GETTING IRISH BUSINESS ONLINE

Getting Irish Business Online is a major new launch-pad initiative to encourage new and developing Irish small and medium enterprises to maximize their use of locally sourced Internet, ICT and Cloud-based technologies in order to drive growth and reduce costs. Getting Irish Business Online launched on Friday 6th May 2011. The first initiative of its kind in Ireland, it is backed by leading Irish online companies including Irish Domains and Blueface. The initiative will offer small businesses ... a chance to get an internet domain, email, web presence and VOIP phone line with local geographic number free for a year. According to the CSO nearly one third of businesses do not have a website, and only about a fifth have e-commerce capability. The GIBO initiative will help small business save costs and start using web technologies in that all-important first year online. This innovative launch-pad initiative is open to all businesses in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) irrespective of size. Although targeted at start-ups that have not yet established their web presence, the initiative is also open to SME’s that have some online presence but would like to learn how to develop it further. GIBO will also provide each SME with educational resources to help them understand the opportunities offered by the internet, and connect them to local business support organizations in their area. The intention is that the initiative will continue to evolve and the aim is to recruit additional Irish Companies to join the scheme and offer an ever increasing range of additional free services and supports for Irish SME’s as they grow their businesses online.More