Description
To gain advice and mentoring from 24 successful Entrepreneurs from Ireland and beyond.
Ballymaloe, Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Friday 27th - Saturday 28th March 2015
Tweet us at: @CorkBIC
#EntrepreneurExperience
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
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Partners:
The Entrepreneur Experience® is a unique 24 Hour Experience for
? 8 Entrepreneurs with a new idea,
? 8 Entrepreneurs with an investor ready proposition, or
? 8 Entrepreneurs with an established business that is seeking to scale
to gain advice and mentoring from 24 successful Entrepreneurs from Ireland
and beyond. This 24 hour experience includes one-to-one sessions, deep dive
analysis, constructive group sessions, pitching sessions and inspiring plenary
sessions.
Be prepared this is not for the faint-hearted!
Some comments from participants at previous Entrepreneur Experience® events:
This event was as good as it gets, the future of Ireland is in the entrepreneurial small companies – Frank
Madden, Crest Solutions
There is real optimism here today. You will never fatten a pig by weighing it! – Liam Casey, PCH
International
Life changing and game changing event - Fred Karlsson, Donedeal
Inspirational and Energetic, it was like drinking Red Bull for 24 hours! - Kevin O’Leary, Qumas
Rehab for the Recession - An incredibly uplifting can-do event with incredible honesty by business
superstars - Paul Prendergast, Inhance Technology.
Angel dust for start-ups! - Eugene Murphy, Tweekaboo
This is a room full of believers; passion is oozing out of everybody - Robert Leslie, GBR
This event will have the same effect on my business as deep heat has on an athlete! - Grainne Kelly,
Bubblebum
"The Entrepreneur Experience® is the best entrepreneurship event in the world bar none!"
Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Aer Arann
“This is real, 24 of Ireland’s leading Entrepreneurs giving their time to help the next generation of
Entrepreneurs. The event has become one of the key pillars supporting Irish Entrepreneurship in recent
years. It’s high impact and not for the fainthearted.” - Pete Smyth, Broadlake
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We invite 24 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
PAULO ANDREZ is a Business Angel investor in several companies. He is a Board Member of
Entrepreneurship Agency DNA Cascais and of FNABA (Portuguese Business Angel Federation).
One of his Angel investments, a start-up producing industrial resins reached revenues of €25
million 2011, in its first full year of trading. Paulo served as President of EBAN from 2012-2014
(European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds, and start-ups). He is a member
of the European Commission Advisory Group “Innovation in SMEs”. Since 2012, he has been
advising several European governments on Early Stage Investment policies. In 2012 he received
the EBAN award for the “Best European Angel Investment”. Paulo Andrez has a serial
entrepreneur background and has created several companies in IT software, training, wooden
products and real estate. He is an IT Engineer and has an MBA from Nova University in Lisbon.
JIM BARRY is the Managing Director of Barry Group, one of Ireland’s most respected
wholesale distribution groups. The company employs over 230 people at its state of the art
headquarters in Mallow, Co. Cork. Under Jim’s vision and leadership, Barry Group has grown
from a once local business to a leading wholesale distribution company. Trading both
nationally and internationally and supplying over 1,000 customers; Barry Group manages 265
franchises under the Costcutter, Carry Out Off Licence, and Quik Pick symbols. Jim was listed
as a finalist in the EY, Entrepreneur of the year awards in 2010. Barry Group was listed as one of
Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in 2010 and has been reaccredited every year since then.
Barry Group was named as a Great Place To Work in 2015 and Jim was honoured to be named
‘Irelands Most Trusted Leader’ at the 2015 Great Place To Work Awards.
LARRY BASS, CEO of Screentime ShinAwiL established ShinAwiL Productions Ltd in 1999
before forming a joint venture with Screentime Australia in 2003, and forming Screentime
ShinAwiL, now one of the largest independent production companies in Ireland. In 2009
Screentime ShinAwiL Ltd. opened its first UK office in Northern Ireland and 2012 saw its first
BBC NI commission, Undercover NI. Larry has executive produced the Irish versions of the
multi award winning series, The Apprentice which won 2 Irish Film and Television Awards,
Dragons Den, MasterChef Ireland and most recently the hugely successful The Voice of Ireland.
Larry is keen to grow the business of creative content in Ireland as a pillar of our economy.
Larry is an International Ambassador of the International Rose d’Or, an advisory board member
of FÁS Screen Training Ireland and Entertainment Masterclass. Larry has guest lectured at DIT
Dublin, IADT Dublin, MIPCOM, SPAA Australia and Entertainment Masterclass. In 2010 Larry
was appointed to the Board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland by the Irish government.
GILLES BOUCHARD, CEO of the Executive Business Accelerator, is a Serial entrepreneur and
investor with a successful investment track record. He has been a founder and CEO at Internet
Media Telecom start-ups and Group Secretary General at Groupama Gan. Other titles include
Secretary General at FFSAM (Fédération Française des Sociétés d'Assurances Mutuelles),
Advisor to the President at CNJA, Auditor at UE - Centre Français de Promotion Industrielle and
Founder Associate at NHP - Patents development. Gilles is Vice President of Harvard Business
Angels France, based in Paris. Internationally, HBS Alumni Angels members have invested in
over 35 companies since 2007. Among them are ShopItToMe, RepairPal, STwo, and Grouply
(acquired by Oodle). Gilles is a graduate of Harvard Business School, Ecole d’Application du
Génie Militaire and Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He spent 14 years abroad in Europe,
Africa & USA. His areas of special expertise include – launching of start-ups, business units
turnarounds, M&As and IPOs.
JIM BREEN founded PulseLearning in 1999 and is the driving force behind the company’s high
standards of excellence and rapid progression as a globally dominant eLearning organization.
Providing strategic direction and motivation for PulseLearning’s future development, Jim
keeps employees, investors, and business partners focused on exceeding customers’ goals.
Deloitte ranked PulseLearning as the fastest growing technology company on the island of
Ireland and Jim was shortlisted for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. He graduated from
the Executive Development program at Stanford University in California. In 2010, Jim joined the
board of CorkBIC and also founded TriGrandPrix, an international triathlon events company, in
the same year. In 2012, he established Cycle Against Suicide, a charity focused on reducing the
number of lives lost to suicide in Ireland.
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PETER CROWLEY, founded Crowley Services and started Dyno Rod in Cork in 1975. Between
1978 and 1985 Dyno Rod expanded into the rest of Ireland and in 1990 Peter started BioFlow, a
fats oil and grease (FOGs) management service to food serving establishments (FSEs) and is
now the Industry leader. In 1996 he co-founded Communicate 2000 to provide mobile
communication solutions to Irish business which he successfully operated, grew and sold in
1999. Peter is currently involved with a variety of projects and start-up companies both as a
mentor and investor and has invested in many start-up companies. 2006 saw the start of
LowFlo, a water management and leak detection service for industrial, local authority and
domestic markets which is being used in Ireland and in the Middle East. Peter is currently
working with CIT and Nimbus on two separate projects to develop new technologies in FOGs
management and control and the pipe and drain cleaning and maintenance area.
BRIAN CROWLEY is the CEO of The TTM Group, one of Ireland’s largest recruitment
companies, TTM Healthcare, and also its service delivery subsidiary Resilience Healthcare, one
of Ireland’s largest providers of complex home care. Employing 200 permanent staff and over
800 contractors, TTM Group are projected to generate revenues in excess of €50m in 2015.
TTM Group operate internationally through offices in the UK, Germany and the Middle East
supplying temporary and permanent workforce solutions to both the private and public sector.
Brian was a member of the judging panel for Irelands Best Young Entrepreneur (www.ibye.ie)
and also sits on the implementation committee for the Government’s Entrepreneurship
Strategy. Brian was a former Irish boxing international and currently mentors young start-up
companies and also one of our international Rugby stars. Brian was a finalist in the
International category of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, 2014.
