Smart solutions

Under the Radar:For a man who heads up a new tech company, Nostra Systems' Kevin O'Loughlin is fairly upfront about the fact that he has no IT qualifications. It's not for the want of effort, but work just got in the way.

Having dropped out of a computer applications course in DCU, he was in the process of applying for his favoured computer science course in Trinity when he decided to do some temporary work to tide him over.

"I took a job in a company called Typetec for six months and, at the end of six months, they offered me a new car and a pay rise and it was very hard to turn it down."

So he didn't and quickly rose through the ranks - working as service manager, then sales manager before being lined up as chief executive designate.

But he never became chief executive. Last year, he took a three-month sabbatical during which he helped his brother set up an estate agent's business in Portlaoise.

At the end of the three months, he had made up his mind that he was going to do something for himself.

In January, he launched Nostra Systems, a tech support company which, according to O'Loughlin, aims to provide corporate-style computer back-up at a reasonable price to small- and medium-sized enterprises using smart technologies such as remote-access support, virtualisation and voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

"If you are on a computer in New York and you have a problem, you can log on to our website. We can see that you are logged on and we can take control of your computer and fix the problem. It doesn't matter where in the world you are. Our guys would take control of your machine and instant message back to you, open up the document, find the error and fix it and get it back up.

"Since we launched in January, we have, on average, responded to people within six minutes and our average repair time is in 22 minutes."

Although the company has been running for less than a year, it has already earned a reputation for itself. It has signed more than 50 service agreements and will turn over in excess of €2 million at the end of its first year, O'Loughlin says.

Nostra has also formed a partnership with technology giant IBM that will allow it to offer IBM's full range of products, software and services to its clients, including IBM's new Express range of solutions for businesses. It also joined Microsoft's accreditation programme in record time.

Already, O'Loughlin is looking at ways of expanding the business. It is now partnering with Hosting 365 to offer small- to medium-sized businesses a hosted e-mail option, which will make their lives easier.

"It gives you full access to Microsoft Outlook, so you can literally log on at home and have Microsoft Outlook and have 20-25 folders in Outlook, with all your e-mails, all your contacts and all your calendar items.

"They are all backed up on our server every night. So you are actually getting corporate level e-mail, even though you are only one person. To get that kind of support, if you were to buy a server to do it, would cost you €5,000 at least. We are charging €10 a month."

For many small businesses and sole traders, this may sound too good to be true, but O'Loughlin says similar services are already a huge success in the United States. The key, he says, is broadband availability.

"The reason it hasn't been done here is that broadband hasn't been here," he explains. "With the arrival of companies like Magnet and the improvements in software, it has just become possible. People have been doing this in the States for the last four to five years and it is now big business over there. The reason they are so far ahead is because their bandwidth is massively larger than ours."

As well as the convenience and reliability, the cost savings will be massive for SMEs, he says. "By not having your own server, you're saving hugely on costs. You're probably looking at an average of a 50 per cent saving on your IT."

Even O'Loughlin says he is surprised by the rapid success of the company. "We asked people to try us for a month and every single person who has tried us has signed up to us."

ONE THE RECORD

Name:Kevin O'Loughlin

Age:27

From:Rosenallis near Portlaoise.

Background:Went to school in Knockbeg College in Carlow. After a short stint in college, he spent eight years working in the Irish IT industry, including six years in senior management, before he set up Nostra Systems.

Inspired by:Richard Branson - "he is somebody I would have a lot of time for and he puts it all down to the team around him and I would certainly subscribe to that philosophy". Also admires Warren Buffet - "he has a very interesting way of looking at things and simplifying everything".

Most likes to:"I have a ridiculous interest in cars. In my 10 years of driving, I have owned more than 30 cars and I would change them very regularly. Even this year, I have had three cars."

Favourite music:Most things Irish. Likes everyone from Christy Moore to U2.

Favourite book:"I'm not a big reader but I'm a big fan of audio books.

"I listen to them in the car, usually business stuff. I'm listening to Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump [authors of Why We Want You to be Rich] at the moment."