SourceGrow is one of over 70 businesses signed up to The Digital Surge Programme, with the aim of exploring how adopting advanced technologies can accelerate its business growth and help develop a step-by-step roadmap to define its strategy.
The Digital Surge Programme is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland, the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme. The project, led by Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, is also funded by all local councils in Northern Ireland.
Digital Surge Programme
Launched in 2021 by local farmer, Helen Keys, SourceGrow is a platform developed to help farmers make intelligent decisions about what they should grow to meet the demand for local produce. Using her own personal experience and knowledge, she created a system that captures the demand from restaurants for crops, diversifies produce options for growers and connects local producers to their customers.
Speaking on why she chose to sign up to the Digital Surge Programme, Helen explains: “SourceGrow is an online digital platform that creates a route to market for local farmers and gives time back to restaurants, by shortening the supply chain, without the need for extensive research. I also wanted to create a platform that extends farming beyond livestock and opens the door to the 180 different types of produce that can be grown in Northern Ireland. From niche products to those that are now common additions to menus, we are able to create a source of information for farmers and restaurants alike, to adapt to the seasonality of produce and the planting sequence.
“We house a comprehensive database that allows us to present invaluable findings to all our customers. But we want to ensure we are using this data and in the most efficient way by extracting all its uses and presenting it in a format that is beneficial. We have signed up to the Digital Surge Programme to look at how AI/Machine Learning could be the future component we need to implement in order to keep developing.
“As a business we have a clear vision but are still working internally to understand the best routes to invest in, in order to move us to the next level. Through the Digital Surge Programme, its mentoring, and masterclasses, I am confident I will end up with a clear, step by step roadmap that will get us to the next step in our growth strategy.”
This Digital Surge Programme focuses solely on advanced technologies and their potential role in accelerating a business. It also appeals to those that are simply looking for baseline knowledge in these areas with guidance on how one or more could be implemented into its businesses processes.
Along with Big Data, the other technologies at the core of the Digital Surge Programme are Blockchain, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Virtual Reality / Immersive Tech, and Robotics.