SHEMAS EIVERS is co-founder and Managing Partner of Avnet Client Solutions, which was
acquired by Horizon in 2001 and subsequently by Avnet in 2008. He is now in his 20th year
leading the team in Avnet Client Solutions and has recently been working with Ascendant
EMEA to merge the best traits of both organisations. He previously worked as a research
engineer at the National Microelectronics Research Centre and was co-founder of Software
Manufacturing Consultants Limited where his role progressed from Technical Director to
Managing Director before selling the company to Kentz Technologies. He has founded several
other businesses over the years ranging from Video shops and Karting tracks to Investments
funds. Shemas holds a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from University College Cork. He is
also co-founder and chairman of the National Software Centre in Ireland (birthplace of the
CoderDojo movement) and a co-founder of IT@Cork. In 2007 Shemas was one of five people
given an IT Pioneer award by the Irish Computer Society.
KARL FLANNERY is a business leader and technology enthusiast. As recent Chair of the Irish
Software Association he is firmly committed to advancing the profile and needs of the Irish
Software and Digital Technology sector in the national and international arena. Currently chair
of the Industry Advisory Board for Knowledge Transfer Ireland and chairing one of the Delivery
Teams for the governments ICT Action Plan for Jobs. Karl has over 30 years’ experience in the
ICT industry, starting his career in the area of integrated voice and data terminals with Nortel.
In 1995, Karl co-founded Storm Technology. Since then he has taken the company from a
startup operation to a well-respected, profitable company, which focuses on developing
business solutions on the Microsoft platform for the enterprise. Storm Technology has a team
of over 90 staff and operates out of Dublin and Galway. Karl has a B.Sc. in Applied Physics from
NUIG, Diploma in Intellectual Property in Information Technology from the Law Society of
Ireland and a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management from the Irish Management
Institute.
DECLAN FOX, serial entrepreneur, technologist, digital marketer and business coach, co-
founded Comnitel Technologies in 1999 and as CEO, grew the company from start-up, raising
€30M from leading institutional investors. Comnitel later merged with a US Telco, and was
acquired by IBM in 2007. Founder of Magellan Partners, a venture & entrepreneurial advisory
consultancy, with a focus on innovative technology companies across different sectors. Co-
Founded OmniVend, a successful network, revenue and service management company. Declan
is actively involved with a number of high achieving early stage technology companies assisting
them scale internationally.
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TERRY FOX, founder of Cupprint, has developed in-depth knowledge of print technologies and
methods. Having started as an engineer, Terry went on to become a press operator before
graduating to production management, sales management and becoming the overall
Managing Director in a previous business. Cupprint was set up in 2009 with 7 people to address
a huge gap in the market. Cupprint manufacture short run, fast turnaround, bespoke paper
cups. Cupprint’s largest market is the UK followed by Germany and then Ireland. Cupprint
currently produce 8 million cups per month and their sales have grown every year since 2009.
They now employ more than 66 people at their plant in Ireland and sales offices in Germany.
Terry was the Emerging Category Winner in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014.
JOANNA GARDINER, Managing Director, Ovelle Pharmaceuticals, is the granddaughter of the
founder of this Irish Pharmaceutical company established in 1934. Joanna has led the company
through a significant period of international growth since 2011. Taking on new investment and
implementing new sales and R&D strategies, resulted in the company’s innovative
dermatological skincare brands Ovelle and Elave building on their success in Ireland opening up
new markets in the UK, Europe, China and the US markets. Joanna grew up in Dundalk and
studied Business, Economics and Social Studies in Trinity College Dublin, followed by a
graduate internship with Enterprise Ireland before joining Ovelle in sales and marketing roles.
Joanna took over as MD in 2001. Ovelle Pharmaceuticals today employ 48+ people in R&D,
Finance, Manufacturing & Sales and Marketing. Joanna was appointed by the Minister of
Education as Chair of the Governing body of Dundalk Institute of Technology for 5 years from
2006 – 2011.
DONAL GARRIHY co-founded 2468 (previously called Wild About Water) in 2003 to serve the
Irish watercooler market. The business has grown rapidly in recent years both in terms of
turnover and product range. Employing 90 people, the company is headquartered in Ireland
with 80% of its sales in the UK. 2468 now serves 8,000 companies in Ireland and the UK
offering a range of office services from coffee to water to washroom. It has recently
established an Irish-based production facility to produce water and coffee products for its
home markets as well as several European countries. Prior to 2468, Donal spent 10 years as
Sales & Marketing Director EMEA for Oasis, the world oldest and largest watercooler
manufacturer. From a greenfield site in Ireland established to serve the new European market,
the business grew to 270 people serving 60 countries with subsidiary manufacturing in Poland.
CHARLES GARVEY is CEO of Metabolomic Diagnostics, an innovative medical diagnostics
company developing technologies for the early detection of a woman’s risk of complications
during her pregnancy. From 1990 to 2003 Charles was CEO of Horizon Technology Group which
started life as a small Apple Computer reseller in Cork and grew into a large pan European IT
group, listed on the Dublin and London stock exchanges and completing 13 acquisitions and
disposals along the way. At its peak the group was worth over €1Bn and employed 720 people
in 5 countries through 13 separate companies. The company was eventually sold to Avnet Inc
in 2008. Charles was also previously CEO (now chairman) of NitroSell, an eCommerce company
focussed on web enabling bricks and mortar retailers, predominantly in the USA. NitroSell’s
technology seamlessly integrates in-store and online systems and has enabled their retailers to
generate close to $1Billion in online sales to date.
NEIL GORDON gained experience, prior to 1998, in technical marketing and management roles
within multinationals in the vehicle equipment (Interbalco - United States) and computer
peripheral industries (Alps Electric, Japan). Between 1998 and 2003, he was responsible for
international OEM business development and marketing at the Shannon division of US
multinational, C&D Technologies, a power supply company with 14 divisions and 2000
employees worldwide. Career has a strong emphasis on international sales and marketing. Neil
joined CorkBIC in April 2007, from Irish software start-up Global Mobile Encryption (GME). This
senior strategic role focused on technology development, product strategy and IP
management. Neil gained extensive experience in working with and liaising with GME's Swiss
venture capitalists. Neil brings this experience to his current role in CorkBIC offering
consultancy and business planning to high-tech start-ups.
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PATRICK JORDAN was the owner of Easy Access Ltd which was a start-up in 1992 and was sold
to Siteserv Plc in 2006. The business employed 78 people in 2006. Post sale Patrick worked as
COO for the Siteserv group until 2012. The business was subsequently bought by Denis O Brien.
Patrick is a minority investor in a number of companies since 2012 namely Alanya ltd which has
developed technology to remotely monitor the health of Livestock, Caramagic which has
developed expertise in the area of streaming voice changer technology, 3D Character
development and VoIP and Salaso Ltd who have developed a video production process
founded on multimedia research in how to best learn from video, exercises and exercise
protocols based on well researched trials and evidence based clinical practice and their
software incorporates data monitoring and validated patient reported outcomes to show the
effectiveness of exercise therapy.
GRAINNE KELLY is the CEO and inventor of BubbleBum UK Ltd, manufacturer of the worlds
first inflatable car booster seat for kids. BubbleBum was founded in December 2009 and has
rocketed to success, winning major worldwide awards. The product is now for sale in 26
countries globally with major stores such as Walmart, Target, Tesco, Boots, Halfords, Migros,
Naurauto and Aubert. Without the aid of a PR company, in Oct2012 BubbleBum featured on the
front page of the USAToday, The Wall Street Journal and on major national channels such as
RTE, BBC, CBS News and Fox. With a new range of products launching in April 2015, Grainne
has already been named the Belfast Telegraph Business Woman of the Year 2010, EY
Entrepreneur of the year finalist 2011 and Women In Business Award winner 2013.
PEACHES KEMP co-founded Itsa with her sister Domini in 1999. Having started with one bagel
shop 16 years ago, the Kemps now have 17 outlets including itsa at the Irish Museum of
Modern Art, itsa at The Hugh Lane Gallery, The Tearooms at Dublin Castle, and itsa@Harvey
Nichols. They also run Table Restaurant in Brown Thomas Cork and the Gallery Café in the
National Gallery of Ireland. They have an event catering branch called Feast and are resident
caterers in Powerscourt House, Enniskerry. In 2012 they founded Hatch & Sons Irish Kitchen on
Stephens Green. They launched a new brand for speciality coffee in 2013 called Joe’s and will
open a second Joe’s in March 2015. In October 2014 they launched Alchemy, an eatery that
specialises in cold pressed juices and food focused on health. Itsa is director owned and run,
has an annual turnover of €6 million and employs 105 people. Peaches is a qualified chef, has a
post graduate degree in PR, and holds an advanced diploma from the Wine and Spirit
Education Trust (UK). She won Image Businesswoman of the Year in 2009 and was a finalist in
the EY Entrepreneur of the year programme in 2011. She is on the EY EOY Alumni Board and
has recently joined the board of ICE (Inner City Enterprise), a non for profit private charity set
up to fund and mentor start-up businesses.
