EirePreneur

We've launched the MissionV website

As per the title - MissionV.ie

As always, it's a work in progress.

miLKlabs bringing Ignite to Limerick, April 6th

On Wednesday, April 6 2011, 7 pm in the Absolute Hotel, miLKlabs and IxDA Limerick are joining forces to organise the first Ignite talk series ever in our city!

Why this event?

The purpose of this event is to spread the news about miLKlabs, bring together like-minded people and create synergies between people from different backgrounds and highlight possible collaborations. We are also trying to shed a light on the creativity and talent of Limerick people and bringing them to the attention of the public. IxDA Limerick is hosting the event as part of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development programme.

What is Ignite?

In talks that are exactly five minutes long, Ignite presenters share their personal and professional passions, using 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds. Ignite events are run by local volunteers in many locations around the world, as part of the global Ignite network. Talks are video recorded and shared on the Internet, allowing local Ignites to share the knowledge and passion with the world (more about Ignite here).

What is miLKlabs?

miLKlabs is a collaborative community space based in Limerick City, Ireland. The name is derived from ‘made in LimericK’. It is meant as a shared physical space for any and all creative projects: art, woodwork, software, photography and electronics – to name but a few. The aim is to provide Limerick with a place for people to work and collaborate on creative projects, to learn and to share their knowledge.

What is IxDA Limerick?

IxDA Limerick is the local chapter of the Interaction Design Association, a global network dedicated to the professional practice of Interaction Design

How can I participate?

You can sign up for attending the event either on Facebook or on the IxDA meetup page If you have an interesting idea or project you’d like to talk about, there’s still room for speakers! Please drop us an email at [email protected] with your name and a title for your talk.

Shortlisted for Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Bootcamp

MissionV is the collaboration between GiftedKids.ie and Daynuv. We recently received the support of the NCTE to roll the project out to 20 schools in Ireland this year. We also applied to the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Social Impact Programme and have made it down to the last 42 (out of more than 200 applications received) for this years Bootcamp - 

42 people from all over Ireland will take part in the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland 2011 Bootcamp to pitch for a place on this year’s Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Social Impact Programme, with a total fund of €500,000 up for grabs. The 42 selected, from over 200 entries nationwide, will be joined on the day by a number of Dragons from RTE’s Dragons Den, sponsors DCC plc and supporters of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. 

At bootcamp applicants will pitch their ideas and answer a series of questions from a panel of judges from which six finalists will be chosen. The bootcamp, hosted at the Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, Citywest, Co Dublin, will also include workshops to be held throughout the day providing information and training to assist the participants in bringing their project forward and will include topics such as how to pitch, strategic planning, and marketing & PR. 

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland launched their 2011 Social Impact Programme, which is supported and sponsored by DCC plc, in January and sought applications from individuals developing new, big ideas to address the social and environmental challenges we face in Ireland. The bootcamp is part of the extensive eight month selection process for applicants which will result in six social entrepreneurs embarking on a three month ‘finalists programme’ prior to the announcement of three winners in October. These winners will then receive extensive funding and support as part of the Social Impact Programme to help them grow and increase the impact that they are having in Ireland.Since 2005, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has provided support to 142 social entrepreneurs, directly investing over €3.7m into supporting these exceptional individuals. These in turn have directly supported over 170,000 people and indirectly helped another 300,000 people. 

Further information is available online at www.socialentrepreneurs.ie.

MissionV to extend to 20 schools nationwide with support from NCTE

MissionV is very pleased to announce the support of the National Centrefor Technology in Education (NCTE) in it’s Phase 1 rollout to 20 primary schools in the school year 2011/2012. MissionV is a tool for building immersive learning experiences for high potential students.

We would like to thank Anne White, National Coordinator - ICT in the Curriculum, and Jerome Morrissey, NCTE Director, for their support for this innovative ICT schools project. “The project is innovative and is making excellent use of a number ofcutting edge technologies. It is very timely given the Department ofEducation and Skills’ prioritisation of numeracy at both primary and postprimary level. The use of a 3D learning environment and geometric buildingtools by children to collaboratively build 3D replicas generating a fullyinteractive world powered by their own software is very much in line withthe thinking and implementation of the project maths curriculum at postprimary which is being rolled out at present to all schools",  said Jerome Morrisey, NCTE Director

Mr. China brings contagious energy to Tralee

On Wednesday, 24th February, Cork man Liam Casey made international headlines when his company PCH International raised another $26 Million from investors. On Thursday, 25 February, Mr. China made a trip to Tralee, Co. Kerry to speak to participants on the Endeavour Programme.

