CEAF ICT & Services

Climate Enterprise Action Fund Webinar Series – ICT & Services

The transition to a low carbon world has become a defining force for business. For Irish companies, this means opportunities to compete and grow as global investments in a sustainable future accelerates.

ICT has the capability to address many of the problems in our society, including the threat from climate change. However, as the world aims for net zero emissions by 2050, the sector faces significant challenges in reducing its own energy consumption and environmental impacts.

Similarly, there are many ways in which services can be part of the green economy and drive sustainable development. Business services can contribute to increasing sustainability for processes and products across industries, and speed up the transition towards a green economy.

Within both sectors, sustainability is now recognised as a priority issue.

This webinar includes the following guest speakers who will share their sustainability journey and provide helpful advice to companies of all sizes:

  • Yvonne Holmes – Chief Sustainability Officer, AIB

  • Andrea Carroll – Sr. Susutainability Programme Manager EMEA, Amazon Web Services

  • Laura Costello – Strategy Director – Purpose & Planet, Thinkhouse

  • Eanna Glynn – Head of Sustainability, BidX1

  • Brian Minehane – Account Director & Sustainability Programme Lead, Ergo

 

Watch the Climate Enterprise Action Fund webinar series here.

    UK Education

    UK Education Sector Procurement Report

    UK Education

    The sector is a complex mix of organisations with differing levels of autonomy and financial control, with local authorities playing a key role. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to explain the structures and governance to make it easier to understand for companies that wish to target products and services to this sector and how the sector procures goods and services. Education spending is the second largest element of public service spending in the UK, representing about £99 billion in 20/21, second only to health spend.

    Read the report here.

    UK Local Authority Update Report

     

    The new report extended the research to look at the specific opportunities available to Irish companies by taking a closer look at the investment plans, budget priorities and organisational changes within authorities.

    This document is based on detailed research, combined with our experience, knowledge and personal contacts. It endeavours to provide an up-to-date insight into the sector, taking account of the effects of the pandemic and budget priorities to help Irish companies identify relevant opportunities and target the
    right authorities rather than taking a blanket approach.

    Read the report here.

    Digital communication – the key to success in North America in the context of Covid

    The ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic has thrown up many challenges for companies worldwide. For Irish companies exporting to North America, these challenges have varied widely from sector to sector, but some, such as remote working, communication with clients, difficulties in finding new business, establishing sales pipelines and cash flow issues have been identified as common. As such, a basic roadmap to recovery has been drafted by Enterprise Ireland (EI) to help companies navigate through this uncertain time.

    “The roadmap is a framework,” says Sean Davis, Regional Director for North America at EI, “but what’s interesting is that it extends across many, if not all sectors.”

    There are three stages to the roadmap, and it’s backed up by EI supports to get companies into stages two and three:

    • Stabilise – protect your business, maintain operations and retain employees
    • Reset – adapt your business, plans and operations to new conditions
    • Recover – Restart innovation and capitalise on early demand as recovery develops

    Communication is key

    One major issue that affects every stage of the framework is communication. Many companies found themselves scrambling to deal with a workforce that suddenly became remote. Face-to-face meetings became impossible, and in the North American market, different time zones and inability to travel became massive issues for Irish companies – and so setting up successful and secure online communication technologies became key.

    Dr Martyn Farrows, COO of Soapbox Labs, explains that the communication issue is not just an internal problem, but also extends to your customers and potential clients. “For us, as an online business, we were very comfortable with using many of the technologies available to us, such as Slack, as we had already had them set up internally. That situation was put into very stark contrast with the market. Our business has a very regular 12-month rhythm as we do a lot of work with the education sector, so when this kicked off in February/March, we were right into our development phase and two very big customer networking events in North America were cancelled as a result of Covid. So we had to react very quickly as to how we could communicate with our clients and how we could support them as they adapt to a remote learning environment.”

    But there are positives. Because this is a global problem, everyone has the same communication issue – and Sean explains that in a way it’s a great leveller for companies, as location becomes less of an issue when face-to-face meetings are not possible for anyone. “We also had a good call with Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.  Following research work with a large number of North American companies, the conclusion is that we’ve actually crossed the digital rubicon in terms of our movement towards digitalisation and this new virtual environment.

    “Maybe one of the benefits of Covid has been that push of the technological envelope, leading companies to utilise technology in a more utilitarian way.”

