One Day Whinge Window

If you have been giving out about the government response to credit crisis for small business then you have a one-day window to get your spoke in! The County Enterprise Boards are carrying out a survey to establish what the situation is now and what changes (if any) have taken place so they can present the situation to the Minister. Please participate by completing this survey (below) by close of business this Monday 29th June. It only takes 5 minutes and will be very helpful to present the current situation.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=2_2b7MxqVFTXf2jpDQ4Z_2f7ZQ_3d_3d

Extension - Your Input

On Friday week, 10th July, Taylor Architects will be hosting a focus group here in Synergy centre for client companies to get input on the extension to the incubation centre. To get best info from the group they'd like to keep numbers between 6 and 8. If you're a synergy client company and would like to attend please just let Onray or Nicola know. Don't have a time as yet (likely to be afternoon) but this will take about 1.5 hours and will be held in the Glasshouse.

Blood, Sweat and Tears

If building a business is about Blood, Sweat and Tears, then at the moment I'm all about the blood. I was on to the Stillorgan clinic yesterday rearranging my donation appointment (you can't give for 28 days on return from the US at the moment) when they told me about how they are desperate for blood at the moment - particularly in advance of the August bank holiday weekend. I'm on the hunt now for people to come with me to donate on Friday, 31st of July - the IBTS will lay on transport from Synergy at 10.30am and we should be back in business by 12.30 with coffee and sandwiches thrown in. A slightly longer coffee break than normal - but for a good cause. Drop me a line if you can make it. For more info you can visit www.giveblood.ie.

Book Club Kicks Off

So we had the first meeting of the Synergy Book Club at lunchtime today. The book up for discussion was Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat" and the general consensus was that it is an eminently worthwhile read (some attendees might actually be reading it post-event!). Discussion focussed on the ups and downs of increasing technology-driven communications such as blogs :-) that facilitate easy information sharing but are open to abuse and can damage a company's reputation if not monitored and managed. Also on the table was the insourcing/outsourcing phenomenon epitomised by Dell and UPS operations. The Synergy group tended to be a bit more cynical about outsourcing elements of a business to the India/China of this world and the lack of control that might entail, but were all agreed that by sheer dint of numbers, these countries are a serious threat to Ireland's goal of becoming a knowledge economy. In fact, the feelign was that if we stumble and fall now due to short-sighted economics and decisions, we may well never pick ourselves up. The next book for review will be "The Four Hour Work Week" by Timothy Ferris. I'll let you know when copies are in.

Legal Eagles Land on Synergy Centre

Synergy Centre, ITT Dublin’s Innovation space has appointed Philip Lee Solicitors and FRKelly Patent Attorneys to provide legal services to its entrepreneurs. The deal sees the two law firms partner with Synergy Centre in the development of high technology start-ups throughout the Synergy enterprise launch programme, enterprise platform programme and full incubation. The law firms will provide template and advice documents, workshops, one-to-one clinics as well as a legal hotline to companies within Synergy Centre.

Design Led Thinking: Rubbish?

Toby Scott was in to visit us for this morning's Juice breakfast. Beginning with a powerful video on the increasing rate of change and our somewhat slower rate of response to it, he immediately captured the audience of entrepreneurs and academics. He spoke of the powerful effect that using design to drive strategic thinking has on SMEs - increasing product demand by 250%! Unfortunately only 15% of Irish SMEs are doing just that. A salutory lesson for us. The key message from my perspective was that to be truly innovative you must ascertain latent unmet needs and that this is best done by walking in the users (all users!) shoes. And all users means everyone - in the case of a rubbish bin it includes those who empty the bins, those who sit on the bins post-pub, the vandals who want to light a fire in the bin, the people who install the bins, those who clean the street around the bins - oh yes, and those who put their rubbish in the bin. A load of rubbish? I think not. See http://www.pentaclethevbs.com/ for more info on Toby.

Calling all Gamers: the E3 experience first-hand

If you're a gaming fanatic check out http://hivemindgames.ning.com/, the blog of Hivemind Games CEO, Mark Tattersall, who's on the current Synergy Enterprise Platform Programme. Mark's just back from E3 and has posted playtest reviews, trailers and gameplay videos to the site as well as updating hisBlog with all the new trimmings Microsoft announced for the Xbox at E3, a must read!

Free, Free, Free

The sun might have gone in and it may be Monday but there's always something to smile about! Sage are now offering their TAS Books Basic and Quickpay Free to small businesses free of charge - they say they are perfect for companies with 5 or less employees. To download the software visit www.tassoftware.ie/free. In a similar vein, don't forget that Synergy is a network partner for Microsoft's BizSpark programme see http://www.microsoft.com/BizSpark/ for more info. Also another quick reminder of the next in The Juice series of breakfast briefings - tomorrow morning Dr Toby Scott talks about Design innovation - one not to miss as he is a genuinely fascinating speaker with a wealth of knowledge. Will let you know how that goes. To book a free spot just drop us an e-mail.

Books Abound

News just in that 3 copies of The World is Flat, Synergy Book Club's June read are now available in the ITT Dublin library - just ask for the Synergy Book Club book - and thanks to Niamh and Gilian for organising. Two copies are also available from the Synergy Honour Library. The book's fairly big so you can just focus on chapter Two - The Ten Forces that Flattened the World - if you're struggling! The club will meet at 1pm on Thursday, 25th June in the Glasshouse in Synergy Centre - all welcome.

Bags of Potential

Ronan Ganter, who took part in the last Enterprise Launch Programme here at Synergy, has just launched his new business http://www.bagcab.com/. BagCab picks your luggage up from one destination and delivers it to another for a mere five euro, leaving you free to walk, cycle or hitch hike from one destination to the next. Currently operating in Galway/Westport/Clifden area, Ronan has plans to add new routes as the company takes off.

Primary Promoters!!!

Watch out entrepreneurs - the next generation is hot on your heels. Tallaght Library is currently showcasing projects from South Dublin County Enterprise Board's "Bí Gnóthach" project aimed at entrepreneurial primary school kids. Mini-businesses set up by the kids range from Sensational Smoothies to Book Fairs and Craft Shops. First prize went to 6th class students from St Martin de Porres National school, Tallaght with their project Funky Glasses. Unlike our own entrepreneurs these students are a little more altruistic with proceeds going to charities chosen by the children.