What is the Going North Initiative?
With a population of 1.75 million people, Northern Ireland is a small but attractive market for many Irish businesses. Last year, over Euro 1.1 billion of products and services were sold by Irish businesses to customers in Northern Ireland and cross-border sales have increased significantly in the last few years.
The Going North Initiative aims to help businesses in County Carlow and Kilkenny to explore and target new business opportunities in Northern Ireland.
Who should apply for a place on the Programme?
If you own / manage a business and consider that there are potential sales opportunities in Northern Ireland, you should consider applying.
If you’re not sure about whether you are eligible, simply call us and we can help you to clarify this.
What does the Programme involve?
- You will attend a half day workshop in Carlow on the afternoon of 28th September. At this workshop, we would propose to outline opportunities in NI and find out what type[s] of customer in NI you would ideally get to meet.
- Our delivery agents for this Initiative – Full Circle in Belfast - will carry out bespoke prospecting for you with the aim of securing up to 4 meetings with potential customers in Northern Ireland.
- You will travel with a group of 13-16 other local business people to Northern Ireland on 24-25 November 2015 for a 2 day group visit. During that visit, you will travel to a series of meetings with potential customers that have been scheduled on your behalf.
How much does it cost to participate?
The Going North Initiative is funded by InterTradeIreland and Carlow / Kilkenny LEO’s.
Consequently, the cost to you is NOTHING …except time, effort and commitment during the course of the Initiative.
Accommodation costs in Belfast for 1 night [1 person per business] will be covered by Carlow and Kilkenny LEO’s as part of the Initiative.
How do you apply?
Simply fill out the Expression of Interest form and return it to: Local Enterprise Office Carlow, Enterprise House, O’ Brien Road, R93 YOY3, Carlow.
For further information contact Kieran Comerford at Carlow LEO on 059-9129781 / kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie.
The deadline for submission of completed Expressions of Interest is 12:00 on 1st October 2015.
