Liberty IT has partnered with the University of Galway’s IdeasLab to sponsor its annual IdeasLab Enterprise Challenge which aims to inspire students to innovate inspired by real-world business challenges.
IdeasLab fuels creativity, ideas and innovation whilst Liberty IT, located in Galway’s PorterShed, is part of the Fortune-ranked Liberty Mutual Insurance and a key driver behind its global digital enablement journey.
The IdeasLab Enterprise Challenge ran over an eight-week period and students took part in a challenge set by Liberty IT’s employees. Participants worked in teams, collaborating to create solutions for the persona of an Engineering Manager wanting to gain more connections across their hybrid team.
Liberty IT also held a number of mentoring sessions helping the students develop a better understanding of the problem and created a safe space to ask questions and discuss potential solutions. Students also had the chance to explore Liberty IT at their Galway hub and discover the incredible opportunities waiting for them in the technology industry.
The winning team promoted connection and engagement based around a ‘kindness currency’ which team members could pass on to give kudos or show gratitude to each other. These digital tokens could then be exchanged for small items such as coffee, snacks or gifts.
Ben Steele, Director of Architecture at Liberty IT said: “We are delighted to partner with the IdeasLab in the first initiative of a wider partnership with the University of Galway, as part of our commitment to using tech for good to help maximise our impact in the city’s local community. The IdeasLab Enterprise Challenge encourages students to innovate and generate ideas, and fuels creativity in partnership with local industry, ultimately enriching the Galway community for all involved.
At Liberty IT, we are passionate about supporting STEM and inspiring and nurturing the young tech talent of the future. We were so impressed by the calibre of students participating in the challenge, who really showcased their creativity, innovation and business acumen. It was great to see the challenge so well received and I look forward to following the career journeys of our local students; I am extremely confident that they have very bright futures ahead of them.”
Dr Neil Ferguson, Head of Entrepreneurial Development at IdeasLab: “This is our first year collaborating with Liberty IT, and we are thrilled by their support and the expert mentorship they extended to our student teams. Through a dynamic blend of design thinking and compelling storytelling, these teams addressed challenges identified by Liberty IT. This experiential journey promises invaluable insights for their future careers.”
