “We started our business by taking the good learnings to build something new,” he says. “The way we broke in was by finding new markets and knowing what kind of customers we wanted: we wanted customers who needed solutions that weren’t available off the shelf; where we could go in and work really closely with them to create a solution.”

 

How Alpha Wireless has built its foundations

As a young company, Alpha Wireless was one of Enterprise Ireland’s 15 new companies at their exhibition stand at the Pavilion in Dublin. “Sometimes it’s hard to quantify what you get out of these fairs, but you have to keep going to them. It helps to raise awareness and to scale up. We exhibited at a show in Chicago,” adds Lawlor, “which Enterprise Ireland also funds, and that’s how we got Samsung back in 2010”

Now, the company is at a level where they have their own booth at these fairs: “Today, the Mobile World Congress Barcelona is our most important show.”

 

Support on the ground

“As you start getting access to bigger customers, you need local support,” says Lawlor, “and Enterprise Ireland helped us to understand local markets and set up offices in the US. They were able to connect us with operators and make the right introductions. Because of them, we have been able to do things that you normally have to wait much longer for.”

Only 12 years’ from its inception, Alpha Wireless has now become a market-leading specialist in high performing, superior quality antenna solutions covering macro to small cell antennas. The brand now exports to 22 countries worldwide and last year it opened its first research and development office in Australia.

“It’s our ability to innovate that sets us apart,” explains Lawlor. “If the right antenna does not exist, we are committed to creating it.”

To find out more visit alphawireless.com.