Introduction
Am I eligible - Who Should Apply?
Programme Detail
How do I Apply?
Key Contacts/More Information
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Applications for the New Frontiers Programme are now being accepted by your local Institute of Technology (as of Feb 2013)
Introduction
New Frontiers is Ireland’s national entrepreneur development programme that is delivered at a local level by the Institutes of Technology. If you have an innovative business idea and are planning to establish and run your own company, the New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programme can provide you with a package of supports to help accelerate your business development and to equip you with the skills and contacts that you need to successfully start and grow your company.
What does New Frontiers provide Entrepreneurs?
- Training in all areas of business including financial management, market research & validation, business process, patenting, product development, sales training.
- Mentoring from experienced business advisers and practitioners.
- Office and other business incubation facilities.
- €15,000 scholarship to cover full-time participation in the six month course.
- Networking with other entrepreneurs and business development agencies.
- Introductions to seed and early stage capital investment networks.
- Access to entrepreneurship best practice, both national and international.
- Peer-group learning from participants in the region and across the country.
- Access to the expertise in Enterprise Ireland through our Market Research Centre.
- Expertise from the Institutes of Technology and the supportive environment of their business incubation centres.
Launched in February 2012, the New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programme aims to support the creation of 100 high value, knowledge based, Irish owned businesses, each year.
Am I Eligible - Who Should Apply?
The New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programme is targeted at entrepreneurs and early stage start-up companies located across Ireland. The programme is open to applications from a diversity of sectors including; food & consumer products, information & communication technology, engineering & electronics, medical devices, biotechnology, pharma, digital media, cleantech/renewable energy and eligible internationally traded services. Ideally applicants have the following characteristics;
- intend establishing a manufacturing or internationally traded services business OR a new domestically traded service business with the potential to trade internationally.
- ambitious and have the capability and commitment needed to develop a sustainable business.
- growth orientated - planning to achieve turnover greater than €500,000 and create more than five jobs in three to five years time.
- develop a business that is built upon on a strong foundation of innovation and/or technology.
- show evidence of a commercial market for your proposed product or service.
Programme Detail
New Frontiers is a three-phase programme that is designed to provide an integrated and comprehensive set of business development supports to participants.
Phase 1 -Testing the business idea
The first phase will be part-time over an 8-10 week period and will help you to validate the market potential of your business idea. These weekend and evening workshops will provide information and general start-up training, allowing you to tease out your idea’s feasibility and to see whether a viable proposition exists.
Phase 2 - Business Planning
Following a competitive selection process, committed participants who have a strong value proposition and who can demonstrate that their business proposition has potential to grow and create jobs may be offered a place on Phase 2.
If successful, you will receive intensive support for six months to develop both your own skills and to work up your business proposition. This will entail full-time participation in workshops, mentoring and regular reviews. Using these supports, you will fully detail and validate your business proposition and identify potential customers, sales channels and funding options.
You must be available for full-time participation in this six month course. To facilitate this, you will receive up to €15,000 in funding subject to satisfactory performance and development reviews.
The aim of this phase is to support you in your development of an investor-ready business plan.
Phase 3 - Business Development
Businesses emerging from Phase 2 will be guided to the most relevant government supports that can best help them at their particular stage of development. Further incubation facilities and support may be available to participants for a limited period, in conjunction with ongoing support from the Incubation Centre Management team.
How do I Apply?
Interested applicants should contact their nearest participating Institute of Technology directly using the contact details below.
- Note: No applications will be available from or considered by Enterprise Ireland.
If you believe that you are capable of building a sustainable new business, creating employment and generating revenue in your locality, act now and apply for a place on Ireland's largest entrepreneur development programme!
ERDF Co-funding: The New Frontiers Programme is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007-2013.