Zeeko empowers parents to educate their children to stay safe online. Joe Kenny (MBA 2013), who, as the father of a young son, sees the internet as a fantastic resource, but one that children need guidance to navigate. Joe was concerned by stories in the media about the negative impact that online chat rooms were having on the lives of young people and felt there had to be a better way. Joe invested his own funds and has since received backing from Enterprise Ireland to set-up Zeeko.
Like all start-ups, they have a small team who are focused on the ultimate goal for Zeeko which is to help protect children as they explore the digital world and to provide parents with peace of mind through education and technology.
Joe had the initial idea for Zeeko when he was studying for his MBA. Initially he thought the solution was a technical solution, but quickly realised the solution had to be through education, essentially turning the business on its head. One of Joe’s motivations for starting this business was to consolidate the formal learning from the MBA with a holistic practical business experience. When ask how his MBA skills had benefited him is his professional life, Joe replied “there is not a day goes by that I do not apply a learning from my MBA, whether it is designing a compensation system for our sales team or what is the key information in our management accounts. The key learning I apply is to seek other peoples’ opinions, as diversity is the foundation for creative solutions that will maximise mutually beneficial outcomes”.
Zeeko currently provide Internet Safety Seminars to children, parents and teachers in primary schools throughout Ireland. They are developing a safe communication app to help parents introduce their kids to online communication. The app allows parents to oversee every person that their child is connected with and every message they send and receive. They have also written a book on internet safety, titled the Zeeko Internet Safety Guide.
On January 4th 2016 Zeeko are launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund the publication of the Zeeko Internet Safety Guide. They are asking people to back their campaign to get a digital copy of the guide into every primary school in Ireland. They need to raise €5,000. Anyone who backs the campaign will receive a reward e.g. €15 pledge receives a printed version of the guide.
Find out more information at www.zeeko.ie
Follow Zeeko on Facebook
Well done to Joe on this fantastic initiative and best of luck to Zeeko for the future!
Avril Donohue ~ MBA Alumni Relations, Marketing & Events