Ludgate Digital Hub Grants First Round of Seed Funding to Educational StartUp

Ireland’s first rural digital hub, the Ludgate Digital Hub in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, has announced at National Digital Week that it is to grant seed funding to online education startup, Digedu, with the company relocating from its base in Dublin to the West Cork town.

As part of National Digital Week 2016 (November 10th – 12th), Ludgate Digital Hub recently announced a €450,000 investment package, the Ludgate Seed Capital Fund, to help startups develop and scale their business, attract new talent or develop their product or service. Digedu, is the first to receive funding from this package, with an investment from Ludgate of €45,000 in the business, 10% of the total seed funding.

An online provider of courses aimed at teaching skills for the digital age to a global audience, Digedu is the brainchild of Bryan Hurley, a Dublin-based technology graduate from Waterford.

The 27-year old will now relocate to Skibbereen to establish his business at the 10,000 square foot Ludgate Hub, which has one gigabit connectivity, through SIRO’s fibre optic broadband. The funds will allow the tech entrepreneur to invest in the company’s educational platform with the business aiming to employ ten people within the next three years.

Speaking at the announcement, Bryan Hurley, Founder of Digedu said: “This substantial investment in our business at this early stage gives us the platform to develop and grow at a much quicker and efficient pace than otherwise might have been possible. Skibbereen’s Ludgate Digital Hub provides us with everything we need from high speed connectivity to mentorship in an exciting startup environment and is a unique opportunity for a small tech company to participate in a truly unique and inspiring initiative.”

Sean O’Driscoll, a founding board member of Ludgate Digital Hub, Chairman and Chief Executive of Glen Dimplex said: “On meeting Bryan and the Digedu team we were impressed by their energy and drive to develop a global educational platform. This ambition, coupled with the business’ potential for scale gives us the confidence that Digedu can bring high value, sustainable jobs to Skibbereen; a key objective of the Ludgate Digital Hub initiative.”

Now in its second year, National Digital Week takes place from November 10th – 12th in Skibbereen, West Cork and aims to develop entrepreneurship by making digital accessible for all. Organised by the Ludgate Digital Hub, it is supported by event partners AIB, Vodafone and Google. With seed funding of €450,000 available through the Ludgate Seed Capital Fund, entrepreneurs are being invited to submit an application at http://www.ludgate.ie/seed-funding/ and have a chance of meeting the investment team during National Digital Week.