Web 2 Ireland

Excuse the blatant pimping but I thought it was worth mentioning the IIA Event that is on this Thursday afternoon in the Burlington in Dublin. It’s called “8 More Ways to Sell Even More Stuff” and the focus is on Content, Analysis and Store Format.

Yours truly is one of the speakers with my LouderVoice hat on and I’ll be digging into how Customer Reviews are the lynchpin of Social Commerce.

To be absolutely brutal about it, Ireland is years behind the US and UK in the adoption of newer approaches around e-commerce. I hope the material at this event will make a lot of people wake up to the possibilities.

If you are already selling online or you are thinking about it, then you will hear about what is important now and in the next two years. At €99.99 (€79.99 for IIA Members), it’s a steal.

Siliconrepublic has details on a new Industry led organization – Irish Internet Growth Alliance (IGA) which is “a new initiative aimed at helping Irish internet start-ups to navigate the unfortunate red-tape of Irish business and go global fast.”

This group has the support of Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Software Association, the Irish Internet Association and the Institute of International and European Affairs.

Colm Lyon, the founder and CEO of Realex Payments – and founder of the IGA will unveil IGA during his address at next week's IIA Congress in Dublin. Other notable people involved include Ray Nolan, founder of Hostelworld and Dylan Collins of Jolt Gaming

Fantastic set of winners at last night’s IIA Net Visionary Awards. Well done to all.

They were (in reverse order):

• Overall Net Visionary: Pat Phelan of MaxRoam
• Web developer excellence: Jennifer O’Brien of Webtools Software
• Web design excellence: Karen Hanratty of www.pixeldesign.ie
• Social Contribution: Niall Devine of MyCharity.ie
• Mobile Internet Innovation: Johnny Beirne of Downloadmusic.ie
• Journalist Award: Marie Boran of Silicon Republic
• Internet Marketer: Michele Neylon of Blacknight Solutions
• Internet Entrepreneur: Derek Quinn of MyAddress.ie
• Innovation: Niall Devine from MyCharity.ie
• Educational Contribution: Paul Whelan for Lichens.ie
• eGovt: Cathy Clarke for www.itsyourmoney.ie
• Best Use of Social Media: Marcus Mac Innes for Pix.ie
• Best Online Trader Ireland: Brian Fallon www.daft.ie 
• Best Online Financial Service: Martin O’Leary, RaboDirect
• Online Exporter: Lulu O’Sullivan www.4giftsdirect.com
• Best Online business use of Irish: Niall O’Driscoll, vStream www.vstream.ie
• Best Business Podcaster: Alex Gibson for www.thepersuaders.com
• Best Business Blogger: Michele Neylon