Meet the Young Irish Entrepreneurs Preparing Kids for the Jobs of The Future.

Entrepreneurs Adam Dalton and Evan Darcy are preparing today’s youth for the jobs of the future by providing an introduction to coding. They first met in science class when they were just thirteen - by seventeen, they were teaching kids how to programme code using small robots.

In association with Vodafone X Level Up, we sat down with Adam & Evan at Talent Garden Dublin to discuss their business Robotify, an online platform that teaches kids how to programme using simulated robots.

Can you tell us about Robotify and your ambitions for it?

Adam: We often say that by the year 2034, 47% of all jobs are going to be automated and replaced by robots. This can be viewed as a problem, but it’s also a big opportunity, as all of these jobs are going to be created in new fields. That means kids in school today are going to need to have the skills for the future workforce.

Evan: The ambition of Robotify is to be a driving force in this period of massive change for the human race. We need to be equipping these kids with the skills and necessary knowledge that they need to thrive in that kind of space. So we want to be at the forefront of innovation, and to prepare the youth of today for an exciting, diverse and ever-changing workplace of the future.

What is life like for a young entrepreneur?

Adam: I think a lot of people that are starting a business, especially people our age, have this expectation that being an entrepreneur is this beautiful thing… and a lot of people spend way too much time focusing on that. The reality of being an entrepreneur is late nights and barely any sleep. We’re constantly focusing on all these problems, hitting a wall, and then trying to find ways around problems.

Evan: And I think if you focus too much on building a brand and coming up with this image of being a “typical entrepreneur” you’ll never actually be one. It’s not an image. It’s not a lifestyle. There’s no such thing as an entrepreneurial lifestyle. Being an entrepreneur is just working very hard to reach a specific goal. You can’t really switch off, and we’re constantly thinking about Robotify. From the point you wake up, right up until the point you go to sleep... and then you probably have some dreams related to it! ...it’s a sad existence!

“It’s not an image. It’s not a lifestyle.”

Why are spaces like Talent Garden important for young entrepreneurs?

Adam: When you are in an environment like Talent Garden, it really makes you feel like you’re going to work every day with a mission. Talent Garden is such a handy space for having team meetings, bringing clients in and then being able to have the craic with your neighbours.

The space offers a really nice support system. I feel like I can go into work every day with a purpose. Having that feeling that you are working on something special in an amazing space is pretty paramount to business success.

Evan: One of the main things I love about Talent Garden is that it gives us a space to feel like we can scale worldwide, as you can really feel the global ambition here. It’s also great to be surrounded by other entrepreneurs and like-minded people.

What are the benefits of a space like Talent Garden?

Evan: As young entrepreneurs who are consciously looking to build out our network, Talent Garden has been fantastic. For example Intel had an incubator space right outside of our office. So, we were in speaking distance of some very bright minds and seasoned developers, who we could bounce ideas off and learn from.

Also, there’s been great collaboration this year between the DCU Startup Society and Talent Garden. This allows us access to a pool of really young, talented entrepreneurs, who are matched with companies in the office. It’s such a great synergy.

Talent Garden allows entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet influential people on a daily basis. You have such a diverse range of people in one place, you never know who you could meet. They could change the way your business looks like in the future.

Vodafone X is giving customers the opportunity to fuel their ambitions by unlocking one of the many Level Up spaces across Ireland. Visit vodafonexlevelup.com to find the perfect creative space for you.