And it's no exaggeration to say it was the most inspiring 90 minutes I've ever sat through. Arriving at 8pm, after a long drive from Cork, Casey took the floor and didn't stop talking until 9.30pm. But it felt like 5 minutes. The most enjoyable bit was when Casey recounted how he got his start by doing every thing necessary to take advantage of a business opportunity (including forgoing a night's sleep and speculatively hopping on a plane to the other side of the world). 

More than anything else the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 exhudes what is surely an entrepreneur's greatest quality - energy. Infectious, contagious, can't keep-it-in energy. You'd think the man would have been tired after was was surely a whirlwind few days, but no. He didn't want to stop talking! I'm sure he'd have gone on for another hour had the facilitator not brought a sympathetic end to proceedings.

If you ever get the opportuity to hear Liam Casey speak make sure you take it. 

miLKlabs tour of 091labs in Galway

miLKlabs is our brand new maker-space in Limerick - a place for creative people of all backgrounds to work on projects together.

On Tuesday evening seven members made a field-trip to our sister space in Galway - 091labs. There we heard an informal talk by a young Australian entrepreneur before taking a tour of the building and then enjoying a very pleasant 'round-table' discussion in a wonderfully comfy and relaxed environment.

Photo by Gabriela Avram

As late as it was when we were leaving you got the feeling that things were only getting started, with carpenters, electricians, painters and programmers deep in discussion and work.

Photo by Gabriela Avram

Irish made wonder robot (herds sheep, mows lawn....)

During our brainstorming session at miLKlabs (Limerick's new maker-space) last week we listened, in thrall, to new member Niall Dempsey as he told us about the robot he had built to help on his farm in Roscrea. 

FarmBot (the sheep herding robot) was initially inspired when Niall needed some assistance with herding sheep but didn't have enough work for a trained sheep dog. As the idea developed other uses sprang to mind and it has since become a multi-function robot.

Farmbot is basically a small (2 ft x 3 ft x 2 ft high approx.), four wheel, electrically power vehicle that is currently controlled remotely. It contains a video camera with night vision and transmitter. A video receiver connected to a TV, PC or a small portable screen enables the robot to be controlled from the comfort of an armchair while the the robot goes about its business at a range of up to 300 meters.

Currently it can herd sheep, observe livestock, mow the lawn, spray weeds, rake gravel, carry light loads, pull a small trailer, act as a security guard and entertain children (and grown ups). Niall's long term aim is to be able to control FarmBot over the internet given it a world wide range. 

Check out www.clikire.snappages.com for some details of FarmBot version 1.

 

SocialMedia.net presentation at next Thursday's Limerick OpenCoffee

Tom Murphy from SocialMedia.net will make a short presentation at next week's Limerick OpenCoffee Club (#LOCC). Founded in 2010 by John Breslin (co-founder Boards.ie) Galway-based SocialMedia.net has enjoyed a quick rise in the ranks of influential online tech media. 

Thursday's presentation by lead writer Tom Murphy will delve into the lessons learned from the first six months of an online publication. And what Tom has learned about Irish Technology startups. He will discuss the importance of having a clear purpose, marketing issues, and more.

The presentation shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes and of course #LOCC will keep it's informal structure so nobody is being forced to attend. Anyone who'd prefer to hold up the bar is welcome to do so...... though personally I think this will be a very interesting talk. Not to mention the fact that it's a publicity opportunity for startups.

Audio interviews with Irish entrepreneurs at LeWeb 2010

Web2Ireland.org has posted an excellent series of interviews with the Irish entrepreneurs who attended Europe's biggest internet conference last year - LeWeb 2010. Interviews were conducted by Paul O'Mahony who has a refreshingly down to earth style of questioning (i.e. it's more like listening in on a casual conversation).

Foreign students innovating in Ireland

The Think Outside the Box competition (formerly the Student Enterprise Awards) offers third level students from all academic disciplines and courses of study the opportunity to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, Mammoth Brand Consultancy and Cruickshank Intellectual Property Attorneys, all 3rd level students need to do is demonstrate to the judges that their business idea is viable, well thought out and well researched. 

There's a first place cash prize of €10,000 to be won plus the opportunity to avail of €12,500 worth of specialist advice and assistance to potentially help turn your enterprise idea into a business reality. 

Below you can hear Xiao Fang Zhang talk about the most technologically innovative idea from the 2009 competition -

 

By the way, when looking for more information on Med-o-ware I came across this terrific video postcard that Xiao Fang Zhang sent relating to her experiences of studying and innovating in Ireland -