    Adapting your business

    For every company, there is a real need to adapt to the new market conditions, and answer any individual challenges that present themselves to the company. John Power is the CEO & Managing Director of Aerogen, a company that manufactures the only product that delivers drugs via a closed-system aerosol on ventilated patients, so he experienced great demand as the crisis took hold. “In the second two and a half weeks of March we received orders equivalent to the orders received in the first half of last year. But that meant we had to ramp up our manufacturing at a time when the world in many ways was shutting down. For instance, a lot of our product is shipped globally on passenger planes but when they were grounded, we had to look for capacity on cargo planes. It was a very challenging time and we had to manage expectations to make sure everyone was getting what they needed to keep them going.”

    For Martyn, too, there was a need to adapt quickly. “We have just launched a first-of-its-kind voice-powered assessment tool to help educators understand and accelerate literacy development for remote learners in the US. That is an interesting case study as we signed the contract in January 2020 for delivery in August 2021. In May, the customer floated the idea that they’d like to speed up development to bring it in this year to address needs created by Covid. Now there are 150,000 kids able to access that product for their learning, growing to 2 million in the next two years. This is a good example of needing to be agile, needing to adapt to your customer’s needs as they try to respond to the needs of the market.”

    Both John and Martyn agree that the key to rising to such challenges is being sensitive to your staff’s needs, especially in such uncertain times when staff members may be dealing with virtual working challenges, stress and worry about illness, and children at home from school. “You have to manage things very carefully and set clear expectations,” says Martyn. “Our team has been amazing and adapted extremely well, but a lot of that is down to effective communication.”

    Preparing for the future

    While stabilising and adapting your business is key to survival, to keep trading once the crisis is over, preparation for the future is vital. And again, finding new ways to communicate is extremely important.

    “In the medtech industry, our usual method of opening new accounts would be to meet the people and demonstrate our products,” says John. “Obviously that has been disrupted now as hospitals don’t want people coming off the street amid the restrictions. We’ve had to develop more online training, online webinars and keynote speeches to try and attract a pipeline for the future that way.”

    Both Martyn and John agree that to succeed in the North American market, preparation and flexibility are needed. “We did a lot of research into the market and were fortunate to get a Market Discovery Fund grant approved through EI, which was pivotal for our entry into the market,” says Martyn.

    “It’s all about preparation; there is no such thing as an overnight success in the US market.”

    “Our modus operandi at EI over the past 30+ years has been to cultivate the client/buyer relationship,” says Sean.

    “With the opening of our Montreal office, we will have eight offices across North America. I would advise any client company to get in contact with our local manager and market adviser for help during this time. We have had the same communication issues as our clients, but we’ve moved quickly to adapt so we can continue to nurture those client-buyer relationships.”

    So what will be the future for Irish companies operating in North America? “At the start of this crisis, you couldn’t over-communicate, everyone wanted information,” says Sean. “But as it started to move through its different phases, we’ve moved more into trust and delegation. There will be a certain snap-back once we start to get back to normal and a certain amount of personal interaction will come back. On this point, there is a distinct difference between the US and Canada, as in Canada, those personal relationships are very important – which is why we have two offices there now.

    “There has always been a cultural affinity between America and Ireland – but there are a lot of domestic NA companies that will be dusting themselves off and looking at the opportunities within the region – of which there are plenty – and they may be taking advantage of the huge markets on their doorstep to help them recover. That will be a future challenge for our clients.”

    Evolve UK Podcast – Women in Construction

    Enterprise Ireland’s Evolve UK podcast series shares market insights to help Irish businesses identify opportunities across the UK.

    The ‘She Built That’ initiative was launched to highlight the real influence that women have in the Construction sector. As an industry so often criticised for its lack of diversity, this event highlighted the achievements of women in the sector and looked to inspire the next generation of great women in construction.

    One year on, Conor Stone and Kevin Fennelly sit down with the minds behind the initiative, Anne Corr and Niamh Kearney, to discuss the ideation, the execution and the impact of ‘She Built That’.

     

    Global Ambition – Industry Insights: Retail webinar


    Enterprise Ireland hosted a series of Global Ambition – Industry Insights sector focused webinars to deliver market intelligence on the evolving international export opportunities across global markets.

    This Retail webinar discusses:

    • The global opportunity for online retail, both now and longer term

    • Routes to market and regional differences

    • Implications for Irish brands and how to capitalise on the online opportunities

    Hosted by Enterprise Ireland’s Allyson Stephen with expert insights from

    • Frank van den Berg, CEO of InfinityBlue Marketplace

    • Michael Walsh, Marketing Director of Dubarry of Ireland

    Watch the webinar here.

