13/10/2020
Thanks University College Cork for the interview with our Founder & CEO, Aidan Power!
⛳ Aidan Power, 24, is a UCC BIS graduate and the founder of PowerThru Golf, a software company that specialises in technology-based solutions for golf clubs.
⛳ An alum of IGNITE, UCC’s business incubation programme, Aidan will be among the talented entrepreneurs spotlighted in the IGNITE UCC Autumn Showcase & Awards this Thursday, Oct. 15.
We caught up with Aidan for a quick Q&A!
Q: How did the idea for PowerThru Golf originate?
A: The idea for the two main features, digital scoring and pace of play management, came to me while playing golf in the summer of 2018.
I realised that firstly, there are plenty of scoring apps that allow score documentation for personal use, but very few that allow it for competitions (which is where the club and the golfer can really benefit).
Secondly, slow play has become a major issue in golf and is getting worse, at both the amateur and professional level. I realised that tracking players’ locations in the background while they are inputting scores is a very cost-effective way to: a) reduce administration hours; b) manage throughput efficiently; and c) improve the golfer’s experience.
As I built these features out, I also began to realise that there is a need for a fully integrated system in golf clubs.
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Q: What was the greatest lesson you learned from your time on IGNITE?
A: The greatest lesson I’ve learned would be that the customer is everything. Getting out and talking to your customer is the most important part of setting up a business because, without customers and without knowing what your customers want, a business cannot, and will not succeed.
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Q: What are you currently working on with PTG, and what are your future plans for the company?
A: I am currently working on securing investment for the company so that we can continue to build out the various features that our software package is comprised of. My future plans for the company are for us to provide golf clubs all over the world with a modern, cloud-based, fully integrated management system and to eventually be the global leader in digital scoring software so that we can eliminate physical scorecards altogether. This will save golf clubs time, money and reduce harm to the environment.
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Q: If you could give one piece of advice to budding entrepreneurs with an idea, what would it be?
A: If you have an idea and you think it has potential, instead of turning to your friends and family for approval, get out there and talk to as many potential customers as possible. If you get enough positive feedback and enough people saying (or even better, agreeing in advance) that they will pay money for your proposed solution, then go and build it!
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The IGNITE Autumn 2020 Awards & Showcase will take place online this Thursday. For details on how to join, visit: https://www.ucc.ie/en/ignite/
