Bizcamp Galway

I attended Bizcamp Saturday last (Sept 11th) which was hosted in NUI Galway. For those of you who don’t know about Bizcamp, it is an “opportunity for entrepreneurs and innovators to come together, share experiences, and possibly create new value out of the day”. The event was organized on a voluntary basis by a number of entrepreneurs with a passion for the Irish business community to help each other in the current economic crisis.

The day kicked off at 9am for registration and free tea, coffee, scones, croissants etc (and not forgetting the free ice cream after lunch). The talks were given by a mixture of entrepreneurs, micro business, SME owners as well as established and well known business owners. There were five talks running simultaneously and you picked which one you preferred to attend. Each talk ran for 40 minutes and this led into the next round of five talks where you again picked your preferred topic. There were a total of 33 talks from 10am until 3pm ranging in themes from starting your business, IP protection, Pricing, PR and so on. Finally, there was a panel discussion at 3pm with notable speakers such as John Concannon (JFC) and Pat Phelan (Cubic Telecom).

The day ran like clockwork with the organisers working hard in the background getting speakers in and out of rooms in a timely fashion. The speakers themselves were engaging and the set up of the talks allowed for an environment where Q&A was encouraged and active participation from delegates. I think everyone learnt something from the day and most people made new (and I am sure, worthwhile) contacts.

I would like to applaud the organisers on their dedication to the idea of networking and learning. One of the great things about the day was the fact that everyone was there to share their story and use their experience to help or provide some ideas for those struggling with their own business ideas or micro business. I met a number of people who were seeking help in certain areas and came away from the day with practical ideas and advice for their next move.

From a tiny budget, a huge amount of value was created on Saturday and I am delighted (as are many others) to have been there to share, participate and learn with Bizcamp.

Well done Bizcamp Galway.

http://www.bizcamp.ie/galway/#who-is-bizcamp-for