ELEANOR MCEVOY is CEO of Budget Energy Ltd. Since 1991, Eleanor has successfully built and
sold two companies; Pembroke Distributors LTD and Phonecard Warehouse LTD. Budget
Energy entered the Northern Ireland electricity market in June 2011 and have grown a
customer base of over 60,000 customers. It is a consumer led, profit driven and price effective
energy provider. Under Eleanor’s leadership, Budget Energy is proud to have won a number of
prestigious awards, including the ‘Ulster Bank Business Achievers Best Business Start-up 2011’ -
Northern Ireland Regional and National winner. Eleanor won the UTV Business Personality of
the Year in 2013 and in the same year was a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Eleanor sits on the IRUPA Board who serve to support and facilitate professional Irish Rugby
players, both male and female, during and after their professional careers. Eleanor also sits on
the Board of EY EOY Alumni and was recently awarded a Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship
by the University of Ulster.
EILEEN MOLONEY practised as a lawyer in the UK and the USA before returning to Ireland in
1984 to lead marketing for North Star VAR. Eileen co-founded Expert Edge Computer Systems
in 1986 delivering expert system software solutions, heading up its UK start-up in London in
1991. Went on to provide Business Development & Marketing Consultancy to small and
medium sized enterprises with limited marketing focus and to larger companies penetrating
new markets ('92-94). Delivered Training Programmes for the IPA on Leadership & Modern
Management Methods to top level Civil Servants in Europe. Joined CorkBIC in 1997 to develop
the Graduate (later Genesis) Enterprise Programme (delivered via CorkBIC) - a one year rapid
incubation for start-up companies. Has delivered several business start-up programmes. She is
an Accredited Mediator for Commercial Dispute Resolution with the Chartered Institute of
Arbitrators, London.
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DAVID MCKERNAN, CEO & Founder of Java Republic, is a persistent, passionate and high-
spirited entrepreneur. In 1999, he emerged from Bewley’s to found Java Republic Roasting
Company. This innovative company quickly became one of Ireland’s most successful brands,
and one of Europe’s leading coffee companies. Java Republic is notable for a distinctive vision:
Premium, fresh handroasted coffee – with a conscience. Java Republic’s coffee has won
multiple awards for taste and quality, while those who grow their coffee beans saw fairer
prices, and improved living standards from direct aid and infrastructure projects. David has
developed a reputation as a motivational speaker and campaigner for physical fitness as a
driver for positive mental health. With nearly 12 years of success in Ireland, David is now
focussing on bringing his unique brand of superb coffee and straight talking to an international
audience.
NEIL O’BRIEN is a Registered Occupational Psychologist and has been involved in the area of
people development for over 15 years. Having spent 9 years working for a number of
multinational consultancies including SHL, PwC and Pearn Kandola. Neil founded O’Brien
Consulting Business Psychologists Ltd (OBC) in 2009. Since its foundation, OBC have consulted
to many of the leading Irish and Global organizations including Bank of Ireland, Microsoft,
Vodafone, PwC, Petronas, Axa, Marks & Spencer etc. Outside of the world of business, Neil is
also an IRB Level 2 Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and has been instrumental in the
development of high performing rugby teams. In addition, Neil is also the founder of
Keepfit.ie, one of Dublin’s leading fitness schools. Neil’s range of experience means that his
development and coaching skills can be applied in an unrivalled variety of settings in both
business and sport.
MICHAEL O’CONNOR is CEO of CorkBIC, a venture consultancy specialising in high technology
or innovative projects usually involving international growth. Previous experience was with
manufacturing and sales start-ups, like Raychem Corporation before co-founding Intepro, a
venture capital backed Irish IT start-up. Responsible for strategy and sales and marketing in the
European start-up and led the US market entry with several rounds of international venture
capital before a successful trade sale. Since returning from the USA he has created many new
initiatives in Cork and has advised over 100 start-ups with CorkBIC. He graduated from
Cambridge University in Engineering and London Business School and the Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania specialising in strategy and international finance. Board member of
several companies and interests in governance and building effective Boards.
COLUM O’SULLIVAN (Sully) completed a BSc degree in Food Business in UCC in 1999. Having
spent 4 years working with Musgrave Group in their Operations department, he left to set up
Cully & Sully in September 2004 with Cullen Allen from Ballymaloe House. Cully & Sully supply
over 1,500 shops nationwide, and is exporting to both France and the UK. All Cully and Sully
recipes originate from Ballymaloe House and all of the food is produced in Ireland using all Irish
beef, lamb & chicken. Cully & Sully were finalists in the 2007 EY Entrepreneur of the Year
awards and the Shell Livewire awards. Cully & Sully won the Meteor Best Local Producer
awards and were the first Irish company to win a category award at the Sial d’Or awards in
Shanghai. The company went on win the Global Sial d’Or award in Paris, beating 248 products
from 30 countries all over the world. Cully & Sully was sold to US based Hain Celestial Group in
2012.
KEVIN O'LEARY has been with QUMAS since its inception and was responsible for the original
design and development of the company's first product release. Kevin has worked within
regulated industries since 1987 and has extensive knowledge of regulatory compliance
solutions. He established the company's presence in the United States in 1997 and now serves
as the company's CEO. Having originally majored in computer science, Kevin pursued further
studies in industrial management and now works closely with regulators and industry
organizations to ensure that QUMAS solutions meet the compliance needs of regulated
companies. In 2006, Qumas was named Company of the Year by the Irish Software Association
and Kevin was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Award.
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GER O’MAHONY is an entrepreneur who has accumulated significant experience mainly in
technology but also in other industry sectors. He has been involved in a number of successful
technology start-ups including being the founder of the software business Engage
Technologies Group and its subsequent sale to NorthgateArinso (a FTSE 250 company) and
also being the co-founder of the networking systems integrator Bridgecom Group and its
subsequent sale to Denis O’Brien’s Esat Telecom. He has completed funding rounds, identified
and successfully completed and integrated company acquisitions and negotiated company
disposals during this period. Recently Ger has focused on helping established technology
companies to scale and grow both in Irish and International markets. These include the high
growth businesses Action Point Technology Group and Voxpro Communications both of which
have achieved revenue growth in excess of 50% year on year over the past three years.
PAUL PRENDERGAST, CEO Inhance Technology, is a serial entrepreneur and has been involved
in retail, services, web and publishing start-ups for 12 years. Paul had the initial idea for Inhance
Technology (originally Yougetitback.com), and works closely with their global client base in
North America & Europe. Inhance Technology is an award winning technology company based
in Cork with a global client base of the largest Consumer electronic retailers, mobile device
insurance companies and telecom carriers globally - clients include Best Buy, Virgin, Orange,
AIG, Carphone Warehouse. In Feb 2013 Inhance opened a sales office in Boston, USA to
support its growth in North America.
ANTHONY QUIGLEY, Director and Founder, Digital Marketing Institute, the global certification
standard in digital marketing, is considered one of the pioneers of digital marketing in Ireland.
He was an early internet enthusiast, having launched MSN for Microsoft in Ireland as far back
as 1995. As an entrepreneur he has created, developed and sold a number of successful
ventures. Prior to launching the Digital Marketing Institute, Anthony founded or held director
level positions in eWare, iQuate, Microsoft, Net Results and Web Kitchen among other
businesses. Outside his role with the Digital Marketing Institute Anthony advises and mentors
organisations on how to plan and implement digital marketing campaigns, using online
technologies as part of their business growth.
