‘Economic speed dating’ event set to generate €10m in contracts

A NETWORKING event, the largest of its kind in Ireland, is expected to generate contracts worth €10 million.

Following the success of last year’s event, CorkMeet is taking place again this year and will see around 400 companies engage in 4,000 meetings over three days.

It has been described as “economic speed dating” where local, national and international businesses get the opportunity to meet.

Last year 383 delegates from eight countries took part in the first CorkMeet and there was 2,500 meetings arranged for 297 companies.

Already organisers said hundreds of companies have signed up to take part in this year’s event, launched last night.

It is funded and organised by Cork County Council and Cork County and City Enterprise Boards and organised in partnership with Cork Chamber. The Irish Examiner and Newstalk are media partners and B2B print are sponsors.

Companies from France, Poland, Romania and Britain are expected to take part and there is also interest from Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Spain and the Czech Republic.

Cork Meet project manager, Maeve Bowen said: “In relation to the international aspect of the forum, we already have strong interest from a number of the embassies and bi-lateral trade organisations and we have been working with these groups to increase the number of visiting delegations at this year’s event.

We are also working through our connections to increase the numbers of companies from around Ireland, and from Northern Ireland at CorkMeet 2010.”

One of last year’s participants, Brian Deane of Ceatac Services said: “We had a fantastic experience at last year’s CorkMeet. We have established a number of export opportunities through our involvement in the event and have already signed NDAs with two east European companies.

Based on our company’s experience last year, I have no hesitation recommending this business networking event.”

CorkMeet 2010 will be held in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island, Co Cork from October 6-8. For more information log onto www.corkmeet.ie.