Yesterday, Thursday 21^st April was the iGAP finale. Simply put, it was fantastic. The fifteen businesses all completed seven minute pitches to a panel. The presentations were of extraordinarily high standard – across the board. The change and uplift that each business had achieved over the programme was very evident. The internet entrepreneurs were clear, concise and subjected to three minutes of questions from the panel.

The panel consisted of Ray Nolan (worky.com), Colm Healy (Xiam), Breon Corcoran (paddypower.com), Rob Corbet (Arthur Cox) and me – Colm Lyon (Realex Payments). Brain Caulfield, who was the programme lead for iGAP was ash cloud stranded, which was a shame. Brian’s input for the programme has been instrumental and I mentioned that he has done an incredible job – both in terms of the content and his own leadership to inspire people.

I had the opportunity to say a few words at the end. This week was the ten year anniversary of me leaving my job to set up Realex Payments and I recalled how at that time I needed to be inspired, connected and informed – and that’s still the case today. The strength of the internet industry in Ireland is growing all the time and iGAP has been a wonderful building block that will inspire, connect and inform people.

I think everyone there and all these involved in iGAP were really very proud.

Thanks to Ray Nolan, Dylan Collins, Pat Phelan, Damien Mulley, Colm Healy, Breon Corcoran and Fergus Burns as advisors to the IGA. Big thanks to Sarah Buckley, Ray Walsh, Niamh Cooney, Michele Lawlor in Enterprise Ireland.

Special thanks to Jennifer Condon and Frank Ryan (who opened the event) of Enterprise Ireland for taking this from concept to reality. It was excellent to hear Frank Ryan confirm that there will be an iGAP 2. Hopefully iGAP will now be a permanent element in our plans to grow international Irish internet businesses.

Finally to all the iGappers – the moment is yours and well well done to each and every one of you. To see such professional, well honed pitches was just inspiring.

The Irish internet industry will win.

Well done to Trezur, Language Travel Services, GetItKeepIt and Sonru on being selected to win the programme fees back as prizes. Thanks to Xiam, Worky, Paddypower.com and Realex Payments for this. Also thanks to Rob Corbet and Arthur Cox for sponsoring the finale.

Colm.