A new Sligo digital hub is looking to keep emigrants back for Christmas at home
The facility, which will have super-fast broadband, is set to officially open early in the new year.
A NEW HUB for digital startups is pitching itself at emigrants and entrepreneurs as it looks to tempt people into setting up at the facility.
The Building Block in Sligo is a co-working space providing desks and private office suites for startups and small businesses, that is set to officially open in January.
The people behind the facility are hosting an open day tomorrow in which would-be tenants will be given a tour of the purpose-designed facility, which is one of the largest of its kind in Ireland.
They said “exiles and entrepreneurs are among the target audience” for the open day.
The 20.000 sq ft building, located on the riverbank at Stephen Street car park, has lain largely empty for ten years.
However, the facility has now been repurposed and given several upgrades, the most notable of which is the installation of fibre optic broadband, providing 1 gigabit connectivity.
Broadband
Around 20 megabits per second is average across Ireland, although this is skewed by faster broadband speeds in cities.
The Building Block will also feature ground-floor hot-desks, private office suites as well as large social spaces, canteens and presentation areas.
The idea behind the Building Block is that businesses and start-ups move into the first floor and move up through the floors to private office suites as they grow and develop. International companies will also be provided for through IDA Ireland.
Recruitment campaign
The Building Block is taking part in the #homeforwork initiative, a national recruitment day aimed at offering jobs to people home for the festive season that was organised by HR and recruitment specialist Collins McNicholas.
Recruitment events will be held in Cork, Athlone, Galway as well as Sligo on December 29.
Sligo-based businesswoman Denise Rushe worked with local architect John Monohan of NOJI Architects to push the idea of the Building Block with building owner Martin Doran, a Sligo businessman who is based in Dublin.
She said the group will be “providing short guided tours of the ground-floor co-working space and answering any questions”.
