NI Firm Launches Android Networking App

A local start-up business based at the Northern Ireland Science Park, Shhmooze, has announced the launch of its award-winning professional networking app for Android devices.

The app aims to bring networking into the digital age by using location-based technology to help professionals quickly connect with the right people in real-time during conferences and meetups.

Hundreds of millions of people attend conferences and meetups to network and make the crucial connections that can transform their business or career.

The Shhmooze app is said to allow delegates to use their mobile devices to 'check into' a business event, make themselves known, advertise their skills, and find the people they need or the people who need them quickly and easily.

To date Shhmooze has partnered with over 100 events including Learning Without Frontiers, Dublin Web Summit, and Mobile Monday and has helped delegates to quickly discover and connect with other professional in order to create valuable relationships.

Having enjoyed success in the iPhone market, Shhmooze won 'Best Irish App of the Year' at the 2010 Belfast App Circus and was selected as one of the world's '20 Best Mobile Apps of the Year' at the 2011 Mobile Premier Awards in Barcelona at this year's Mobile World Congress.

Shhmooze is a finalist for Best Mobile Startup in Europe at Techcrunch's The Europas.

The company has also beaten more than 600 other startups worldwide to become semi-finalist at LeWeb'11 Start-up Competition, Europe's premier tech event.

Cofounder of Shhmooze, Michelle Gallen said: "Our research has shown that networking is the top reason why people attend conferences but it's also what delegates find hardest to do.

"Shhmooze solves this problem and turns networking from an exhausting and gruelling process into a simple and effective experience.

"The Shhmooze app makes it really quick and easy to identify the persons you should really be talking. Our real-time messaging system makes arranging a face-to-face chat a breeze.

"The initial contact is also made a lot easier, as you already know from the information in the app, not only who you're talking to but also what their interests and experience are.

"Now that the app has launched on Android devices, the world's most popular smartphone platform, even more delegates can use Shhmooze to network. We're really excited at the opportunities that this opens for attendees and conference organisers alike."

The NISP Director of Corporate Real Estate and Facilities, Mervyn Watley said: "The Science Park is developing as real hub of social media activity with tenants taking advantage of the first-rate connectivity to launch and develop their businesses in the online industry.

"More and more hi-tech companies are relocating to the Science Park to take advantage of this fibre network which helps to keep local businesses at the cutting edge of new global technological opportunity."

(BMcC)