ASIER RUFINO, CEO of Tecnalia Ventures, having previously worked as a management
consultant for Accenture, BNP Paribas and The Parthenon Group. More recently Asier has
focused on entrepreneurship and innovation by providing business development, strategy and
coaching services to start-ups and SMEs and is a board member (Chairman in one of them) of a
number of start-ups. Asier worked at the Basque Institute of Competitiveness (Orkestra) in
projects such as the launch of Business Angels Crecer+, the most successful business angel
network in the Basque Country. Asier is the co-founder and member of the investment
committee of Microwave Ventures, a seed capital fund focusing on software and internet
investments. He also coaches new ventures in the Executive MBA of the Deusto Business
School. Asier holds an MBA from London Business School / Sloan MIT and has a Bachelor
Degree in Business Administration from the Basque Country University in Spain.
SEAN RYAN is founder and CEO of Aspen Grove Solutions. Since 1995 Sean has been working
on Internet-based business-service solutions and has successfully put the Internet to work as a
secure business-to-business service medium in many industries including insurance, legal,
education, construction, and real estate. Sean has vast experience of leading enterprise
solution implementation and integration on private cloud architecture. Employing 120
professionals between Kerry Ireland and Maryland USA, Sean is now fully focused on growing
Aspen Grove Solutions into a significant player in the US real estate compliance and vendor
management industries. Sean was a finalist in the 2012 EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
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PETE SMYTH is founder and CEO of Broadlake a private investment company focused on
investing in established and growing SMEs. Broadlake manages €100m of family capital,
investing €1-10m in ambitious businesses. Pre Broadlake Pete was CEO of Noonan Services
Group where he led the Group through a period of high growth culminating in the sale of the
business in 2008. At the time it was one of Ireland largest Service companies employing 5,500
people. Former life experiences include periods in Private Equity and Investment Banking -
Grown cynical of both. More importantly he is a Father of 4, Husband of 1, Lapsed Sailor,
Thinker, Dreamer and above all an Optimist, Entrepreneur at heart and always looking for the
next great company to work with.... @BroadlakePete
DR JOHNNY WALKER, founded Global Diagnostics in 2002 and in 2007, Global Diagnostics
entered the Irish market through an alliance with Centric Health, a company that provides a
range of innovative and accessible primary care services with the aim of keeping people out of
hospital. In October 2012 Johnny was invited to join the Singularity University Executive
Program at NASA, an intense dive into accelerating technological change in an intimate forum
with world experts and leading thinkers from across the technology tracks. In November 2012
Johnny supported an MBO of Centric Health and successfully exited the business. He launched
his new project Health Founders in November 2012 as an international Foundry for innovative
exponential "personalised, digital, mobile" technologies focussed on positively disrupting
healthcare. Johnny returned to Singularity University for the FutureMed 2013 Program in Feb
2013. Johnny is a Director and Mentor on The HealthXL Accelerator Program which launched in
Dublin in February 2013.
GEORGE YOUNG is currently engaged in the development of Eisergy Ltd, an early-stage
business focused on innovations relevant to electronic and magnetic aspects of power
conversion. Prior to establishing Eisergy in 2012, he managed the engineering activities at
Texas Instruments (Cork). This followed the acquisition in 2008 by Texas Instruments of
Commergy Ltd, a business he founded in 1998. His earlier career alternated between business
and technical activities, including a number of years with DCC plc in venture capital and
corporate finance activities, and with Telectron Limited – later AT&T – in telecommunications
equipment design. George holds BE, PhD and MBA degrees from University College Dublin. He
holds 9 US patents and is the author of two books on technical/business topics.
I loved the Entrepreneur Experience. It reaffirms the things all successful entrepreneurs know:
leadership drives success, and leadership comes through relationships and team development. The
Entrepreneur Experience gives entrepreneurs a leg-up on living a more vital life - Sean O’Sullivan,
SOSVentures
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Agenda* for the 2015 Entrepreneur Experience®
Friday 27
th
and Saturday 28
th
April; Ballymaloe, Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Friday 27
th
March 2015
Time
Event
Venue
Pre- Experience Briefings
10:30 –
11:30
Briefing for Emerging Entrepreneurs
Chair: Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
11:30 –
12:15
Briefing for Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Chair: Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
The Entrepreneur Experience®
12:15 –
13:00
Meet & Greet over Lunch
The Grain Store
13:00 –
13:05
Welcome - Michael O’Connor, CorkBIC
The Grain Store
13:05 –
13:10
Launching the 2015 Entrepreneur Experience® – Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
13:10 –
13:30
Jim Barry, Barry Group – ‘Ireland’s Most Trusted Leader’
The Grain Store
13:30 –
14:10
Panel Discussion – Building the right Team
Jim Barry, Paul Prendergast, Brian Crowley, Gilles Bouchard (Chair: Pete Smyth)
The Grain Store
14:10 –
14:30
Paulo Andrez, EBAN – How to attract Investment and what to do with your investment
The Grain Store
14:30 –
16:30
First round of Group Coaching Sessions:
? Group 1, The Ideas Group – Chair: Jim Barry, Barry Group
? Group 2, The Investor Ready Group – Chair: Ger O’Mahony, Voxpro
? Group 3, The Scaling Group – Chair: Charles Garvey, Metabolomic Diagnostics
Conservatory –
Group 3
Long Room –
Group 2
Carriguan Room –
Group 1
16:30 –
18:00
First round of One-on-One Coaching Sessions between Seasoned Entrepreneurs and
Emerging Entrepreneurs.
Output - Identify personal assignments
All around
Ballymaloe
18:00 Bus leaves Ballymaloe to go to Garryvoe Hotel
Outside
the Grain Store
18:00 –
19:00
Shower & Change into your Country and Western outfit!
Ballymaloe &
Garryvoe Hotel
18:45
Bus leaves Garryvoe Hotel to return to Ballymaloe
Garryvoe Hotel
19:00 –
20:00
Raising the Bar – Getting the most from your TEAM – Surprise Speaker The Grain Store
20:00 –
20:30
Drinks Reception The Drinks Theatre
20:30 –
23:00
Dinner - Country and Western Theme The Drinks Theatre
22:00 –
22:30
Terry Fox, Cupprint
Entrepreneurs in conversation with Pete Smyth
The Drinks Theatre
22:30 Presentation of the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame® Award The Drinks Theatre
00:30 Bus leaves Ballymaloe to go to Garryvoe Hotel
Outside
The Grain Store
10
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
®
Saturday 28
th
March
Time
Event
Venue
07:00 –
07:45
Breakfast
Ballymaloe House
& Garryvoe
07:45
Bus leaves Garryvoe Hotel to go to Ballymaloe - Please ensure you check out!
Garryvoe
08:00 -
09:30
Second Round of Group Coaching Sessions:
? Group 1, The Ideas Group – Chair: Jim Barry, Barry Group
? Group 2, The Investor Ready Group – Chair: Ger O’Mahony, Voxpro
? Group 3, The Scaling Group – Chair: Charles Garvey, Metabolomic Diagnostics
Conservatory –
Group 3
Long Room –
Group 2
Carriguan Room –
Group 1
09:30
10:30
Second round of One-on-One Coaching Sessions between Seasoned Entrepreneurs and
Emerging Entrepreneurs
All around
Ballymaloe
10:30 –
12:00
Venture Academy for Group 2
Chair: Paulo Andrez
TO ATTEND
Group 2 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 2 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Seasoned Entrepreneurs can also
attend
The Grain Store
Managing Growth – Group 3
Chair: Pete Smyth
TO ATTEND
Group 3 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 3 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Seasoned Entrepreneurs can
also attend
Carriguan Room
Carriguan Room
and
The Grain Store
12:00 –
12:20
Larry Bass, Screentime ShinAwil – Get your Story Straight!
The Grain Store
12:20 –
12:50
Panel Discussion - Investing in your brand
Joanna Gardiner, Gráinne Kelly, Larry Bass, Anthony Quigley (Chair: Jim Breen)
The Grain Store
12:50
Report back on the Experience & The Entrepreneur Experience® Awards
? Group Chairs feedback
? Group Chairs Announce awards for each Group
? Feedback from Neil O’Brien on his observations of the Group Sessions
? Feedback from some Participants – How was it for you?
The Grain Store
13:15
Wrap-up - Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
13:15
Parting sandwich and “Hug & Fly”
The Grain Store
13:30 END
The Grain Store
11
Tel: +353 (0)21 230 7014
email: [email protected]
Web: www.corkbic.com Spend 24 hours with Ireland’s leading Entrepreneurs
doc_419065741.pdf
To gain advice and mentoring from 24 successful Entrepreneurs from Ireland and beyond.
