UCC wants to accelerate the next generation of world-focused tech founders

13 Mar 2015

University College Cork is seeking out talented aspiring tech entrepreneurs to participate in the EU-XCEL European Virtual Accelerator, which will create entrepreneur teams that are incubator-ready.

Successful applicants from across Europe will participate as part of newly formed international start-up teams alongside some of the most promising and talented tech entrepreneurs in intensive, specially designed entrepreneurship training and mentoring programmes over five months. 

EU-XCEL is a Horizon 2020 funded project and part of Start Up Europe.  The wider project partners outside Cork are made up of universities and incubator centres from across the European Union, including Denmark, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain.

“Our mission is to provide the optimum virtual and physical platforms to enable aspiring ICT tech entrepreneurs to flourish and become incubator ready after our international five month acceleration programme,” said EU-XCEL project director Dr Brian O’Flaherty.

The European Virtual Accelerator includes a week-long training and mentoring “start-up scrum” in one of six countries including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Greece, Poland and Denmark.

It includes the opportunity to pitch to and connect with venture capitalists, angel investors and other entrepreneurs.

“The internationalisation of entrepreneurship is a major component of this programme and the exchange element of the programme will enable cross-fertilisation and the pursuit of new ventures across a number of European countries,” added Dr Joe Bogue of Cork University Business School.

Start-up leader image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com