Open Minds to Open Markets Rethinking the SME Market Place: New Opportunities in Europe

13 September 2012

To encourage SME’s to look to Europe as a viable market place, Network Cork in association with the European Parliament is organizing a half day seminar in Boole 1 UCC on Saturday 6th October.  The event will be funded by the European Parliament and is free of charge and open to everyone in business interested in looking for new business opportunities within the EU.  It will commence at 9:30am with a range of speakers and conclude with a networking lunch at 1pm.

The event will be opened by Sean Kelly MEP and also in attendance will be Francis Jacobs, Head of the European Parliament Information Office in Dublin.   Speakers will include SME’s who will give first hand advice and present their own experiences of successfully doing business in Europe, as well as representatives from various EU and Government bodies who will talk about government and EU support systems.  MC for the event will be Network Cork’s Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, who is Editor of The Cork Independent as well as a regular panelist on TV3’s Vincent Browne Show and contributor on various Newstalk programmes.

On announcing the event Sean Kelly MEP stated “We want business people to use the day to open their minds to the possibility of doing business in Europe and to learn more about the resources available from the European Union and the Irish Government to assist SME’s.  We are delighted to be running this event in association with Network Cork, a group of business women who has gained a strong reputation for their dynamic, entrepreneurial and resourceful attitude to doing business.  These traits are exactly what are needed to do business in Europe, plus a little help from the various agencies, which is readily available.”

Deirdre Waldron, Vice President, Network Cork added “The objective of the event is that SME’s will leave with fresh ideas on how to grow their businesses by looking at new opportunities within Europe.  Everyone in business has had to re-think their business strategies over the past few years and there is no reason why we should not consider Europe as a viable market place for our products and services.  Network Cork is delighted to be working with the European Parliament on such a positive initiative for SME’s.  We are so grateful to the European Parliament for sponsoring the event thereby making it accessible to everyone to come along, free of charge.”

The event commences at 9:30am and will include a number of business owners, who will give first-hand experience and advice on how they have successfully developed new business in Europe.  These business people include – Joan Walsh - Partnership Europe, Jim Breen – PulseLearning and Mike McGrath – supply.ie.  Each of these three business people have very different and interesting success stories and will bring a wealth of first-hand advice, inspiration and information to the audience.

Adding to the event will be Katherine Fitzpatrick from Enterprise Europe Network, who works with businesses in the Cork area to increase the competitive and innovative capacity of Cork’s SME’s and will give a general presentation on exactly what support is out there for SME’s looking to Europe for new business.

After the event there will be a networking lunch, which is open to all and sponsored by the European Parliament.  Booking is required as spaces for this innovative event is limited.  On-line booking and further information is available at www.networkcork.com.