A NEW online platform has been launched to help the growing number of start-up businesses in Northern Ireland connect with investors, peers and potential new recruits across Europe.
Thehub.io - which is completely free to use for start-ups, applicants and investors - is based on a strategic partnership between Danske Bank, Catalyst Inc and Rainmaking, a global cooperative of entrepreneurs.
Danske Bank said thehub.io, which is now live, will help connect start-ups to relevant resources, such as talent, networks, financing, tools and advice from experts which will help them overcome some of the challenges of scaling up.
Some 105 NI start-ups and 34 investors from across Europe are currently using thehub.io and there are 172 jobs available on it.
The project has been fuelled by Danske’s wish to help Northern Ireland companies to grow, especially early-stage companies with a global outlook and the ambition to expand fast.
David Allister, head of digital partnerships and alliances at Danske Bank, said: “Our vision with The Hub is to connect people. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are essential for innovation, productivity and economic growth in society. In order for them to succeed in their growth ambitions, however, many things need to fall in to place.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for start-ups to deal with some of the challenges related to scalability, such as recruiting the right people, gaining access to funding and finding the tools they need quickly.
He added: “The Hub will help start-ups screen potential investors to find the ones that are most relevant to their business. Our ambition is for it to increase interaction between the start-up ecosystem in Northern Ireland and those in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Hub manager Conall Keenan added: “Thehub.io provides start-ups with an overview of some of the available funding sources, making it easier for them to navigate through some of the options.
"In early-stage start-ups, it is also really important to get help with recruitment, because being a start-up is not a one-person show, and hiring can be challenging.
“My role is to guide the users of the platform through the process of registering their job positions, gaining traction for their events and providing ongoing support for them to effectively use the platform to grow their business.
"There is a great opportunity in Northern Ireland and thehub.io is a unique way of connecting the resources available to advance the local start-up market.”
