Tuam’s Digital Futures Plan central to Local Enterprise Week

Events run from March 2 to 6

A DIGITAL Futures Strategic Action Plan for Tuam will be launched on Friday, March 6 as part of Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Galway's programme for Local Enterprise Week (LEW).

In all, 19 separate events will take place across the county for this year’s event. Among them will be Lunch & Learn events in both Tuam and Ballinasloe. Businesses and entrepreneurs from all over Galway are invited to attend talks, workshops and pop-up events, with AI, digital futures and female empowerment very much in focus.

The Digital Futures Action Strategic Plan will be launched in the Ard Rí Hotel in Tuam on Friday morning, March 6. The event is a collaboration between LEO Galway and Action Tuam. It will begin with registration at 9.30am, and attendees can look forward to hearing all about the unique capabilities of AI for business.

From 10am until 12.30pm, TUS Lecturer Bernie Goldbach will speak about AI training and the benefits of applications such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, and Perplexity in supporting businesses. Following light refreshments, Daniel Hardiman, Chairperson of Action Tuam, will give an overview of Action Tuam and launch the Strategic Plan 2025-2030.

At 1.15pm, keynote speaker, Ibec CEO and Tuam native Danny McCoy will discuss the transformative power of digital innovation. This will be followed by short addresses by Galway County Council CEO Liam Conneally, and Minister of State at the Department of Transport Minister Seán Canney.

Sponsored by Action Tuam, the event is free to attend. Representatives from Action Tuam will also be in attendance at the Digital Futures event to talk about the many supports they offer locally.

In addition, LEO Galway will host a Lunch & Learn session in the Ard Rí House Hotel in Tuam on Monday, March 2. The event will begin at 12.30pm and will highlight the LEO services and supports available to those looking to start or grow their business in and around North Galway. Topics will include mentoring, training and grant aid, as well as introductions to LEO Galway’s Green for Business, Lean for Business, and Digital for Business programmes. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided, and the event is free to attend.

A similar Lunch & Learn session will be offered in Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub, from 12.30pm on Wednesday, March 4. This event will include a presentation from Colm Healy, Director at Macánta Nutrition, a Galway-based company producing high-quality Irish-made nutritional supplements. Colm has been closely involved in the company’s growth and development, and will share his experience and expertise around innovation, scaling and identifying market opportunities.

Businesses at all stages

Speaking about the line-up of events Head of Enterprise at LEO Galway Caroline McDonagh said the week offers businesses and entrepreneurs the tools and skills to tackle real-world challenges, streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

“This year’s schedule caters to businesses and individuals at all stages of their journey. We are delighted to be travelling to Tuam, Ballinasloe, and indeed all across Galway, bringing practical events and workshops to communities. Events will focus on cybersecurity, business advice, managing cashflow, embracing AI, selling at scale, and much more,” she explained.

For a full schedule of events taking place for Local Enterprise Week in Galway, visit www.localenterprise.ie/galway.