Wednesday, 4 March

IN-PERSON: AI‑Forward for SMEs

Portershed, Galway | €75

Wednesday, 4 March | 9:30AM – 12:30PM

In Person & Remote

AI is everywhere – but what does it actually do for your business?

For most small businesses, the real question isn’t what is AI?
It’s how can it save time, attract customers, and make my business more efficient?

AI‑Forward for SMEs is a hands‑on, practical programme designed to help small business owners use AI in ways that are realistic, useful, and immediately applicable.

 

What this Management Development Programme covers

The programme focuses on real business challenges identified by participants, including:

  • Branding & marketing
  • Sales
  • Operations
  • Administration
  • HR
  • Finance

The content is shaped by the needs in the room – not what technology thinks you need.

 

Programme structure

The programme is ran across four half-day workshops:

Session 1 – In Person

A discovery-led session to surface real business challenges, followed by a practical branding workshop focused on:

  • Clarity and consistency
  • Improving visibility
  • Where AI can realistically support branding and marketing without adding complexity

Sessions 2 & 3 – Online

Two interactive online workshops applying AI to everyday business tasks, shaped around participant priorities and focused on:

  • Productivity
  • Clear workflows
  • Practical systems that save time

Session 4 – In Person

A final in‑person session bringing everything together, focusing on embedding what works and ensuring continued impact beyond the programme.

 

What you’ll leave with

By the end of the programme, you will have:

  • Confidence using AI in your business
  • Clearer, more efficient workflows
  • Practical systems you can continue using long after the programme ends
  • A realistic understanding of what AI should and shouldn’t be used for in your business

If you run a small business and want outcomes, not buzzwords, this programme is built for you.

 

Dates for your Diary (9.30am – 12.30pm)

In Person – 4th March 2026 – Portershed, Galway

Online – 26th March 2026

Online – 22nd April 2026

In Person – 20th May 2026 – Mayo

How Much: €75.00 per participant

This programme is delivered by the Local Enterprise Office Galway, Mayo & Roscommon, in association with the PorterShed.

 

Bookings for this event will close at 00:00 on 27 Feb 2026

Connected Hubs is a central driver of the Irish National Hub Network, a Government of Ireland initiative aimed at establishing and strategically expanding a network of interconnected hub facilities throughout the country. Connected Hubs is a Government of Ireland initiative under Our Rural Future. Connected Hubs is managed by the Western Development Commission in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.