Visiting delegation from Illinois

09 November, 2007

Last year it@cork signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Illinois Information Technology Association (ITA) in association with Chicago-Cook Business Center, Cook County, Illinois, Cork County Council and CORKBIC.

The Illinois Information Technology Association (ITA) with 400+ members exists to be a leading change agent that drives growth, development and retention of technology-focused businesses and talent in Illinois by providing connections, information, promotion and leadership.

The overall objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding are: "To encourage and facilitate business relationships and networking activity between technology companies in the Greater Cork region and the Greater Cook County, Illinois region.  This would include the exchange of best practice, building of relationships based on collaboration and trust in order to facilitate joint ventures and strategic alliances"

In partnership with Cork County Council, Cork Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Ireland and CORKBIC in Ireland and the associates of the Chicago-Cook Business Center in the USA the purpose of this MOU is to:

• To mutually develop businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
• To explore and stimulate joint ventures and alliances on a formal or informal basis
• To market each region to its members as follows:

            - Illinois as a market entry point or hub for Irish/European companies to enter and service the North American market.

            - Cork as a market entry point or hub for Illinois companies to enter and service the European market.

• To encourage entrepreneurialism on a global level, rather than a local level.

In this regard 10 Cork IT firms traveled to Chicago in May/June 2006 to a heavy schedule of meetings and hosted events around the GlobalComm conferences. Several business deals were signed.

A reciprocal visit of Chicago IT companies will now take place later this month in Cork to develop up strategic alliances with Cork based companies and create a market-entry point in Europe.