Plato
A new twenty month programme will commence in May 2009 funded by the 4 Dublin Enterprise Boards.
Do you need help in tackling the challenges facing SMEs in today's business world?
Would you like to meet other owner managers grappling with growth and expansion issues?
Plato North Dublin - The Business Support Forum For Owner Managers
- Group learning
- Networking opportunities
- Business development
- Training programmes
- One-to-one consultation
- Specialist advice and expertise
- Management skills
- Personal skills
- Business linkages
- Cross border activities
Plato - The Business Support Forum for Owner Managers
- Since its establishment in 1995, Plato Ireland has been dedicated to the successful development of indigenous small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and started in North Dublin a partnership between the Fingal County and Dublin City Enterprise Boards.
- Through a unique partnership with large "parent" companies, Plato creates a confidential and safe environment where owner managers can benefit from facilitated group learning, training activities and networking events.
- Plato encourages owner managers to share experiences and resources, to stimulate new ideas and to support each other as they make strategic decisions about the future of their business.
How Plato Works
- Each of the 7 Plato Ireland regions runs its own programme of events, network linkages and business/management development activities.
- Each region has several groups, each with 10 to 12 owner managers who meet monthly.
- Guest speakers are invited to provide additional information and training.
- There are currently some 1,000 participating SMEs in Plato regional networks around Ireland, and more than 2,000 companies have already completed the two-year Plato programme.
Eligibility for Plato Membership
Membership of the two-year Plato programme is open to companies in all areas of commercial activity.
Plato members typically employ 3-50 people, and have usually completed the start-up phase of development.
Parent companies
- Plato enjoys a unique partnership with large local companies that offer Plato participants access to the full range of management expertise.
- Each participating “parent company” releases two executives on a part-time basis to serve as Plato group leaders.
- Parent companies benefit from new linkages to local supply sources for products and services, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to the economic development of the local region.
- Current Parent companies in Plato North Dublin are: AIB; DCU; Diageo -Guinness Ireland; IAWS (Shamrock Foods); IBM; Maxol; Readymix Plc; Permanent TSB; & Wavin
Plato Ireland ltd
Plato Ireland Ltd. is a company limited by guarantee, and is governed by IBEC and the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland. Other agencies involved in the funding or support of Plato include Cooperation Ireland, County and City Enterprise Boards and Agencies, LEDU, the European Union, International Fund for Ireland, and Employment Partnerships. Plato Ireland is part of a dynamic European wide network, with over 9,000 SMEs and over 600 parent companies in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Slovenia, France, England and Finland.
Benefits of Plato Membership:
- CONVENIENT MEETING TIMES - Monthly meetings are organised in the early evenings in the premises of a Plato parent company. Light refreshments are served.
- LOW PARTICIPATION FEE - Thanks to the support of funding agencies and parent companies, the Plato business support forum is available at a highly subsidised rate.
- YOU SET THE AGENDA - You and your colleagues compare experiences, consider individual problems, jointly agree on the agenda, and obtain answers from a range of experts.
- HELP AND SUPPORT FROM PARENT COMPANIES - You can benefit from the experience of your parent company group leaders who will put you in contact with their management specialist colleagues.
- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS - You can attend workshops delivered by guest speakers on IT, ecommerce, marketing, the Euro, finance, planning, budgeting and more.
- SPECIAL PROGRAMMES - Special training programmes help you maximise your competitive strength in areas such as ISO9000, international trade, selling strategies and techniques.
- LOCALLY BASED SUPPORT - Your local Plato staff will facilitate contact with other Plato participants, identify guest speakers, and track how well your needs are being met.
- ACCESS TO VALUABLE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES - Enjoy local, regional, national and even international networking and business linkage opportunities.
Contact
Address: 17, Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 676 3973
Fax: (01) 676 3985
E: dublin@plato.ie
W: www.plato.ie/dublin