CORKMEET 2010 to generate new business prospects valued at €10M

13th July 2010

Ireland's largest business-to-business forum to arrange 4,000 one-to-one prospect meetings for over 400 companies.

CORKMEET, Ireland's largest business-to-business networking event, announced that its 2010 business networking forum will take place in Cork from October 6th-8th.

The three-day event, modelled on the internationally successful Futurallia concept, is expected to generate new business prospects valued at €10m and has been described by last year's participants as "economic speed dating with a difference" where local, national and international businesses get the opportunity to meet each other, discuss projects, consider partnerships and explore new trading channels.

Last year's inaugural CORKMEET exceeded all expectations with 383 delegates taking part and 2,500 one-to-one meetings arranged for 297 companies. Participants from eight different countries and spanning 15 different business sectors including agri-food & beverages, pharmaceutical & health, construction, engineering, craft & textiles, IT, energy supply, alternative energies, tourism, hospitality, transport and logistics took part.

Already hundreds of companies have signed up to take part in CORKMEET 2010, and organisers expect to pre-arrange 4,000 personalised one-on-one meetings for 500 delegates representing over 400 local, national and international businesses.

CORKMEET 2010 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 for CORKMEET 2010 and the event is sponsored by B2B print.

Cllr. Jim Daly, Cork County Mayor, said "As businesses strive to succeed and grow, the quality of their business contacts and networks becomes increasingly important. CORKMEET proved a fantastic success in its first year and feedback from delegates was hugely positive. I have every confidence that CORKMEET 2010 will mark a real turning point for local and international businesses as we move out of recession and into a more positive economic and business environment".

Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs, said: "Last year's inaugural CORKMEET event proved hugely successful and with the economic challenges we continue to face, it is crucial that Irish business leaders focus on developing and expanding their existing business networks so that they put themselves in a position to take advantage of improved Irish and global economic conditions as we move out of recession and into a period of economic growth. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I look forward to outlining the supports offered by our network of embassies to firms which are securing jobs at home by breaking into new markets."

Martin Riordan, Cork County Manager, said: "We are proud to support this unique event which puts Cork on the map as a key business networking hub. We are also delighted to renew our partnership with the Enterprise Boards and Cork Chamber who work so hard with us to make CORKMEET the hugely successful business networking event that it now is".

Sean O'Sullivan, CEO, South Cork Enterprise Board, said: "There is enormous potential for new business to be generated at this year's CORKMEET event. Last year was the inaugural year of the event during which 2,500 one to one meetings were arranged. This year we will double that reach with 4,000 one to one meetings planned for participating delegates, which marks phenomenal growth in just one year".

Conor Healy, CEO, Cork Chamber said: "CORKMEET 2010 is a hugely important event in Cork's business calendar and we're delighted to be involved again in this year's event. Effective business networking is at the core of any successful business venture and as a business-focused organisation, Cork Chamber actively encourages its members to take part in this unique business networking event".

One of last year's participants, Ciara Crossan, weddingdates.ie, said: "CORKMEET 2009 was a fantastic experience, the organisation was second to none. I was able to arrange ten back-to-back meetings during the day. I made new business contacts and generated sales as a result. I am very much looking forward to CORKMEET 2010 and the opportunities it will bring my business".

Another of last year's participants, Brian Deane, Ceatac Services Ltd., 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 NDA's with two East European companies. Based on our company's experience last year, I have no hesitation recommending this business networking event".

Cork Meet 2010 Project Manager, Maeve Bowen says: "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 expect companies from France, Poland, Romania, and the UK. There is also interest from Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Spain and the Czech Republic. We are also working through our connections to increase the numbers of companies from around Ireland, and from Northern Ireland at CORKMEET 2010."

CORKMEET 2010 will be held in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island, Co. Cork. There will a 'Meet the Buyer Forum' where businesses will get the opportunity to meet upwards of 25 multi-nationals based in the Cork region on the first day of the event. On the second day, there will be pre-arranged meetings all day for businesses. There will be a meaningful business focus to the Conference which will close the event on October 8th.

How CORKMEET works
Delegates are invited to register their company, outline their business profile and who they would like to meet at the event. Businesses then go online to browse through other companies, identifying the companies they'd like to meet. If businesses complete the registration properly, CORKMEET guarantees they will have up to 10 pre-arranged meetings with other businesses and many more through the other elements of the event.

Registration
Registration for CORKMEET 2010 is now open and delegates are encouraged to visit www.corkmeet.ie to register and download information about this year's exciting business networking event or call 026-20520 for more information.

For further information please contact:
Tina Quinn or Rhona Cashman, H+A Marketing + PR at 087 9881890 /087 6978477 +353 (0) 21 4666200 Email: tquinn@hagroup.ie or rcashman@hagroup.ie

Return to the News section