Mobility Mojo is an Irish startup on the rise. It has been called the ‘TripAdvisor for people with disabilities’. CEO and co-founder Stephen Cluskey discusses his journey to date.

What is Mobility Mojo?
Mobility Mojo is an award-winning platform that works like TripAdvisor but focuses on accessibility. We specialise in information around access for people with reduced mobility and those with additional access needs. Our mission is to mainstream accessibility globally.
How did you find a co-founder for your business?
By chance, I was pitching at an event with Social Entrepreneurs of Ireland focusing on accessible transport. Noelle, my co-founder, was pitching at the same event in regards to accessible accommodation. It seemed like a no-brainer for us to join forces, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I think we complement each other extremely well.

“One in two people with a disability won’t travel for fear of something going wrong”

This isn’t your first business venture, how did your previous experiences shape your current business?
The previous businesses have been instrumental in helping figure things out. We learn so much more from our mistakes than any achievements and every day there are new lessons. I think if we even went back six months with Mobility Mojo, we would definitely change a few things but that’s like everything in life. I think the main lesson has been really prioritising the key parts of the business and dedicating all our focus to these. We are learning to say no as well, which is very important.
Why did you feel there was a market for Mobility Mojo?
Some of the statistics are startling. One in two people with a disability won’t travel for fear of something going wrong. Through the Mobility Mojo platform, we give people the confidence to go anywhere. This is the reason we exist, to

Hanna Walter is a career and business coach who specialises in working with Ireland’s Polish community to encourage more people from Poland to set up and run businesses in Ireland.

What’s your role?
I am a business and career coach at Inspiring Coaching. I also organise networking events for Polish people who want to set up businesses in Ireland or already have a business. For these events, we get great help from Bank of Ireland Workbenches and the Trade & Investment promotion section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Dublin.
I also run smaller meetings for women where we talk about our passions and interests and encourage each other in terms of our careers and businesses.
What are you most interested in?
I am interested in people, what drives them, their mindset and their achievements. I am also interested in positive psychology and personal branding. My degree in marketing and my coaching qualifications made my perfect role and career. I love cooking, dancing and walking (even in the rain).
“We are the largest minority group in Ireland, but most of us aren’t involved in any networking events in Ireland. I want to change this.”
What are your ambitions?
I want to help Poles to integrate more with Irish businesses and encourage more people to set up businesses in Galway. Last year I was one of the finalists for Business Women of the Year as part of Network Galway, and I didn’t meet any other Polish women there. I started to organise events and networking for Poles because I am Polish and I know what we need it. I also want to do these types of events in other cities across Ireland. We are the largest minority group in Ireland, but most of us aren’t involved in any networking events in Ireland. I want to change

Sean O’Tuama, the founder of Firemole, discusses his ‘eureka’ moment, his invention, how he developed his product and the support he received at Cork’s Republic of Work.
My invention
Firemole is all about fire prevention over fire detection. We aim to catch rising temperatures and alert users to issues before a fire breaks out. There has been a 35% increase in residential fires over the last year and a 13% increase in workplace fires. We plan to reduce these figures with our innovative patent-pending fire safety device called Firemole, which sounds an inbuilt alarm when it detects high temperatures from the surface to which it is attached, and by doing so, potentially saving lives and properties.

My ‘eureka’ moment
I worked as an electrician and attended the aftermath of numerous fires in residential and commercial buildings. I found that in many of these cases the fire was caused by a specific electrical or electronic device. It was after an incident in my own home when the fuse board nearly caught fire (I didn’t install it), that got me thinking about developing a device like Firemole.
Why I applied for a Bank of Ireland scholarship desk at Republic of Work?
Being in a startup is tough, especially when you are the only one involved in it. While working on your own, in your bedroom or wherever you may be, you tend to ask yourself regularly “Am I crazy for doing this?” or “Should I just go and get a regular job?” and you can beat yourself up about things. I knew the scholarship desk in Republic of Work would give me the opportunity to be working alongside like-minded people. You may be in entirely different industries to the people you’re working alongside, but the problems are the same.
How was my experience as a scholar?
My experience in Republic of

Hugh O’Donnell is the former CEO of Clonmel-based engineering firm Kentz, who under his leadership became a global player in the oil-services sector.

