Sports and business are set to come together when a new event aimed at start-ups takes place in Achill next month.

The Start App competition will bring venture capitalists and start-ups together, allowing the companies to pitch to potential backers.

That will be followed by MaiTai, an invitation-only event that mixes business with pleasure, offering adventure activities from kitesurfing and cycling, and giving selected tech firms the chance to spend more time with investors in a more informal setting.

Already confirmed for the event, which takes place from June 2nd to June 8th, are investor Bill Tai and Martin Cooper, who invented the mobile phone.

StartApp participants are in line to win a trip to San Francisco to take part in a start-up incubator and meet with mentors in the city. There will also be opportunities to meet with Silicon Valley VCs and and investors.

The main aim of the event is to encourage collaboration between innovators, researchers, investors and industry in the hopes that it will lead to a more innovative business culture here.

More information is available from StartAppCompetition.