The AIB Start-up Academy Blog: Week four

WEEK FOUR: Start-ups discover the value of putting customers at the heart of everything

The 11 finalists gather in The Irish Times for week four of the eight-week AIB Start-up Academy, joined by Lisa Hughes of Irish Times Training, to help them master the funnel

‘Marketing is the engine of your business and at the core of everything you do’ was the message at the heart of today’s AIB Irish Times Start-up Academy which was facilitated by Lisa Hughes (Irish Times Training). Hughes shared her expertise with ‘Marketing and Mastering “The Funnel”’ today, which marked the halfway point for the 11 finalists as they follow an eight-week accelerator programme.

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WEEK THREE:Philosophy, writing and making cents: AIB Startup Academy week three gets real

Critical thinking for peak performance kicked off a day of intense thought and action in week three of the AIB startup Academy writes Caitríona Mc Bride

There was a healthy mix of philosophy and practical learnings in today’s AIB Irish Times Start up Academy. This was the third week for the eleven finalists as they follow an eight-week accelerator programme. Valerie Pierce was today’s first facilitator for “Critical Thinking for Peak Performance” before Fiona Ashe took them through the afternoon with “Writing for Business Clarity”.

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WEEK TWO: the AIB finalists hit the streets to find out why the Irish dislike umbrellas so much

Week two of the AIB Start Up Academy was all about design thinking and Johnny Ryan’s hands-on approach took the finalists out of the classroom and out of their comfort zone writes Caitríona Mc Bride

“Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster” was the message facilitator Dr Johnny Ryan gave to the eleven finalists of the AIB Irish Times Start Up Academy on Monday morning. It’s week two of their accelerator programme and Ryan is back with the “Design Thinking” module – challenging them to design the perfect umbrella.
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WEEK TWO Video: watch this week's video diary

WEEK TWO Gallery: problem solved

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Coaching begins in The Irish Times for finalists on the AIB Start-up Academy

There was an air of ‘first day at school’ as the eleven start up companies took their first step on the eight-week accelerator programme in The Irish Times and AIB Start up Academy which kicked off today. This is the second year of the  Academy which is a joint venture between AIB and The Irish Times to help start-up companies grow through an eight-week programme where the finalists get to network and learn from entrepreneurs and industry experts in a mentoring and training programme.
READ THE FULL STORY on irishtimes.com

PROFILE

Lucinda Kelly, Popertee: Helping businesses set up pop-up shops

Lucinda Kelly gained her experience in corporate business, spending several years with Paddy Power before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship.

“I was with Paddy Power for four and a half years and I always knew that I wanted to set up my own business,” she says. “That’s why I went through the whole corporate piece, just to get education. It was brewing in the background, I was quite comfortable with what I was going to go ahead with when leaving.”

Taking a month off to ride her beloved horses and clear her mind, Kelly set about putting a business model in place.

“I had seen and loved the success of Airbnb and the whole shared-economy model, and I was thinking about how we could replicate that for another business,” she says. “My dad’s business was always commercial property, so I always had an interest in that.

READ THE FULL PROFILE on irishtimes.com

PROFILE

Brendan Joseph Madden, founder of Brendan Joseph: Distilling beautiful places into woven scarves, bow ties and shawls

Having studied textiles at the National College of Art and Design, Brendan Joseph Madden always wanted to start his own business. Inspired by his grandfather and his own love of art, the idea of developing a range of wearable art pieces of scarfs and bow ties was formed.

“My artwork has always been about touch. My grandad was blind and he was always a basket weaver, which is incidental, he would see with his hands. All my art has been very tactile,” he said.

“I was looking at the way sun dances with water sitting on the edge of Belfast Lough one day. The way the sun shimmers very selectively and dances with certain waves at certain times, it never happens twice. That is when I said I want to make this my product, it’s something happening all over Ireland, this subtle beauty all the time.”

His unique approach to designing his own pieces and creating his own products means that he had all the research and tools to start production.

READ THE FULL PROFILE on irishtimes.com

NEXT WEEK: Coach, Dr Johnny Ryan, hits the streets of Dublin with the 11 finalists.

Keep up to date on irishtimes.com/aibstartupacademy