 
After graduating from the University of Limerick in 1987 as a mechanical engineer, Hugh O’Donnell had planned on moving to the US but instead ended up spending a decade in South Africa working at a state-of-the-art coal mine in Standerton, about 170km east of Johannesburg for Anglo American.
At 35, he was appointed as CEO of Kentz and helped grow the company to a $2 billion global operation with over 14,000 employees in 36 countries.

“We Irish abroad work really well, we have this enormous tolerance for ambiguity which other cultures don’t have.”

Speaking on what contributed to their international success, Hugh cites twin-tracked USPs of unique technical skills combined with their ability to automate industrial facilities, engineer, design and roll these out globally and building a relationship with large oil and gas companies who didn’t possess these skills. Hugh also believes Kentz’ ability to adapt and thrive while working with multiple diverse cultures made to company stand out.
“We Irish abroad work really well, we have this enormous tolerance for ambiguity which other cultures don’t have. We deal with chaos more than others do and in my experience and where there’s chaos, there’s cash.”

“Where there’s chaos, there’s cash.”

At the height of the economic crisis, Hugh successfully lead Kentz’ IPO, which was a great success. In 2008, he went on to win the award for CEO for IPO of the Year London Stock Exchange. The same year Hugh was the winner of the UL Alumni Businessman of the Year and in 2009, he was the winner of Ernst and Young’s International Entrepreneur of the Year.
Speaking of his success, he says; “Motivational theory tells us that the two biggest motivators

Achill Island, Co. Mayo is the destination for the upcoming Startup Weekend West taking place on Friday, April 27, 2018. The theme is the future of towns.
This unique Startup Weekend will bring together designers, developers, county councillors, urban planners, founders, and much more to conceive ideas and build solutions that will bring life and economic vitality back into Irish towns.
The weekend costs just €60 to attend, and that includes all meals each day, a t-shirt and some cosy accommodation.
How it works
On Friday, some of the attendees will pitch an idea for 60 seconds. The best ten ideas (voted for by attendees) will progress to build a team and then through to pitch at the final.
On Saturday, mentors and coaches (who are established business owners or experts in their area) will be brought in to help guide the teams through execution.
On Sunday, the event will finish with the final pitches and winners announced. There’s also a cracking after-party.
Book now as places are limited at this national event.
Watch the video
TechStars Startup Weekend is the place to look for a team, create a prototype of your idea, validate your business idea, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, all in one weekend.

Related Resource

TAKE THE QUIZ: The islands of Ireland. 

StartLab Dublin is calling all tech startups to apply for one of the most sought-after incubation programmes in Ireland. 
StartLab is a dedicated tech incubation space on Dublin’s Camden Street and was designed to support the thriving tech startup community in Ireland.
Powered by Bank of Ireland, the new StartLab offers successful applicants free desk space as well as a full range of tailored business supports including mentorship from the bank’s dedicated Innovation and Enterprise team.
“Irish startups such as Plynk, BriteBiz and Deposify are fantastic examples of the success of our innovation programme,” says Dave Tighe, Head of Open Enterprise and Innovation.
“Plynk was born in our Grand Canal Workbench and within 24 months raised €25 million in Series A funding.
“The decision to open StartLab Dublin is part of our continued strategy around fostering and growing entrepreneurship. For us, Camden Street is fast becoming a creative quarter and it is the perfect location.”

Francesca McDonagh, CEO of Bank of Ireland, at the opening of StartLab Camden Street.

Apply now
Application for StartLab Dublin is by invitation only. You can apply here.
Once young tech companies have a proof of concept, they can apply to receive six months of free mentoring, support and workspace to scale their business.
StartLab is focused on helping tech entrepreneurs understand the fundamentals of a business, including market and customer validation, product fit, pitching for funding and pitching for customers.
Do you have a dream? Apply now. The deadline is January 19, 2018.

To celebrate the upcoming Startup Weekend West taking place on Achill Island on Friday, April 27, we have compiled this short quiz about Ireland’s most famous islands.  

