Irish entrepreneurship scheme looking for applicants

Funding opportunity

The Hothouse Venture Programme, a year-long comprehensive support and incubation programme for graduate entrepreneurs with industry experience and a technology-based business idea, is looking for applicants for the next programme starting in September.

There are 16 places available on the course, which is run by the Dublin Institute of Technology. Participants must have left full-time employment and be working full-time on developing their new business. The programme offers support including:

• Incubation space in the Docklands Innovation Park, Dublin

• Management development training by industry experts

• Business counselling

• Access to an extensive enterprise and investment network

• Access to the resources of Dublin Institute of Technology, including technologies to licence, student teams, lab space and equipment

• The opportunity to be conferred with a post-graduate diploma in New Business Development

Access to grant funding through Enterprise Ireland, which could provide up to 50 per cent of the previous year’s salary paid monthly over the course of the programme.

The guideline requirements for this grant are:

• Potential to have turnover of €1million and 10 employees within three years

• Strong export potential.

• Have a new or unique technology

Hothouse will commence on Thursday 24th September 2009. The deadline for submission of applications is Friday 31st July. Applicants will be interviewed over the course of July and August with final decisions before the end of August.

For more informaiton, visit the Hothouse Venture Programme website: http://www.dit.ie/hothouse/entrepreneurs/developmentprogrammes/hothouseventureprogramme/