Ballymaloe, Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Friday 27th - Saturday 28th March 2015
Tweet us at: @CorkBIC
#EntrepreneurExperience
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
®
Partners:
The Entrepreneur Experience® is a unique 24 Hour Experience for
? 8 Entrepreneurs with a new idea,
? 8 Entrepreneurs with an investor ready proposition, or
? 8 Entrepreneurs with an established business that is seeking to scale
to gain advice and mentoring from 24 successful Entrepreneurs from Ireland
and beyond. This 24 hour experience includes one-to-one sessions, deep dive
analysis, constructive group sessions, pitching sessions and inspiring plenary
sessions.
Be prepared this is not for the faint-hearted!
Some comments from participants at previous Entrepreneur Experience® events:
This event was as good as it gets, the future of Ireland is in the entrepreneurial small companies – Frank
Madden, Crest Solutions
There is real optimism here today. You will never fatten a pig by weighing it! – Liam Casey, PCH
International
Life changing and game changing event - Fred Karlsson, Donedeal
Inspirational and Energetic, it was like drinking Red Bull for 24 hours! - Kevin O’Leary, Qumas
Rehab for the Recession - An incredibly uplifting can-do event with incredible honesty by business
superstars - Paul Prendergast, Inhance Technology.
Angel dust for start-ups! - Eugene Murphy, Tweekaboo
This is a room full of believers; passion is oozing out of everybody - Robert Leslie, GBR
This event will have the same effect on my business as deep heat has on an athlete! - Grainne Kelly,
Bubblebum
"The Entrepreneur Experience® is the best entrepreneurship event in the world bar none!"
Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Aer Arann
“This is real, 24 of Ireland’s leading Entrepreneurs giving their time to help the next generation of
Entrepreneurs. The event has become one of the key pillars supporting Irish Entrepreneurship in recent
years. It’s high impact and not for the fainthearted.” - Pete Smyth, Broadlake
2
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
®
We invite 24 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
PAULO ANDREZ is a Business Angel investor in several companies. He is a Board Member of
Entrepreneurship Agency DNA Cascais and of FNABA (Portuguese Business Angel Federation).
One of his Angel investments, a start-up producing industrial resins reached revenues of €25
million 2011, in its first full year of trading. Paulo served as President of EBAN from 2012-2014
(European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds, and start-ups). He is a member
of the European Commission Advisory Group “Innovation in SMEs”. Since 2012, he has been
advising several European governments on Early Stage Investment policies. In 2012 he received
the EBAN award for the “Best European Angel Investment”. Paulo Andrez has a serial
entrepreneur background and has created several companies in IT software, training, wooden
products and real estate. He is an IT Engineer and has an MBA from Nova University in Lisbon.
JIM BARRY is the Managing Director of Barry Group, one of Ireland’s most respected
wholesale distribution groups. The company employs over 230 people at its state of the art
headquarters in Mallow, Co. Cork. Under Jim’s vision and leadership, Barry Group has grown
from a once local business to a leading wholesale distribution company. Trading both
nationally and internationally and supplying over 1,000 customers; Barry Group manages 265
franchises under the Costcutter, Carry Out Off Licence, and Quik Pick symbols. Jim was listed
as a finalist in the EY, Entrepreneur of the year awards in 2010. Barry Group was listed as one of
Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in 2010 and has been reaccredited every year since then.
Barry Group was named as a Great Place To Work in 2015 and Jim was honoured to be named
‘Irelands Most Trusted Leader’ at the 2015 Great Place To Work Awards.
LARRY BASS, CEO of Screentime ShinAwiL established ShinAwiL Productions Ltd in 1999
before forming a joint venture with Screentime Australia in 2003, and forming Screentime
ShinAwiL, now one of the largest independent production companies in Ireland. In 2009
Screentime ShinAwiL Ltd. opened its first UK office in Northern Ireland and 2012 saw its first
BBC NI commission, Undercover NI. Larry has executive produced the Irish versions of the
multi award winning series, The Apprentice which won 2 Irish Film and Television Awards,
Dragons Den, MasterChef Ireland and most recently the hugely successful The Voice of Ireland.
Larry is keen to grow the business of creative content in Ireland as a pillar of our economy.
Larry is an International Ambassador of the International Rose d’Or, an advisory board member
of FÁS Screen Training Ireland and Entertainment Masterclass. Larry has guest lectured at DIT
Dublin, IADT Dublin, MIPCOM, SPAA Australia and Entertainment Masterclass. In 2010 Larry
was appointed to the Board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland by the Irish government.
GILLES BOUCHARD, CEO of the Executive Business Accelerator, is a Serial entrepreneur and
investor with a successful investment track record. He has been a founder and CEO at Internet
Media Telecom start-ups and Group Secretary General at Groupama Gan. Other titles include
Secretary General at FFSAM (Fédération Française des Sociétés d'Assurances Mutuelles),
Advisor to the President at CNJA, Auditor at UE - Centre Français de Promotion Industrielle and
Founder Associate at NHP - Patents development. Gilles is Vice President of Harvard Business
Angels France, based in Paris. Internationally, HBS Alumni Angels members have invested in
over 35 companies since 2007. Among them are ShopItToMe, RepairPal, STwo, and Grouply
(acquired by Oodle). Gilles is a graduate of Harvard Business School, Ecole d’Application du
Génie Militaire and Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He spent 14 years abroad in Europe,
Africa & USA. His areas of special expertise include – launching of start-ups, business units
turnarounds, M&As and IPOs.
JIM BREEN founded PulseLearning in 1999 and is the driving force behind the company’s high
standards of excellence and rapid progression as a globally dominant eLearning organization.
Providing strategic direction and motivation for PulseLearning’s future development, Jim
keeps employees, investors, and business partners focused on exceeding customers’ goals.
Deloitte ranked PulseLearning as the fastest growing technology company on the island of
Ireland and Jim was shortlisted for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. He graduated from
the Executive Development program at Stanford University in California. In 2010, Jim joined the
board of CorkBIC and also founded TriGrandPrix, an international triathlon events company, in
the same year. In 2012, he established Cycle Against Suicide, a charity focused on reducing the
number of lives lost to suicide in Ireland.
3
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
®
PETER CROWLEY, founded Crowley Services and started Dyno Rod in Cork in 1975. Between
1978 and 1985 Dyno Rod expanded into the rest of Ireland and in 1990 Peter started BioFlow, a
fats oil and grease (FOGs) management service to food serving establishments (FSEs) and is
now the Industry leader. In 1996 he co-founded Communicate 2000 to provide mobile
communication solutions to Irish business which he successfully operated, grew and sold in
1999. Peter is currently involved with a variety of projects and start-up companies both as a
mentor and investor and has invested in many start-up companies. 2006 saw the start of
LowFlo, a water management and leak detection service for industrial, local authority and
domestic markets which is being used in Ireland and in the Middle East. Peter is currently
working with CIT and Nimbus on two separate projects to develop new technologies in FOGs
management and control and the pipe and drain cleaning and maintenance area.
BRIAN CROWLEY is the CEO of The TTM Group, one of Ireland’s largest recruitment
companies, TTM Healthcare, and also its service delivery subsidiary Resilience Healthcare, one
of Ireland’s largest providers of complex home care. Employing 200 permanent staff and over
800 contractors, TTM Group are projected to generate revenues in excess of €50m in 2015.
TTM Group operate internationally through offices in the UK, Germany and the Middle East
supplying temporary and permanent workforce solutions to both the private and public sector.
Brian was a member of the judging panel for Irelands Best Young Entrepreneur (www.ibye.ie)
and also sits on the implementation committee for the Government’s Entrepreneurship
Strategy. Brian was a former Irish boxing international and currently mentors young start-up
companies and also one of our international Rugby stars. Brian was a finalist in the
International category of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, 2014.
SHEMAS EIVERS is co-founder and Managing Partner of Avnet Client Solutions, which was
acquired by Horizon in 2001 and subsequently by Avnet in 2008. He is now in his 20th year
leading the team in Avnet Client Solutions and has recently been working with Ascendant
EMEA to merge the best traits of both organisations. He previously worked as a research
engineer at the National Microelectronics Research Centre and was co-founder of Software
Manufacturing Consultants Limited where his role progressed from Technical Director to
Managing Director before selling the company to Kentz Technologies. He has founded several
other businesses over the years ranging from Video shops and Karting tracks to Investments
funds. Shemas holds a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from University College Cork. He is
also co-founder and chairman of the National Software Centre in Ireland (birthplace of the
CoderDojo movement) and a co-founder of IT@Cork. In 2007 Shemas was one of five people
given an IT Pioneer award by the Irish Computer Society.