    UKCA/CE Marking & How It Will Impact Your Business

     

    The webinar, UKCA/CE Marking & How It Will Impact Your Business, discussed the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessment) mark – the new UK product marking that will be required for certain products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most products that previously required the CE mark and will be relevant to many of our clients that export products to the UK. 

    The UKCA marking came into effect on 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022.

    This webinar will be helpful to anyone who wants to understand the complex requirements for UKCA marking and will focus on: 

    • Accreditation and Designation of Approved Bodies including UKAS’s role 

    • UKCA marking and the law: what you need to know

    • The marking and requirements for Northern Ireland

    • Trading with the UK: Product Regulatory Requirements and implications for the supply chain

    place based services

    UK Market Analysis of ‘Place’ Based Services – Waste Collection, Treatment and Street Cleansing

     

    This report provides details of how local authorities work and where Enterprise Ireland’s client companies should focus efforts to win work and develop a sustainable profitable foothold in the UK. The report focuses on two specific areas:
    • Understanding the UK local authority landscape, including the types of local authorities, the roles and responsibilities of elected Members and officers and how they fit in with the decision-making process of procuring the type of ‘place based’ services offered by Enterprise Ireland client companies.
    • Undertaking market analysis to identify the local authority procurement horizon/ pipeline for ‘place’ based services, focussing on waste collection, treatment and street cleansing services.

    Read the report here.

    Net Zero UK – UK Agriculture & the Net Zero Challenge – Webinar

     

    Enterprise Ireland UK hosted a webinar examining the net zero ambition of the UK agricultural sector and the implications for Irish SMEs working in the industry. Michael Haverty, Partner with The Andersons Centre, delivered a comprehensive briefing and Q&A session, which included:

    An overview of the UK’s policy drivers for net zero in agriculture, including, the Agriculture Bill, Environment Bill and the role of the devolved administrations

    • Carbon markets; The scope for direct payments to farmers for sequestration

    • Food industry initiatives; Consumer pressure, Retailer commitments to achieving net zero e.g. Co-op, Tesco, Sainsbury’s

    • Food processors and net zero commitments e.g., Arla, ABP

    • Farm level net zero implications; net zero agritech trends, implications for inputs usage

    • How Irish SMEs can maximise on the opportunites in this space

    Gain key business insights with our on-demand UK webinar series

     

    How digital health companies can navigate and enter the NHS

    This Enterprise Ireland webinar examines how to successfully enter and scale digital health solutions in the UK market, drawing from the experience of our panel.  

    The webinar will outline the key challenges and opportunities for digital health companies entering the NHS from both a supplier and NHS procurement perspective. With expert insights from:

    –             Sonia Neary, CEO and Founder of Wellola

    –             Niall Rafferty, CEO and Founder Medxnote

    –             Dr Sam Shah – Chief Medical Strategy Officer at Numan & previous        Director of Digital Development for NHSX

    –             Andy Kinnear – Former CIO, NHS

     

    Net Zero UK – Nine key steps towards a net zero construction business – Webinar

    The net zero challenge facing the UK will reform the ways in which business is done. This webinar focuses on the construction sector and examines the nine key steps towards a net zero construction business. Industry leaders from the UK and Ireland gave their insights and participated discussed their decarbonisation experiences.

    Speakers:

    • Isabel McAllister, Responsible Business Director, Mace

    • Dr. Matt Kennedy, Associate Director, Arup

    • Jo-Ann Garbutt, Director Sustainability, Mercury

    • Ché McGann, Sustainability Strategy & ESG Reporting Lead at Clearstream Solutions

    Gain key business insights with our on-demand UK webinar series

      Sullivans Brewing

      Keep on brewing

      Sullivans BrewingAlan Quane, Group CEO of Sullivan’s Brewing Company, speaks about continuing to grow during difficult circumstances and building an international brand

      Sullivan’s Brewing Company, based in Co Kilkenny, has a fascinating history, dating all the way back to 1702. The company boomed through famines, fires, and wars, until one fateful day in 1918, at the end of WW1, an unfortunate member of the Sullivan family – a descendant of original owner Richard Sullivan – lost the business over a bet on a horse. Sullivan’s was then acquired by Smithwick’s, formerly a rival of the company.

