Start & Scale solutions to support emerging and scaling entrepreneurs launched

New Start Up & Scale Up supports available to potential and existing enterprises in South East with the launch of Brightstart & Lighthouse.

Today (14^th October 2020), the South East Local Enterprise Offices as part of the Local Authority Network in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, SEBIC and the Ireland South East Office launched a new suite of programmes to support companies with the economic challenges and opportunities around Covid and Brexit.

For early stage start-ups the BrightStart South East Start-Up programme has been designed to help new start-ups define their business idea and have a step by step action plan to deliver their business goals in this changing business world. The start-up journey can be tough and requires resilience and endurance. Through the BrightStart programme OCO Global’s internationally respected business mentors will show entrepreneurs how to set their start-up business on the right growth path.

What sets the BrightStart programme apart is that high potential start-ups will be given the opportunity to pitch their idea to Enterprise Ireland, South East Business Incubation Unit and their Local Enterprise Office to apply for accelerated grant support and services which can fundamentally boost a start-up business’s growth potential. Topics include Female-Led Start-Ups, Green Technology Start-Ups, New Normal (Brexit/Covid-19 innovations) Start-Ups, and Remote Working Start-Ups.

For developing companies, the Lighthouse South East programme delivers a rapid assessment of a company’s innovation capability and will also test their innovation concept through one to one mentoring with innovation experts in order to build a pathway for new opportunities for grant aid and support for innovation. This one to one practical mentoring programme will be led by Laurence Knell of Strategic Innovation Partners Ltd. 

Speaking on behalf of the Local Authorities in the South East, Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive of Carlow County Council stated, “Over recent months barriers to innovative business solutions have fallen away and we are seeing increased numbers of entrepreneurs coming to us with new start-up business ideas and also new challenges which will lead to opportunity. In response to this we have developed these new regional programmes in partnership with Enterprise Ireland. The Chief Executive continued to say “The BrightStart & Lighthouse programmes offer practical support to entrepreneurs at different stages to realise their potential”.

Maria Couchman, Economic Development Officer with the Local Enterprise Office and Co-ordinator of the Regional Programmes said “The value of support for each programme is €1,000 per place and we would encourage people to take up this opportunity and treat it as an exploration of your growth potential where your business or idea will be supported by a team of some of Irelands leading enterprise development professionals.”

To confirm your interest in this programme please complete an Expression of Interest form available from your local enterprise office. www.localenterprise.ie 

Click here for brochures:    BrighStart Brochure       Lighthouse Brochure

Ends

For further information contact Maria Couchman on MCouchman@carlowcoco.ie or 086-8383734.

Editors

BrightStart programme outline, dates and Local Enterprise Office contact

Outline:

Phase 1:

WEBINAR: Participants will attend a 3.5hour online webinar focusing on start-up supports and entrepreneurial culture required for successful business development growth. They will work with OCO Global to complete business assessment tools which will be used to help them understand what areas of their business need more support. After the webinar businesses will have completed essential work that will frame the strategic thinking for their business.

Phase 2:

MENTORING: Each participant will then get 2 x 1.5hr one to one mentoring sessions with OCO Global mentors who will use the webinar work to develop a prioritised action plan for the business concept. The BrightStart business mentor will cover strategic topics such as product feasibility, new sales platforms, target market, marketing and sales, finance and profitability as well as grant aid and business supports. OCO Global will also produce individual evaluation report with recommendations on High Potential Start-Up supports.

Phase 3: High Potential Start-Ups will pitch their idea to Enterprise Ireland, South East Business Incubation Unit and Local Enterprise Office executive to apply for accelerated grant aid and business supports.

Dates:

Local Enterprise Office contact:

Lighthouse Programme Outline, dates & Local Enterprise Office contact

Outline: 

In Phase One 2 x 2hrs of mentoring from Strategic Innovation Partners Ltd. mentors will establish a company’s innovation capability and potential for funding by answering the following questions:

• How can they find opportunities for innovation?
• What are they going to do, and why?
• How are they going to make innovation happen?
• How are they going to get the benefits from innovation? 

In Phase Two businesses suitable for funding support application will work with Strategic Innovation Partners Ltd. mentors to deliver a pre-development application for financial support for Agile Innovation or Research and Development from Enterprise Ireland.

On completion companies will:

(1)  Have availed of expert mentoring in Research, Development & Innovation

(2)  Received feedback on their potential for Agile Innovation or Research and Development funding

(3)  Received assistance with the Pre-Development of an Application for Innovation Financial Support from Enterprise Ireland.

Dates:

Local Enterprise Office contact: