Image: filmkritikbiz/Shutterstock
The six new start-ups selected for the Bank of Ireland StartLab West prove that the west of Ireland has the right stuff for success.
This week, Bank of Ireland (BOI) revealed the second cohort of start-ups joining StartLab West.
Galway’s start-up tribes are bolstered by a strong multinational scene, vibrant third-level institutions and a city renowned for its culture and history.
‘Supporting and empowering start-ups is at the heart of Bank of Ireland’s enterprise ethos’
– TRACY KEOGH
Last year, we checked out the first cohort at BOI’s Eyre Square StartLab, and this second group represents a cluster of start-ups across the west of Ireland region.
A hotbed of innovation
Image: Connor McKenna
“The west of Ireland is a hotbed of innovation and our last intake of start-ups are testament to the quality of emerging business talent in the region,” said Tracy Keogh, community manager at BOI.
“StartLab, through its customised programmes, focuses on helping businesses to develop their teams, fine-tune their ideas, and engage potential customers and investors.
As well as Keogh, the team involved in StartLab includes David Tighe, head of innovation, and Gene Murphy, entrepreneur in residence at BOI.
“Supporting and empowering start-ups is at the heart of Bank of Ireland’s enterprise ethos and we look forward to working with our new entrepreneurs over the coming months,” said Keogh.
StartLab Galway complements BOI Workbenches, running at Galway, Dublin, Limerick and Cork. Since opening, Workbenches – which offer hot-desking, meeting and event space to start-up companies and entrepreneurs – have welcomed more than 10,000 visitors, hosted more than 200 events and supported more than 100 start-up enterprises.
Here are the six new west of Ireland start-ups to watch.
CitySwifter
CitySwifter is a crowdsourced commuter shuttle bus that picks you up near your home and drops you off at work. Use the service’s free Wi-Fi to answer emails, watch Netflix or just relax in comfort on its luxury coaches.
HappyTech
HappyTech offers a unique learning interface for technology companies to access training and development resources for its teams and managers. The individual user navigates through the system with the support of a chatbot called NEO. NEO is an artificial intelligence system that uses natural language processing and machine learning to develop a relationship with the individual.
BriteBiz
BriteBiz is a new type of business management software that is revolutionising how businesses are managed. The company offers an end-to-end business management solution that has a beautiful design interface and is intuitive to use.
Missing Minutes
Missing Minutes is a mobile-centric time-recording, analysis and reporting tool for the professional services industry. The platform aims to automate time capture and increase billing potential for organisations that sell time.
ToyPing
ToyPing is the fast and easy solution for time-poor parents. ToyPing’s smart search technology explores Amazon’s extensive toy portfolio to discover the best toys to match your child’s age and interests. In three simple steps, you can generate your individual wish list and confidently select the best toy for your child.
OpenBox Models
OpenBox Models provides software that allows financial modellers to produce spreadsheet models quickly but, more importantly, with low risk. They can get the right answer from their spreadsheets the first time round, by developing them using software that draws on years of experience and helps to avoid the typical mistakes that people make in financial models.