KARL FLANNERY is a business leader and technology enthusiast. As recent Chair of the Irish
Software Association he is firmly committed to advancing the profile and needs of the Irish
Software and Digital Technology sector in the national and international arena. Currently chair
of the Industry Advisory Board for Knowledge Transfer Ireland and chairing one of the Delivery
Teams for the governments ICT Action Plan for Jobs. Karl has over 30 years’ experience in the
ICT industry, starting his career in the area of integrated voice and data terminals with Nortel.
In 1995, Karl co-founded Storm Technology. Since then he has taken the company from a
startup operation to a well-respected, profitable company, which focuses on developing
business solutions on the Microsoft platform for the enterprise. Storm Technology has a team
of over 90 staff and operates out of Dublin and Galway. Karl has a B.Sc. in Applied Physics from
NUIG, Diploma in Intellectual Property in Information Technology from the Law Society of
Ireland and a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management from the Irish Management
Institute.
DECLAN FOX, serial entrepreneur, technologist, digital marketer and business coach, co-
founded Comnitel Technologies in 1999 and as CEO, grew the company from start-up, raising
€30M from leading institutional investors. Comnitel later merged with a US Telco, and was
acquired by IBM in 2007. Founder of Magellan Partners, a venture & entrepreneurial advisory
consultancy, with a focus on innovative technology companies across different sectors. Co-
Founded OmniVend, a successful network, revenue and service management company. Declan
is actively involved with a number of high achieving early stage technology companies assisting
them scale internationally.
4
TERRY FOX, founder of Cupprint, has developed in-depth knowledge of print technologies and
methods. Having started as an engineer, Terry went on to become a press operator before
graduating to production management, sales management and becoming the overall
Managing Director in a previous business. Cupprint was set up in 2009 with 7 people to address
a huge gap in the market. Cupprint manufacture short run, fast turnaround, bespoke paper
cups. Cupprint’s largest market is the UK followed by Germany and then Ireland. Cupprint
currently produce 8 million cups per month and their sales have grown every year since 2009.
They now employ more than 66 people at their plant in Ireland and sales offices in Germany.
Terry was the Emerging Category Winner in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014.
JOANNA GARDINER, Managing Director, Ovelle Pharmaceuticals, is the granddaughter of the
founder of this Irish Pharmaceutical company established in 1934. Joanna has led the company
through a significant period of international growth since 2011. Taking on new investment and
implementing new sales and R&D strategies, resulted in the company’s innovative
dermatological skincare brands Ovelle and Elave building on their success in Ireland opening up
new markets in the UK, Europe, China and the US markets. Joanna grew up in Dundalk and
studied Business, Economics and Social Studies in Trinity College Dublin, followed by a
graduate internship with Enterprise Ireland before joining Ovelle in sales and marketing roles.
Joanna took over as MD in 2001. Ovelle Pharmaceuticals today employ 48+ people in R&D,
Finance, Manufacturing & Sales and Marketing. Joanna was appointed by the Minister of
Education as Chair of the Governing body of Dundalk Institute of Technology for 5 years from
2006 – 2011.
DONAL GARRIHY co-founded 2468 (previously called Wild About Water) in 2003 to serve the
Irish watercooler market. The business has grown rapidly in recent years both in terms of
turnover and product range. Employing 90 people, the company is headquartered in Ireland
with 80% of its sales in the UK. 2468 now serves 8,000 companies in Ireland and the UK
offering a range of office services from coffee to water to washroom. It has recently
established an Irish-based production facility to produce water and coffee products for its
home markets as well as several European countries. Prior to 2468, Donal spent 10 years as
Sales & Marketing Director EMEA for Oasis, the world oldest and largest watercooler
manufacturer. From a greenfield site in Ireland established to serve the new European market,
the business grew to 270 people serving 60 countries with subsidiary manufacturing in Poland.
CHARLES GARVEY is CEO of Metabolomic Diagnostics, an innovative medical diagnostics
company developing technologies for the early detection of a woman’s risk of complications
during her pregnancy. From 1990 to 2003 Charles was CEO of Horizon Technology Group which
started life as a small Apple Computer reseller in Cork and grew into a large pan European IT
group, listed on the Dublin and London stock exchanges and completing 13 acquisitions and
disposals along the way. At its peak the group was worth over €1Bn and employed 720 people
in 5 countries through 13 separate companies. The company was eventually sold to Avnet Inc
in 2008. Charles was also previously CEO (now chairman) of NitroSell, an eCommerce company
focussed on web enabling bricks and mortar retailers, predominantly in the USA. NitroSell’s
technology seamlessly integrates in-store and online systems and has enabled their retailers to
generate close to $1Billion in online sales to date.
NEIL GORDON gained experience, prior to 1998, in technical marketing and management roles
within multinationals in the vehicle equipment (Interbalco - United States) and computer
peripheral industries (Alps Electric, Japan). Between 1998 and 2003, he was responsible for
international OEM business development and marketing at the Shannon division of US
multinational, C&D Technologies, a power supply company with 14 divisions and 2000
employees worldwide. Career has a strong emphasis on international sales and marketing. Neil
joined CorkBIC in April 2007, from Irish software start-up Global Mobile Encryption (GME). This
senior strategic role focused on technology development, product strategy and IP
management. Neil gained extensive experience in working with and liaising with GME's Swiss
venture capitalists. Neil brings this experience to his current role in CorkBIC offering
consultancy and business planning to high-tech start-ups.
5
PATRICK JORDAN was the owner of Easy Access Ltd which was a start-up in 1992 and was sold
to Siteserv Plc in 2006. The business employed 78 people in 2006. Post sale Patrick worked as
COO for the Siteserv group until 2012. The business was subsequently bought by Denis O Brien.
Patrick is a minority investor in a number of companies since 2012 namely Alanya ltd which has
developed technology to remotely monitor the health of Livestock, Caramagic which has
developed expertise in the area of streaming voice changer technology, 3D Character
development and VoIP and Salaso Ltd who have developed a video production process
founded on multimedia research in how to best learn from video, exercises and exercise
protocols based on well researched trials and evidence based clinical practice and their
software incorporates data monitoring and validated patient reported outcomes to show the
effectiveness of exercise therapy.
GRAINNE KELLY is the CEO and inventor of BubbleBum UK Ltd, manufacturer of the worlds
first inflatable car booster seat for kids. BubbleBum was founded in December 2009 and has
rocketed to success, winning major worldwide awards. The product is now for sale in 26
countries globally with major stores such as Walmart, Target, Tesco, Boots, Halfords, Migros,
Naurauto and Aubert. Without the aid of a PR company, in Oct2012 BubbleBum featured on the
front page of the USAToday, The Wall Street Journal and on major national channels such as
RTE, BBC, CBS News and Fox. With a new range of products launching in April 2015, Grainne
has already been named the Belfast Telegraph Business Woman of the Year 2010, EY
Entrepreneur of the year finalist 2011 and Women In Business Award winner 2013.
PEACHES KEMP co-founded Itsa with her sister Domini in 1999. Having started with one bagel
shop 16 years ago, the Kemps now have 17 outlets including itsa at the Irish Museum of
Modern Art, itsa at The Hugh Lane Gallery, The Tearooms at Dublin Castle, and itsa@Harvey
Nichols. They also run Table Restaurant in Brown Thomas Cork and the Gallery Café in the
National Gallery of Ireland. They have an event catering branch called Feast and are resident
caterers in Powerscourt House, Enniskerry. In 2012 they founded Hatch & Sons Irish Kitchen on
Stephens Green. They launched a new brand for speciality coffee in 2013 called Joe’s and will
open a second Joe’s in March 2015. In October 2014 they launched Alchemy, an eatery that
specialises in cold pressed juices and food focused on health. Itsa is director owned and run,
has an annual turnover of €6 million and employs 105 people. Peaches is a qualified chef, has a
post graduate degree in PR, and holds an advanced diploma from the Wine and Spirit
Education Trust (UK). She won Image Businesswoman of the Year in 2009 and was a finalist in
the EY Entrepreneur of the year programme in 2011. She is on the EY EOY Alumni Board and
has recently joined the board of ICE (Inner City Enterprise), a non for profit private charity set
up to fund and mentor start-up businesses.
