Google Adopt A Startup Programme Looks For Irish Entrepreneurs
Google began accepting applications from Irish entrepreneurs for its Adopt A Startup programme on Monday, November 21. The Adopt A Startup programme sees small businesses paired up with Google support teams who will work with them from Google’s Irish headquarters to accelerate their growth. Each Startup will receive 12 weeks hands-on mentoring, access to exclusive lectures, fire-side chats and workshops at the Google Ireland offices. Google will no longer accept applications from December 21.
The competition will launch on 17 January 2017 and continue end with a grand final that will see qualifying Startups present their results from the program to members of Google Ireland’s leadership team as well as prominent figures from the Irish Startup Community at a Grand Final in Google Ireland’s Headquarters on 6 April 2017.
Arklu won the competition in 2016. Arklu was formed in London in December 2010, their first product being a Kate Middleton-inspired doll, followed up a few months later with a double pack of Kate and William Royal Wedding dolls. The company expanded to Donegal where they continue to make “Lottie Dolls” which are aimed to empower children.
The company said that since winning the competition their online sales were“three times ahead compared to the same period last year, online now represents 50% of our business. The competition taught us in a practical way about the importance of segmenting our marketing and reporting, it allows you to compare different markets but also create awareness of the subtle differences between them. It’s a laborious process but once in place you immediately are making smarter decisions. I was hesitant before entering the competition as we are a product based company and how could we benefit from such a competition that surely was focused on IT based businesses, but when you think about it Google are helping businesses everyday from every part of the world no matter how remote or what industry to be found by their customers and who better to learn from.”
FoodCloud, a company that tackles food waste, won the competition in 2015 and said that the Google team worked with to develop a digital marketing strategy to help them to raise awareness about the work they do in Ireland.
