28th March 2011: Enterprise Ireland has announced the appointment of Liam Casey as its Start-up Ambassador for the Greater China region. The appointment forms part of measure 4.3 of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs 2012 to "Appoint new International Start-Up Ambassadors and consider new ways to involve the private sector, including Diaspora, in developing champions to extend knowledge of Ireland’s unique offering in this are". Enterprise Ireland previously announced the appointment of Dylan Collins for the UK market and Paul Kenny for the Middle East.
The announcement was made during Enterprise Ireland’s trade mission to China led by an Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mr Richard Bruton T.D. The aim is to encourage Chinese entrepreneurs to choose Ireland as the location for their next high-tech start-up businesses.
Welcoming the announcement from China, Minister Bruton said:
"A key part of the Government's plan for jobs and growth is to create a genuine indigenous engine of growth. As I have said before, our ambition must not only be to attract the next Google or Microsoft to Ireland, but we must also seek to grow the next Google or Microsoft in Ireland. Indigenous companies provide proportionally more than three times more benefit to the Irish economy than multinational companies.
"The Action Plan for Jobs contains a series of measures aimed at making Ireland a centre for international start-ups, and today's announcement that Liam Casey, an Irish entrepreneur with immense experience of the China, is being appointed as Ireland's start-up ambassador here is great news and represents further moves towards delivery of a key Action Plan for Jobs commitment. I am determined to continue implementing our plan to ensure that we can make Ireland a hub for international start-up activity and create the jobs we so badly need.”
Liam Casey is one of Ireland’s most successful entrepreneurs in China. He is the founder and CEO of PCH International – a world leading supply chain solutions company that creates, develops and delivers the world's best technology products for the world's best brands, focusing on the accessories market for eReaders, smartphones and tablets.
Liam has 17 years experience in the region and he will work closely with Enterprise-Ireland to highlight Ireland and what it has to offer for technology start-ups.
Last year, Enterprise Ireland launched a dedicated €10m International Start-Up Fund to target investor ready overseas entrepreneurs to start their business in Ireland.
The fund is open to company promoters anywhere in the world, but is targeted particularly at the Irish Diaspora, international expatriates, the ‘New Diaspora’ (people from overseas who have previously worked or studied in Ireland), as well as serial and mobile entrepreneurs. In addition to the new Start-up Entrepreneur Programme visa initiative announced recently by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter TD, this makes Ireland a highly attractive location to start and grow an international business.
Stimulating the flow of new start-ups and supporting their growth are fundamental building blocks in the Governments Action Plan for Jobs. The availability of VC and seed funding as well as an excellent ecosystem for start-ups which includes mentoring, start-up incubators, export support, training and networking are some of the key benefits that will be highlighted to potential entrepreneurs in the Greater China region.
An increasing number of mobile international entrepreneurs are coming to Ireland as their location of choice to start a new business and from the volume of enquiries that Enterprise-Ireland has received this trend is set to continue in 2012.
To find out more about the International Start-Up Fund and Ireland as a location for your business visit: www.startinireland.com
Pictures to follow and also available on reques