NB: This is an Expression of Interest. Successful applicants will be contacted by the Local Enterprise Office Fingal with the payment link.
Programme Overview
For those involved in a full-time sports career, there is very little time for anything else. Many athletes will reach the end of their career either by design or prematurely through injury, with no definite plan on their life after sport. However, Sportspersons possess highly sought-after traits such as drive, competitiveness, a focus on goal setting, determination, ability to perform in high pressure situations, all of which are transferable to the world of business.
The Local Enterprise Offices, which are funded by Enterprise Ireland and located in the 31 local authorities across the country, are introducing a Start Your Own Business course aimed specifically at full-time athletes to enable them to utilise these skills in business.
Since their inception in 2014 the Local Enterprise Offices have been central to the creation of 18,000 jobs across the country and are the essential resource for anyone looking to start are business or a small business owner who wants to grow. They provide training, one-to-one mentoring and financial supports to entrepreneurs and business owners.
The Sport to Start-Up programme is aimed at those who want to start their own business. It is designed to provide a solid grounding in how a business is set up and will help participants to plan and prepare for a successful career in enterprise. Participants learn how to research and evaluate their idea and bring it right through to a viable business plan stage.
The programme requires the commitment of 3 hours on one day per week for 8 weeks, following which a full-day intensive Bootcamp featuring a focus on pitching and networking will conclude the group sessions. At the end of the course the participant will have a viable business plan that they can implement and will receive mentoring on the next steps to take with their business if they want to pursue it.
Modules of the programme include:
- Starting / Getting Started / The Idea
- Identifying, understanding and researching your target market
- Tax, law, HR and insurance
- Financial planning (pricing / costing)
- Sources of funding
- Promoting your business
- Smart tools and tech for Start-ups
- Sales and service
- Basic bookkeeping
- Developing your business plan
- Business pitching
- Networking
Sport to Start-Up Programme 2019 – Applicant Criteria
The applicant must fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for inclusion in the programme:
- Be an active participant in a sport which is recognised by Sport Ireland - https://www.irishsport.ie/ngbs/
- Have taken part in this sport at a competitive level within the last 12 months.
- Over 18 years of age on the 1st June 2019.
- Currently compete at a “high performance” level in their sport, such as (but not necessarily exclusive to):
- Olympic sports / Sport Ireland recognised sports – compete at an international level
- Soccer – compete in the League of Ireland and/or internationally
- Rugby – compete inter-provincially and/or internationally
- Gaelic Games – compete at inter-county level
Sport to Start-Up Programme 2019 – Programme Cost
The programme is €1,000 per participant with 85% funded by Local Enterprise Office, so the net cost to successful applicants is only €150.
The programme requires the commitment of 3 hours on one day per week for 8 weeks, following which a full-day intensive Bootcamp featuring a focus on pitching and networking will conclude the group sessions.
Download Sport to Startup Pilot Programme 2019 Application Form
To be considered for the Programme please return form to Martin Daly at info@leo.fingal.ie
