Helping activate our town through digital

Since @DigitalDúnLaoghaire’s inception in March 2016 our network has run dozens of free business events with a total attendance to date in excess of 1,100 business people. Our work is made possible by the membership fees of the Bank of Ireland contribution of coworking space to DigitalHQ clg.

@DigitalDunLaoghaire is a local, volunteer driven initiative. It's mission is to help attract and grow new businesses, to help businesses and social enterprises in our town transition to the digital economy and, in order to fill empty buildings and increase footfall with a high capture rate, project Dun Laoghaire Town through digital channels as a great place to shop, work and spend time.

Our objectives

In addition to the support of Bank of Ireland, we receive support from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to deliver the following outputs:

• Connecting - Creating a community of innovation driven enterprises and connecting them with the enterprise hubs of the town and with innovation supports offered within the DLR region.

• Business attraction - Identifying available office space in the town and promoting Dun Laoghaire as the ideal business location for innovation driven enterprises.

• Networking & Training - Running @DigitalDunLaoghaire meetups and briefings for both innovation driven enterprises and traditional small businesses.

• Business Promotion - Overseeing the #LoveDunLaoghaire digital business area promotion campaigns.

Steering Group Representatives

The members of the steering group include representatives from the key stakeholders that are committed to seeking ways to leverage digital to advance economic vibrancy and activity in the town.

Current members include representatives from IADT Media Cube, .IE Domain Registry, Grow Remote, DLR County Council, Bank of Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, DigitalHQ clg, Nova UCD, DLR Chamber and Local Business Owners.

Work of the Steering Group

To carry out the mission of @DigitalDunLaoghaire a steering group of representatives from relevant organisations, associations and companies associated with the town meet on a quarterly basis. The work of this steering group includes:

• Providing input into the creation of the @DigitalDunLaoghaire programme of events including topics and nominating speakers.

• Setting the editorial policy and the strategic development of the services of the Dún Laoghaire Town website. 

• Support the goal of bringing more footfall to the town through activating  coworking and shared office spaces in the town.

• Identifying digital related projects that can increase footfall and capture rate for local businesses and submitting grant applications to support implementing these projects.

our History

Launch of Digital Dun Laoghaire with Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, CEO of .IE Domain Registry David Curtin, head of enterprise at DLR CoCo Georgina Sweetman and Eoin Costello, Digital Connector at Digital Dun Laoghaire

@DigitalDunLaoghaire Our journey to date

Forming - developing the collaborative network

• March 2016 - First steering group meeting was held in the Business Improvement District’s office when it was initially proposed to be Startup Dun Laoghaire.

• May 2016 - Eoin Costello officially engaged as the BID’s Digital Connector to lead the @DigitalDúnLaoghaire initiative.

• September 2016 - Minister Mitchell O’Connor becomes Patron and officially launches @DigitalDúnLaoghaire with Bank of Ireland’s Colin Kingston.

• January 2017 - Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy launched with “Action No. 9 – Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will identify and promote Dún Laoghaire town as a new Digital, Creative and Technology Hub for the region in partnership with Digital Dún Laoghaire, Dún Laoghaire BID, Commissioner for Startups & IADT.”

• March 2017 - Infographic launched capturing the outputs of the first 12 months of the @DigitalDúnLaoghaire initiative.

Creating a Vision

• May 2017 - Launch of the our strategic plan for the Digital Transformation of Dún Laoghaire Town.

Opening Ireland’s first Digital Growth Hub

• June 2017 - Dun Laoghaire Enterprise Centre incubation space officially opened as a @DigitalDúnLaoghaire initiative, income funds the work of @DigitalDunLaoghaire.

• October 2017 - @DigitalDúnLaoghaire makes the enterprise centre its home for its programme of events.

• March 2019 - The Dun Laoghaire Town BID's 5 year term ended on 31st March 2019 and the Board decided not to seek an additional term. A number of the Board members set up the not-for-profit entity DigitalHQ clg to continue key elements of the digital agenda of the BID including @DigitalDúnLaoghaire. 

• In response to an article in the Irish Times ( Dún Laoghaire's continuing failure to reinvent itself ) we felt motivated to write a letter to the Editor which, as yet, the Irish Times has not published.

Our journey continues!