Mayo startups are being invited to apply for Google’s Adopt A Startup programme which is now opened for applications.
Successful entrants will attend an exclusive programme of lectures and workshops as well as receiving hands-on mentoring from experienced Google employees over a 12 week period. Throughout the programme, the startups will gain insights and knowledge on how to position and grow their companies on a global scale.
Companies are being urged to get their applications in early as only 30 places are up for grabs, with applications closing today, Friday March 2. Successful companies chosen to participate in the Adopt A Startup programme will be announced on Monday, March 12.
Paddy Flynn, director, Google, said: “Enterprise Ireland recently reported that in the past year they supported 181 start-ups through their HPSU and CSF programmes which was fantastic to see and reflects the vibrancy and potential of Ireland’s startup community to deliver jobs and economic growth.
"We’re gradually reaching to a point in Ireland where entrepreneurship is seen as a career goal in its own right and it’s great to see entrepreneurs having the confidence to make this definitive career choice buoyed by the success of others.
“TechIreland recently undertook research of over 120 Adopt A Start Up alumni finding that 60 per cent of these startups had raised significant funding. These companies are not only based in Dublin but across the regions with 40 per cent coming from outside Dublin. In addition, 30 per cent of them are female led. This is indicative of the positive growth of the startup community which is something that Google is very happy to strongly support on an ongoing basis.
“We’re delighted to be supporting the community through the Adopt A Startup programme and our aim is to provide mentors with expertise across the digital ecosystem to help start-ups scale and stay ahead, not alone in Ireland but globally.”
The 2018 Adopt A Startup programme will have increased emphasis on strategy and business planning, which is the foundation stone for any company to succeed and grow. It will also focus on scaling the business to stay ahead.
That includes optimising a customer acquisition strategy; scaling internationally/export using tools, such as the newly launched Google Market Finder; and how to optimise new infrastructure technologies such as cloud.
Participants will benefit from the experience of mentors from Google’s global business, marketing, engineering, and cloud teams. The new programme has been developed following feedback from Adopt A Startup alumni and what Google is seeing in its work with Irish SMEs.
At the end of the 12 weeks, eight selected companies will make a pitch to a panel of industry experts and senior executives for the chance of winning €10,000 of AdWords credit and eligibility for the Google Cloud platform for startup programme which comes with $100,000 of Google Cloud credit.
The seven runners up will also be eligible for the programme and the chance to receive $20,000 in Google Cloud Credits, while one lucky company will win three months free hot desking in DogPatch Labs, Google For Entrepreneurs Tech Hub Partner. Interested startups can apply online at events.withgoogle.com/adoptastartup/