An innovative tech incubator space, called the Hatch Lab, has opened its doors in Gorey, Co. Wexford. Here we talk to its manager, John O’Connor.
The Hatch Lab’s aim is to act as a beacon, to attract and anchor some of the talented ICT and financial professionals who commute daily to Dublin, in large numbers. It’s a joint venture backed by Wexford County Council, Bank of Ireland and Redmond Builders – with experienced enterprise manager John O’Connor, at the helm.
O’Connor’s role is as a catalyst, sharing his experience, knowledge and facilitating the background culture, required to best assist new and prospective tech start-ups, for the socio-economic benefit of north Wexford. Here he outlines what he has learned along the way; from growing up in rural Cork; to development work in Africa; and his on-going enterprise work with both the Enniscorthy Enterprise and Technology Centre in Enniscorthy – and the Hatch Lab in Gorey.

The early years
I grew up just outside Mallow where my Dad was a very successful greyhound breeder and trainer. He is recorded in the ‘Guinness Book of Records’ for winning the English Derby twice, along with the Welsh and Scottish Derby. At school, I had an aptitude for maths, which proved useful at the greyhound track, when calculating the odds on doubles, accumulators and cross-doubles. I could also see very quickly how gambling didn’t work and that the ‘house’ never loses. I subsequently developed an interest in shares and investments, and I can remember selling oil shares on the Friday just before ‘Black Monday’, back in 1987.
“We have a purpose-built 36,000 sq. ft. building with 54 desks spaces.”
What intrigued me most about shares was that, they had the potential to grow and if not, allowed the possibility to get your money back. This interest and passion encouraged me to

Maeve Liston is a director of enterprise and community engagement and a senior lecturer in STEM education at Mary Immaculate College, making her one of Limerick’s most influential people.
What are you most interested in?
I’m most interested in making a difference, developing a positive role in the socio-economic and cultural development of the city and region in which we all live, work, learn and play. I am passionate about promoting and inspiring creativity and innovation and empowering young people, teachers, parents and the general public, through a wide range of outreach activities in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), entrepreneurship, culture and the arts, in collaboration with all education institutions, industries and fora across the region.
“The people that I admire the most are those inspirational people that give back and care about the place they grew up in and are from.”
What are your ambitions?
To engage and inspire people of all ages from all socio-economic backgrounds to embrace innovation and develop transferable skills needed across all life-situations and career paths. I will continue in this goal through continuously broadening our engagement with as many organisations, enterprise and industry in the region, inspiring and fostering a culture of engagement, creativity, innovation, adaptive leadership and enterprise among people with a diverse range of life-experiences.
What drives you?
I only commit to projects and initiatives I truly believe in and that align with our mission at MIC focusing on ‘Community Belonging’ i.e. ensuring inclusion, access and equity. If I set my mind on something and I am truly committed to the cause, this drives me to ensure we make an impact on the lives of people in Limerick and the region.  
“We are encouraging people to explore and connect with Limerick, physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Who do you admire in business? 
There are so many

Galway-based bakery Foods of Athenry was started in a converted shed on a farm when the dairy farming became unsustainable. Despite some serious ‘teething’ problems, the business is now one of the leading gluten-free food producers in the West.

Starting
It was a mix of necessity and opportunity. Paul was a dairy farmer and farming was difficult at the time so something had to be done to supplement the farm income, and so a small bakery business was born. Very quickly the opportunity for the bakery business outweighed the potential for the future of dairying for us. After a few years, the cows were sold and the bakery then moved into the empty milking parlour – where it remains today.
Any big breaks? 
There was no ‘big break’ for Foods of Athenry – more a series of smaller opportunities that were presented, and then combined with hard work and tenacity led to steady and sustained growth. 
“I regret not knowing more at the initial stages and having better knowledge to allow us to progress less painfully and without so many mistakes.”

Regrets? 
I regret not knowing more at the initial stages and having better knowledge to allow us to progress less painfully and without so many mistakes. We branded and grew the brand organically, reinventing a few times as we learned more, but it was an exhausting process. But I am thankful for the mistakes as they made us better people. I regret the bakery burning down in 2011, that was a difficult and painful time, both personally and from a business point of view. But even that has made us more thankful for what we have achieved since.
“Do a gap analysis – check what is out there in your chosen category; do cost comparisons and formulate a rock solid USP.”

Any tips for food business starters? 
Learn as much as you can