Ergo Targets UK Growth with Enterprise Ireland Funding
Backed by Enterprise Ireland, Ergo has accelerated export plans for its FlowForma product with sales in the UK expected to be worth €1.1 million by 2016. Chosen for the Market Access Grant Scheme, a new funding initiative from the state agency, the enterprise forms management tool is already used by nearly 30,000 hospital administrators in the UK and is on course for €300,000 in revenue by the end of the year.
Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said, “The aim of the Market Access Grant is to incentivise companies to develop viable and sustainable market-entry products/services in new geographic regions. We were delighted to award Ergo funding under the scheme, a company that highlights how Irish firms can innovate and succeed in overseas markets, creating and sustaining jobs at home in the process.”
Neil Young, Head of Product Development, Ergo, said, “With Enterprise Ireland’s support we are a building an export business in the UK that we expect to be worth €700,000 by 2015 and €1.1 million by 2016. FlowForma stands out in a crowded market because it is competitively priced, easy to implement, and intuitive to use.”
FlowForma allows users to pre configure form-based processes to meet specific department needs. Lean principles and automated processes remove system bottlenecks, improving workflow across multiple divisions, from finance and procurement to human resources and production.
Demand for the product has seen Ergo’s FlowForma team grow from three to 10 full-time employees in the last year, including a channel manager working out of Enterprise Ireland’s London’s offices. The plan is to expand its route to market, growing the UK channel partners that resell the product to seven within the next year. Think Associates has been the most successful channel partner so far, selling FlowForma into two London hospitals, St Bartholomew’s and Kings College.
John Purdy, CEO, Ergo, commented, “This is another landmark in Ergo’s 20-year history, a significant step into the UK where see a huge opportunity for growth. Coupled with the international success of our sister company, Fenergo, it highlights how far an indigenous company can go if it has the right people and the ability to spot a gap in overseas markets.”
The official launch of the Market Access Grant, along with a programme of international trade-missions, took place in Ergo’s Dublin headquarters and was attended by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore TD, Head of International Sales and Partnering at Enterprise Ireland, Kevin Sherry, and ERGO Ergo CEO, John Purdy.
Enterprise Ireland is awarding grants of up to €150,000 to assist Irish firms to research and develop export opportunities for new or existing products/services. Kevin Sherry said, “Exports create and sustain jobs in Ireland and the programme of trade missions and events we have put in place is designed to build on export growth in markets where Irish companies are strong and can continue to grow, as well as high growth markets where we can win new business.”
