SmartWorkPlus - facilities management innovation

by Startacus Admin

Magherafelt-based company SmartWorkPlus launches new range of products for enhanced facilities management, thanks to support from the Ulster Bank Accelerator Programme

At our recent Work: In Progress event we had lots of discussions on the future of work and how companies are innovating in both how they work and where they work. It’s therefore interesting to see that innovation in the physical workspace is at the core of a new range of products from Magherafelt-based company SmartWorkPlus. They have created new technology which operates by storing and collating data from specialist sensors installed within a building and in turn provides info on how best to deploy resources, thus creating a more efficient facilities management process.

Although Aidan Donnelly and his team at SmartWorkPlus have extensive experience in the field of facilities management, it was their participation in the Ulster Bank Accelerator Programme that enabled them to develop and bring these innovative products to market.

Aidan explains: “We had all the knowledge and experience of our own industry but needed help to go beyond this and learn about all of the other areas of launching a new product and running a business. This is where the team at Ulster Bank’s Accelerator programme stepped in and gave us the confidence to go out to potential investors and the credibility to engage with venture capitalists for example. Undoubtedly, being involved with the programme opened doors for SmartWorkPlus and we’ve gone from being a small, regional operation to attracting business from across the UK and Ireland thanks to these connections.”

With many employers now offering hybrid working patterns as a result of the pandemic, Aidan believes there is now an even greater need for these products: “Very few offices have returned to full capacity post lockdowns, so it no longer makes sense for facilities management teams to base their activities on a 100% occupancy rates. Not only will this have a positive impact on the bottom line in terms of reduced costs on energy bills, there’s also an environmental benefit”.

John Ferris, Regional Ecosystem Manager with Ulster Bank added: “We have been working with the team at SmartWorkPlus since early 2020 and it’s testament to all of their hard work, eagerness to learn, and determination in the midst of a global pandemic that they have now gone live with this idea. At the Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator we work with businesses, like Aidan’s, and support them to harness the tools, networks and connections they need to fulfil their entrepreneurial potential and start or scale their business journey. Given our commitment to improving sustainability, we particularly welcome those businesses who are addressing climate change and have once again reserved 25% of spaces on our next programme, which launches in January 2022, for climate-based entrepreneurs.”

Interested in applying to be in the next cohort of the Ulster Bank Accelerator Programme? Applications are now open and can be submitted until 17 December.  Best of luck to all who apply!

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• #business
• #innovation
• #accelerator
• #ulster bank
• #facilities management
• #sustainability

Published on: 18th November 2021