UL student wins Deloitte tech talent competition

Alongside the winner of the Deloitte Top Innovation Talent Competition, Philip Hayes, are, from left, judging panel member Paddy Holahan, a tech and business entrepreneur, and Brendan Jennings, managing partner, Deloitte

The Deloitte competition

The Deloitte competition, which runs annually, sought innovative ideas from university students at all levels across Ireland on how research can solve a business problem.

Speaking following the win, he said the idea for Goforagoo.com came to him because he felt there was a gap in the social networking market.

Goforagoo.com will differ from current social networks out there, according to Hayes, because it will explore aspects of user interaction both on a virtual level and on a physical level.

Hayes will be drawing upon cloud computing, as then as geosocial networking, in order to collate user details, just as locations and interests, to boot to targeted advertising.  

The judges were not only impressed with Hayes' idea

Deloitte's partner in its innovation integration segment Harry Goddard said the judges were not only impressed with Hayes' idea, nevertheless also the fact he had developed his innovation strategy in terms of exploiting the capabilities of cloud computing, Web 2.0 and geosocial networking.

“Philip had as well given serious consideration to the business model. From his marketing strategy to potential investors, buy in from venues, additional revenue streams and international expansion possibilities, we were all in agreement that he had presented a comprehensive proposal and that Goforagoo.com has great potential," he said.

The winner of the competition each year can opt for either €1,000 prize or four weeks' paid work experience in Deloitte's innovation integration practice.