Business leaders, innovators, and policy-makers from across the Celtic nations met in Brittany this Summer. Reayrtys has been working behind the scenes to plug the Isle of Man into a successful showcase of collaboration, sustainability and shared cultural heritage uniting us with our Celtic neighbours.
Here at Reayrtys we have long advocated for the Manx Government to seek greater engagement with our neighbours from around the Irish Sea. Whether it’s the economy, politics, culture, or education, we believe that there are significant gains to be achieved by collaborating with the Celtic countries which whom we have strong shared histories, cultures and economies.
That's why we've worked closely over the past 18 months with Charles Kergaravat, founder of the the InterCeltic Business Forum and the Isle of Man Government’s Department for Enterprise to ensure a delegation of Manx businesses attended this year's event in Lorient.
Why is this important? We'll get to that. But firstly, some background on the Forum itself.
What is the InterCeltic Business Forum?
Launched in 2022, the Interceltic Business Forum describes itself as a "pivotal event dedicated to fostering economic growth, innovation, and international partnerships among the Celtic regions".
By connecting leaders from the Celtic regions, it enhances cross-border collaboration and encourages the exchange of innovative ideas and strategies. Previous Forums have demonstrated tangible benefits for participating companies, from increased market access, expanded business networks and enhanced visibility in international markets.
This year's Forum, run alongside the world-famous Festival Interceltique de Lorient also saw the launch of the inaugural InterCeltic Scaling Awards. The award saw 53 innovative startups from Celtic nations short-listed to eight finalists who pitched their ideas at the Forum to win a first prize of €20,000. The award was sponsored by OCO Global, and included Cornwall Trade and Investment, Cardiff Capital Region, Audelor, and Platform94 as key partners.
Given the scale, opportunity and vision of creating a new, dynamic economic ‘mini bloc’ (see this previous Reayrtys post for more on blocs) you can see why Reayrtys was keen that we addressed the Isle of Man's absence.
Connecting the Isle of Man with the Forum
Since we we first connected with Charles in 2023 we have been working to identify opportunities for Manx businesses to take part, leading us to shortlist a number of interested delegates.
After refining these businesses and engaging the Department for Enterprise we were able to start developing the final Manx delegation, which included:
Kirree Gooberman - Head of Business Management, Business Isle of Man
Tiffany Kerruish - Co-founder, Fynoderee Distillery
Sarah Mercer - Co-founder of Earthscope Isle of Man
The Manx delegation hosted a roundtable discussion exploring various aspects of economic and environmental collaboration in the Isle of Man.
Other speakers at the forum, included:
Allan Mulrooney, CEO, Western Development Commission on building connections wth the West of Ireland from
Russell Dalgleish, President, Scottish Business Network who spoke about making connections to create value, open up new opportunities and build partnerships
Daniel Sawko, CEO and co-founder shipshape.vc and Mark John, Head of Partnerships of Tramshed Tech on Wales' fast-growing tech ecosystem
Was it worth it?
Short answer, yes! As the organisers themselves stated, the Manx discussion, focusing on the island’s status as a UNESCO Biosphere, was a highlight, showcasing how the Isle of Man is leading in sustainable development while maintaining strong global connections.
Overall, feedback was great from those engaged.
Business Isle of Man commented: “We're proud of the connections made and look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to build strong relationships across the Celtic nations!"
And one of the Manx delegation said:
"This forum provides the Isle of Man with an important “chair at the table” where the Island can present and promote its own two-way business opportunities at the highest level. It gives direct access to some of the Celtic Nations' cutting-edge decision-makers, business entrepreneurs and government strategists and the Isle of Man (as one of the Celtic nations in its own right)
should really capitalise on this more"
What happens next?
Over the next few months, we at Reayrtys hope to continue our work with the Department for Enterprise and build on the success of this year. We want to see the opportunity to attend expanded to multiple agencies within the Department to allow other potential growth sectors to tap into the networks provided by the Forum and expose more Manx businesses to this amazing event. We'll also be working to encourage more collaboration between DfE and the Forum potentially opening opportunities for Manx businesses to access the InterCeltic Scaling Award funding on offer to other countries which would provide tangible help for businesses in the Isle of Man.
Reayrtys looks forward to building on this opportunity and holding follow-up conversations with the key stakeholders involved - and we hope to see the Manx flag flying at future forums for years to come.
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