15/03/2019
The Ireland Funds, in partnership with NDRC, launched the annual Business Plan Competition 2019 yesterday offering €24,000 to kick-start three new technology business ideas.
The competition, which seeks to nurture creativity and hone entrepreneurial skills among early-stage technology entrepreneurs, is open for entries until Sunday, April 28th 2019. University and third-level students and researchers, as well as recent graduates (2 years) across the island of Ireland, are invited to submit technology proposals that are at pre-investment stage.
Ten business ideas will then be shortlisted and invited to participate in four pre-acceleration workshops, bringing their business ideas from concept to pitch as well as receiving mentoring and feedback throughout the process. There will be a final pitching event at the Ormeau Baths, Belfast in June where three prizes will be awarded. The winner receive a €15,000 cash prize. Second place will receive a €7,000 cash prize and third place will receive €2,000.
The competition criteria allows for research teams to participate as long as they have not taken on investment funding (commercialisation funding or SFI grants are fine), and so I would be most grateful if you would socialise the attached brochure within your research community to ensure anyone that is eligible is aware of the opportunity. All of the details are available on the NDRC website www.ndrc.ie.