New Programme Encourages Early Stage Entrepreneurs to Exploit New Technologies

Digital Skills Academy Launches Ireland’s First Programme for Digital Entrepreneurs & Innovators to Feature ‘Growth-Hacking’

WebInnovate, a new digital product innovation ‘growth hacking’ and entrepreneur development programme was launched by Digital Skills Academy, with the aim of cultivating the talents of a new wave of digital entrepreneurs, and those who want to work in digital start-ups.

With Ireland battling against declining levels of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the majority of entrepreneurs setting up new businesses that are in low technology sectors, as reported by the recently published Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM); the new WebInnovate programme will support participants to exploit new technologies and develop digital products and services for international markets.

With a focus on innovation for web and mobile, WebInnovate will help cultivate digital entrepreneurs and start-up founders by equipping them with skills in application development, growth hacking, digital marketing and responsive design. The programme has been designed to support a new wave of digital entrepreneur to develop a product concept and become ‘start-up-ready’ to successfully progress into one of Ireland’s accelerator programmes and incubation centres, including NDRC’s LaunchPad, Telefonica’s Wayra, and Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers Programme, among many others.

Digital entrepreneur Gene Murphy, CEO of Irish digital start up, Redeem & Get, who is leading the growth hacking (digital innovation) modules on the programme said “Speaking from experience, Ireland is one of the best places in the world to be a digital entrepreneur. The Irish tech start-up scene is incredibly vibrant with a great support ecosystem for digital entrepreneurs. With start-up costs typically lower than other sectors, the opportunities are there for the taking. Having a great concept though is just half the battle, you also need the skills to take it further and the WebInnovate programme will provide participants with practical experience to take their idea to the next level.”

50 jobseekers who aspire to develop their own digital product or service for international markets or to develop skills to work in companies who are digital innovators, will secure places on the WebInnovate programme commencing this October. Delivered by Digital Skills Academy, the 12 month part-time programme offers a Level 8 Continuing Professional Development Diploma in Digital Technology, Development and Innovation, awarded by Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). Part of the Higher Education Authority’s Springboard initiative, the programme is free-of-charge for eligible jobseekers.

Also currently open for applications is Digital Skills Academy highly-acclaimed digital technology programme WebElevate, which from October is being offered as a Bachelor of Science Degree (BSc Ord) in Digital Technology and Design, awarded by Dublin Institute of Technology.

With a focus on developing the talents of jobseekers to work in the digital technology and content sectors, the WebElevate programme has been delivering very successful employment outcomes for graduates. Within three months of graduating from the most recently completed WebElevate programme (March 2013), 71% of those who started the programme were successfully back in the workforce.

Paul Dunne, CEO of Digital Skills Academy said “We are focused on equipping people with the skills to achieve, whether that is securing one of the 4,500 current job vacancies in Ireland’s high-growth Internet and digital technology sectors or going on to emulate the success of Redeem & Get internationally. Our programmes are already delivering very successful employment outcomes for our graduates and we are keen to build on this by also developing the talents of a new wave of digital entrepreneurs, particularly given the huge importance entrepreneurship and innovation play in job creation.”

The closing date to apply for both the WeInnovate and the WebElevate programmes is Monday, 9th September, 2013. For more information and to apply to the WebInnovate or WebElevate programme, applicants should visit DigtialSkillsAcademy.com