ELEANOR MCEVOY is CEO of Budget Energy Ltd. Since 1991, Eleanor has successfully built and
sold two companies; Pembroke Distributors LTD and Phonecard Warehouse LTD. Budget
Energy entered the Northern Ireland electricity market in June 2011 and have grown a
customer base of over 60,000 customers. It is a consumer led, profit driven and price effective
energy provider. Under Eleanor’s leadership, Budget Energy is proud to have won a number of
prestigious awards, including the ‘Ulster Bank Business Achievers Best Business Start-up 2011’ -
Northern Ireland Regional and National winner. Eleanor won the UTV Business Personality of
the Year in 2013 and in the same year was a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Eleanor sits on the IRUPA Board who serve to support and facilitate professional Irish Rugby
players, both male and female, during and after their professional careers. Eleanor also sits on
the Board of EY EOY Alumni and was recently awarded a Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship
by the University of Ulster.
EILEEN MOLONEY practised as a lawyer in the UK and the USA before returning to Ireland in
1984 to lead marketing for North Star VAR. Eileen co-founded Expert Edge Computer Systems
in 1986 delivering expert system software solutions, heading up its UK start-up in London in
1991. Went on to provide Business Development & Marketing Consultancy to small and
medium sized enterprises with limited marketing focus and to larger companies penetrating
new markets ('92-94). Delivered Training Programmes for the IPA on Leadership & Modern
Management Methods to top level Civil Servants in Europe. Joined CorkBIC in 1997 to develop
the Graduate (later Genesis) Enterprise Programme (delivered via CorkBIC) - a one year rapid
incubation for start-up companies. Has delivered several business start-up programmes. She is
an Accredited Mediator for Commercial Dispute Resolution with the Chartered Institute of
Arbitrators, London.
6
DAVID MCKERNAN, CEO & Founder of Java Republic, is a persistent, passionate and high-
spirited entrepreneur. In 1999, he emerged from Bewley’s to found Java Republic Roasting
Company. This innovative company quickly became one of Ireland’s most successful brands,
and one of Europe’s leading coffee companies. Java Republic is notable for a distinctive vision:
Premium, fresh handroasted coffee – with a conscience. Java Republic’s coffee has won
multiple awards for taste and quality, while those who grow their coffee beans saw fairer
prices, and improved living standards from direct aid and infrastructure projects. David has
developed a reputation as a motivational speaker and campaigner for physical fitness as a
driver for positive mental health. With nearly 12 years of success in Ireland, David is now
focussing on bringing his unique brand of superb coffee and straight talking to an international
audience.
NEIL O’BRIEN is a Registered Occupational Psychologist and has been involved in the area of
people development for over 15 years. Having spent 9 years working for a number of
multinational consultancies including SHL, PwC and Pearn Kandola. Neil founded O’Brien
Consulting Business Psychologists Ltd (OBC) in 2009. Since its foundation, OBC have consulted
to many of the leading Irish and Global organizations including Bank of Ireland, Microsoft,
Vodafone, PwC, Petronas, Axa, Marks & Spencer etc. Outside of the world of business, Neil is
also an IRB Level 2 Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and has been instrumental in the
development of high performing rugby teams. In addition, Neil is also the founder of
Keepfit.ie, one of Dublin’s leading fitness schools. Neil’s range of experience means that his
development and coaching skills can be applied in an unrivalled variety of settings in both
business and sport.
MICHAEL O’CONNOR is CEO of CorkBIC, a venture consultancy specialising in high technology
or innovative projects usually involving international growth. Previous experience was with
manufacturing and sales start-ups, like Raychem Corporation before co-founding Intepro, a
venture capital backed Irish IT start-up. Responsible for strategy and sales and marketing in the
European start-up and led the US market entry with several rounds of international venture
capital before a successful trade sale. Since returning from the USA he has created many new
initiatives in Cork and has advised over 100 start-ups with CorkBIC. He graduated from
Cambridge University in Engineering and London Business School and the Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania specialising in strategy and international finance. Board member of
several companies and interests in governance and building effective Boards.
COLUM O’SULLIVAN (Sully) completed a BSc degree in Food Business in UCC in 1999. Having
spent 4 years working with Musgrave Group in their Operations department, he left to set up
Cully & Sully in September 2004 with Cullen Allen from Ballymaloe House. Cully & Sully supply
over 1,500 shops nationwide, and is exporting to both France and the UK. All Cully and Sully
recipes originate from Ballymaloe House and all of the food is produced in Ireland using all Irish
beef, lamb & chicken. Cully & Sully were finalists in the 2007 EY Entrepreneur of the Year
awards and the Shell Livewire awards. Cully & Sully won the Meteor Best Local Producer
awards and were the first Irish company to win a category award at the Sial d’Or awards in
Shanghai. The company went on win the Global Sial d’Or award in Paris, beating 248 products
from 30 countries all over the world. Cully & Sully was sold to US based Hain Celestial Group in
2012.
KEVIN O'LEARY has been with QUMAS since its inception and was responsible for the original
design and development of the company's first product release. Kevin has worked within
regulated industries since 1987 and has extensive knowledge of regulatory compliance
solutions. He established the company's presence in the United States in 1997 and now serves
as the company's CEO. Having originally majored in computer science, Kevin pursued further
studies in industrial management and now works closely with regulators and industry
organizations to ensure that QUMAS solutions meet the compliance needs of regulated
companies. In 2006, Qumas was named Company of the Year by the Irish Software Association
and Kevin was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Award.
7
GER O’MAHONY is an entrepreneur who has accumulated significant experience mainly in
technology but also in other industry sectors. He has been involved in a number of successful
technology start-ups including being the founder of the software business Engage
Technologies Group and its subsequent sale to NorthgateArinso (a FTSE 250 company) and
also being the co-founder of the networking systems integrator Bridgecom Group and its
subsequent sale to Denis O’Brien’s Esat Telecom. He has completed funding rounds, identified
and successfully completed and integrated company acquisitions and negotiated company
disposals during this period. Recently Ger has focused on helping established technology
companies to scale and grow both in Irish and International markets. These include the high
growth businesses Action Point Technology Group and Voxpro Communications both of which
have achieved revenue growth in excess of 50% year on year over the past three years.
PAUL PRENDERGAST, CEO Inhance Technology, is a serial entrepreneur and has been involved
in retail, services, web and publishing start-ups for 12 years. Paul had the initial idea for Inhance
Technology (originally Yougetitback.com), and works closely with their global client base in
North America & Europe. Inhance Technology is an award winning technology company based
in Cork with a global client base of the largest Consumer electronic retailers, mobile device
insurance companies and telecom carriers globally - clients include Best Buy, Virgin, Orange,
AIG, Carphone Warehouse. In Feb 2013 Inhance opened a sales office in Boston, USA to
support its growth in North America.
ANTHONY QUIGLEY, Director and Founder, Digital Marketing Institute, the global certification
standard in digital marketing, is considered one of the pioneers of digital marketing in Ireland.
He was an early internet enthusiast, having launched MSN for Microsoft in Ireland as far back
as 1995. As an entrepreneur he has created, developed and sold a number of successful
ventures. Prior to launching the Digital Marketing Institute, Anthony founded or held director
level positions in eWare, iQuate, Microsoft, Net Results and Web Kitchen among other
businesses. Outside his role with the Digital Marketing Institute Anthony advises and mentors
organisations on how to plan and implement digital marketing campaigns, using online
technologies as part of their business growth.
ASIER RUFINO, CEO of Tecnalia Ventures, having previously worked as a management
consultant for Accenture, BNP Paribas and The Parthenon Group. More recently Asier has
focused on entrepreneurship and innovation by providing business development, strategy and
coaching services to start-ups and SMEs and is a board member (Chairman in one of them) of a
number of start-ups. Asier worked at the Basque Institute of Competitiveness (Orkestra) in
projects such as the launch of Business Angels Crecer+, the most successful business angel
network in the Basque Country. Asier is the co-founder and member of the investment
committee of Microwave Ventures, a seed capital fund focusing on software and internet
investments. He also coaches new ventures in the Executive MBA of the Deusto Business
School. Asier holds an MBA from London Business School / Sloan MIT and has a Bachelor
Degree in Business Administration from the Basque Country University in Spain.