      Alan Quane says, “It was in 2016 when I had met Paul Smithwick through my work with Diageo and he told me he was resurrecting this great brewery. So along with Paul, his son Dan, who is our Finance Director, and Master Brewer Ian Hamilton, who has huge brewing experience internationally with Diageo, we relaunched the business.

      “Then there’s Michael Meade, our US based co-founder, who was a strong believer and instrumental in fundraising from day one. Alan Smithwick, a cousin of Paul’s, was also a co-founder. Alan is not only a Smithwick, but also a Sullivan. So we have the Sullivan blood in the business which has led to our brand tagline of ‘brewing is in our blood’.”

      With the help of Enterprise Ireland, who provided grant support, and Bord Bia, the team rebuilt the brewing business, with a real focus on exports. As soon as their ale was out their gates, they were exporting to the US, places such as Buffalo in Upstate New York. “Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia were extremely helpful from the early days,” says Alan.

      “We knew we had a great story to tell and we wanted to brew world-class quality beer to honour this heritage.” confirms Quane.

      “In fact, in 2017/18, we won the best beer in the world competition at the Oscars of the beer world in Burton-on-Trent, amongst 1,300 beers from over 45 countries around the world.”

       

      Silver lining to the Covid-19 crisis

      Having been through difficult times, including the Great Famine and many a rebellion, Sullivan’s Brewing Co. is no stranger to challenges – so how have the company been coping during the Covid-19 pandemic?

      “The on-trade shut down completely and utterly in all of our markets in the US, as well as Ireland,” says Alan. “The off-trade retail environment were very much focussed on big brands and boxes of the beer, so shoppers weren’t looking for ‘craft beer’ for the most part, they were really going after the deals and a quick-fire purchase.

      “We had to move with speed into survival mode, cutting our overheads and any costs we could get at. From a supply perspective, we had created great momentum in the States up to St Patrick’s Day prior to the lockdown. We had nine new markets in the US alone year to date, on top of six new markets added in 2019. This had led to great strain on our supply chain.

      “But during the lockdown, we were lucky enough to be able to brew here in Ireland and therefore we were able to build up the pipeline inventory for these US markets.

      “In Ireland we also started selling our beer online direct to consumers’ homes, keeping the brand front-and-centre during these very strange and isolating times. That was a silver lining in a very dark cloud.” says Quane

       

      Helping hand

      Sullivan’s Brewing Company and family motto has long been ‘standing up to do the right thing’. Back during the Great Famine, the brewery was transformed into a soup kitchen to serve food for those most in need. And this trait has lived on today. During lockdown, the company went above and beyond to support the community in Ireland and the US.

      “We sent pizzas from our Sullivan’s Taproom in Kilkenny to frontline staff at the regional hospital and Gardaí station,” says Alan. “We also contributed to the Answer Ireland’s Call charity, helping them repatriate much-needed frontline staff to Irish hospitals at the peak of the pandemic. Stateside, we helped deliver meals to people in need, for example, through the VA Medical Centre and Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, NY. That concept of community has always been important to us and our sales team were very happy to try to help.”

      So what has Alan learned from the pandemic?

      “As a team, we have learned that we are very resilient,” he says. “The team and our plans pivoted quickly to focus on a new set of priorities in an unprecedented and seismic change to our customers’ needs and channel dynamics. As always, we’ve learned that innovation and creativity is central to how we respond to the fast-changing needs of our trade partners.

      “We have also upweighted our activity on social media during lockdown, learning how to be much more effective in that channel for relevant brand news and engagement.” says Quane.

      Future focus

      Alan says they now have plans to relaunch their route to market in Ireland. “We’ll service pubs and restaurants directly ourselves. We will continue to use C&C, our distribution partner for other opportunities, but by taking control of the bars and restaurants, I believe this will give us a chance to get even closer to our customers and their needs, and see how we can better serve them.”

      Alan emphasises that a huge part of their future focus is exporting. “Having expanded to nine US markets in the early part of this year, on top of six last year, we have a lot of very new markets to nurture and grow. We’ve also plans to add more new markets in the US and look to the UK and Canada to continue to fuel our rapid expansion plans.

      “Throughout these difficult past few months, we’ve maintained a very close relationship with Enterprise Ireland. They supported our very successful and latest round of funding. They’re a firm believer in us and continue to help us as we transition from a high-potential start-up into a successful scaled-up business.”