Sonru.com

Wexford based company Sonru partner with iON in Belfast to receive funding as part of InterTradeIreland’s collaborative R&D Programme, Innova

Enniscorthy/Belfast 15 November 2010. Sonru and iON today announced they have received £146,000 funding towards a £419k North/South company-to-company research and development partnership through InterTradeIreland’s Innova programme.
 
Sonru and iON will work together over the next 18-24 months towards developing IP around secure mail delivery ‘in the cloud’ and email client-independent video content delivery. The partnership combines the core competencies of Sonru (video interviewing) and iON (email delivery) to develop innovative technology, a phrase synonymous with both companies.
 
Innova is the only all-island R&D programme which supports companies across the island to accelerate new product, process or service developments through partnering with a company in the other jurisdiction. As well as the financial support available, companies benefit from pooling their expertise and resources with another company anywhere on the island to bring their innovations to market faster than if they were working alone.   Through the programme, InterTradeIreland has already invested over €5m to support collaborative R&D projects across the island.

L-R: Gareth Dunlop, Managing Director iON, Zara McMullan iON, Fergal O'Byrne CEO Sonru

Commenting on the research partnership Fergal O’Byrne, CEO with Sonru said: “Sonru are delighted to work with iON to develop innovations within the email and video space, made possible through the InterTradeIreland, Innova programme. Email was always known as the killer app and online video is now in the mainstream so any project that merges these two technologies is sure to bring commercial opportunity.”
 
Gareth Dunlop, Managing Director with iON added: “The InterTradeIreland support has allowed iON, along with our partner Sonru to bring forward product development plans that our customers and hot prospects were demanding, by about 12-18 months.  As well as increasing our revenues in the short term as a direct result, it will ensure we are more competitive internationally in the medium term."
 
InterTradeIreland’s Director of Programmes and Business Services, Margaret Hearty, said: “Developing and exploiting new ideas is critical to business success, particularly in the current climate. Companies need to innovate to survive and grow but many lack the resources to make it happen. InterTradeIreland’s Innova programme offers an attractive support package for those companies serious about R&D and the unique opportunity to tap into the wealth of expertise that exists across the island.”
 
ENDS
 
For more information:
Sonru: Visit the Sonru Press Centre of contact Joy Redmond +353 86 8561682
iON: Zara McMullan, +44 (28) 90455911  
InterTradeIreland: Rachel Downing +44 (28) 3083 4161
 
Notes to Editors
About Sonru
Sonru is an award winning video technology company based in the South East of Ireland. The name Sonru stems from the Irish phrase “Bí le sonrú” which means to “stand out” and  their flagship product – the automated video interview tool enables interviewees to do just that. Their automated video interview tool has applications within the Recruitment, Education, Training and CRM sectors. Sonru was founded by Ed Hendrick, an Wexford based entrepreneur who spotted an opportunity to save people time and money during the interview process.
 
About iON
Since 1999 iON have helped the world’s largest brands, small businesses, non-profits and public organisations in 15 countries construct and implement integrated digital strategies to give them a competitive advantage. Based in Belfast,  iON specialise in areas such as analytics, usability, online marketing, copywriting, online PR, design, SEO, SEM and social media