SEAN RYAN is founder and CEO of Aspen Grove Solutions. Since 1995 Sean has been working
on Internet-based business-service solutions and has successfully put the Internet to work as a
secure business-to-business service medium in many industries including insurance, legal,
education, construction, and real estate. Sean has vast experience of leading enterprise
solution implementation and integration on private cloud architecture. Employing 120
professionals between Kerry Ireland and Maryland USA, Sean is now fully focused on growing
Aspen Grove Solutions into a significant player in the US real estate compliance and vendor
management industries. Sean was a finalist in the 2012 EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
8
PETE SMYTH is founder and CEO of Broadlake a private investment company focused on
investing in established and growing SMEs. Broadlake manages €100m of family capital,
investing €1-10m in ambitious businesses. Pre Broadlake Pete was CEO of Noonan Services
Group where he led the Group through a period of high growth culminating in the sale of the
business in 2008. At the time it was one of Ireland largest Service companies employing 5,500
people. Former life experiences include periods in Private Equity and Investment Banking -
Grown cynical of both. More importantly he is a Father of 4, Husband of 1, Lapsed Sailor,
Thinker, Dreamer and above all an Optimist, Entrepreneur at heart and always looking for the
next great company to work with.... @BroadlakePete
DR JOHNNY WALKER, founded Global Diagnostics in 2002 and in 2007, Global Diagnostics
entered the Irish market through an alliance with Centric Health, a company that provides a
range of innovative and accessible primary care services with the aim of keeping people out of
hospital. In October 2012 Johnny was invited to join the Singularity University Executive
Program at NASA, an intense dive into accelerating technological change in an intimate forum
with world experts and leading thinkers from across the technology tracks. In November 2012
Johnny supported an MBO of Centric Health and successfully exited the business. He launched
his new project Health Founders in November 2012 as an international Foundry for innovative
exponential "personalised, digital, mobile" technologies focussed on positively disrupting
healthcare. Johnny returned to Singularity University for the FutureMed 2013 Program in Feb
2013. Johnny is a Director and Mentor on The HealthXL Accelerator Program which launched in
Dublin in February 2013.
GEORGE YOUNG is currently engaged in the development of Eisergy Ltd, an early-stage
business focused on innovations relevant to electronic and magnetic aspects of power
conversion. Prior to establishing Eisergy in 2012, he managed the engineering activities at
Texas Instruments (Cork). This followed the acquisition in 2008 by Texas Instruments of
Commergy Ltd, a business he founded in 1998. His earlier career alternated between business
and technical activities, including a number of years with DCC plc in venture capital and
corporate finance activities, and with Telectron Limited – later AT&T – in telecommunications
equipment design. George holds BE, PhD and MBA degrees from University College Dublin. He
holds 9 US patents and is the author of two books on technical/business topics.
I loved the Entrepreneur Experience. It reaffirms the things all successful entrepreneurs know:
leadership drives success, and leadership comes through relationships and team development. The
Entrepreneur Experience gives entrepreneurs a leg-up on living a more vital life - Sean O’Sullivan,
SOSVentures
9
Agenda* for the 2015 Entrepreneur Experience®
Friday 27
th
and Saturday 28
th
April; Ballymaloe, Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Friday 27
th
March 2015
Time
Event
Venue
Pre- Experience Briefings
10:30 –
11:30
Briefing for Emerging Entrepreneurs
Chair: Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
11:30 –
12:15
Briefing for Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Chair: Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
The Entrepreneur Experience®
12:15 –
13:00
Meet & Greet over Lunch
The Grain Store
13:00 –
13:05
Welcome - Michael O’Connor, CorkBIC
The Grain Store
13:05 –
13:10
Launching the 2015 Entrepreneur Experience® – Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
13:10 –
13:30
Jim Barry, Barry Group – ‘Ireland’s Most Trusted Leader’
The Grain Store
13:30 –
14:10
Panel Discussion – Building the right Team
Jim Barry, Paul Prendergast, Brian Crowley, Gilles Bouchard (Chair: Pete Smyth)
The Grain Store
14:10 –
14:30
Paulo Andrez, EBAN – How to attract Investment and what to do with your investment
The Grain Store
14:30 –
16:30
First round of Group Coaching Sessions:
? Group 1, The Ideas Group – Chair: Jim Barry, Barry Group
? Group 2, The Investor Ready Group – Chair: Ger O’Mahony, Voxpro
? Group 3, The Scaling Group – Chair: Charles Garvey, Metabolomic Diagnostics
Conservatory –
Group 3
Long Room –
Group 2
Carriguan Room –
Group 1
16:30 –
18:00
First round of One-on-One Coaching Sessions between Seasoned Entrepreneurs and
Emerging Entrepreneurs.
Output - Identify personal assignments
All around
Ballymaloe
18:00 Bus leaves Ballymaloe to go to Garryvoe Hotel
Outside
the Grain Store
18:00 –
19:00
Shower & Change into your Country and Western outfit!
Ballymaloe &
Garryvoe Hotel
18:45
Bus leaves Garryvoe Hotel to return to Ballymaloe
Garryvoe Hotel
19:00 –
20:00
Raising the Bar – Getting the most from your TEAM – Surprise Speaker The Grain Store
20:00 –
20:30
Drinks Reception The Drinks Theatre
20:30 –
23:00
Dinner - Country and Western Theme The Drinks Theatre
22:00 –
22:30
Terry Fox, Cupprint
Entrepreneurs in conversation with Pete Smyth
The Drinks Theatre
22:30 Presentation of the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame® Award The Drinks Theatre
00:30 Bus leaves Ballymaloe to go to Garryvoe Hotel
Outside
The Grain Store
10
the
exper ence i
Entrepreneur
®
Saturday 28
th
March
Time
Event
Venue
07:00 –
07:45
Breakfast
Ballymaloe House
& Garryvoe
07:45
Bus leaves Garryvoe Hotel to go to Ballymaloe - Please ensure you check out!
Garryvoe
08:00 -
09:30
Second Round of Group Coaching Sessions:
? Group 1, The Ideas Group – Chair: Jim Barry, Barry Group
? Group 2, The Investor Ready Group – Chair: Ger O’Mahony, Voxpro
? Group 3, The Scaling Group – Chair: Charles Garvey, Metabolomic Diagnostics
Conservatory –
Group 3
Long Room –
Group 2
Carriguan Room –
Group 1
09:30
10:30
Second round of One-on-One Coaching Sessions between Seasoned Entrepreneurs and
Emerging Entrepreneurs
All around
Ballymaloe
10:30 –
12:00
Venture Academy for Group 2
Chair: Paulo Andrez
TO ATTEND
Group 2 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 2 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Seasoned Entrepreneurs can also
attend
The Grain Store
Managing Growth – Group 3
Chair: Pete Smyth
TO ATTEND
Group 3 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Group 3 Seasoned Entrepreneurs
Group 1 Seasoned Entrepreneurs can
also attend
Carriguan Room
Carriguan Room
and
The Grain Store
12:00 –
12:20
Larry Bass, Screentime ShinAwil – Get your Story Straight!
The Grain Store
12:20 –
12:50
Panel Discussion - Investing in your brand
Joanna Gardiner, Gráinne Kelly, Larry Bass, Anthony Quigley (Chair: Jim Breen)
The Grain Store
12:50
Report back on the Experience & The Entrepreneur Experience® Awards
? Group Chairs feedback
? Group Chairs Announce awards for each Group
? Feedback from Neil O’Brien on his observations of the Group Sessions
? Feedback from some Participants – How was it for you?
The Grain Store
13:15
Wrap-up - Pete Smyth, Broadlake
The Grain Store
13:15
Parting sandwich and “Hug & Fly”
The Grain Store
13:30 END
The Grain Store
11
Tel: +353 (0)21 230 7014
email: [email protected]
Web: www.corkbic.com Spend 24 hours with Ireland’s leading Entrepreneurs
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