Google, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, hosted the “Grow With Google” event at NUI Galway yesterday.
The event brought together over 100 SMEs from across Galway and surrounding counties, and was attended by Minister Sean Canney TD, Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs & Digital Development, in addition to representatives from Galway City Council and Galway Chamber of Commerce.
Grow With Google involved talks and workshops on the many free digital tools that can help Irish SMEs find and understand new clients both domestically & overseas. One-to-one masterclass sessions with key Google executives were also held so that business owners could receive practical training in these skills and knowledge.
It was the latest in a series of events held this year by Google in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, which aims to upskill and educate Irish SMEs in reaching new customers, expanding their businesses, and future-proofing their operations for a digital world.
The events take their inspiration from Google’s popular Breakfast Briefings held monthly at its EMEA headquarters in Dublin, and the company aims to upskill 8,000 Irish businesses via Grow with Google initiatives this year.
Speaking at the event, Minister Sean Canney said, "Small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of any community, providing vital employment, essential income, and an increased energy in the regions they serve. But it is no secret that SMEs are facing an increasingly difficult trading environment, which is why I warmly welcome the Grow with Google event to Galway. Grow with Google will equip SMEs of the region with the tools and knowledge to not only survive in the new economy, but to thrive and grow both nationally and internationally."
Director at Google, Shane Nolan added, "We believe that Irish businesses need to be up to date with everything digital-related, so I’m happy to see that our regional Grow with Google events are proving to be very popular, with hundreds of SMEs around the country already benefiting from our digital masterclasses and workshops this year. The local businesses we have been working with have shown tremendous appetite for learning and a willingness to try new approaches to their sales and marketing efforts, which augurs well for the health and wellbeing of Irish businesses, and ensures that Ireland remains at the heart of the global digital economy."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
