The Genesis Enterprise Programme, which helps entrepreneurs develop their ideas into real exporting businesses, is now recruiting entrepreneurs for its 2011/12 programme commencing in May 2011.
Genesis is a 12-month, full-time, rapid incubation programme that provides a comprehensive range of supports to innovative start-ups to help them establish their business successfully in a planned and focused environment. Over the duration of the programme they will be presented with the practical skills, expertise, contact networks and tools necessary to develop an idea into a solid real business.
Participants learn through seminars, workshops, clinics, mentoring and peer learning meetings. Business milestones are set for their development and their progress is guided by the experienced Rubicon team and its wider network of experts. Participants learn how to talk to the market, raise investment capital and launch their product/service in the marketplace. Participants can work at their own location or take advantage of free office facilities in the Rubicon Centre, located on campus in the Cork Institute of Technology.
In its 14th year, Genesis has helped more than 180 entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. More than 70pc of the start-up businesses who emerged from the Genesis programme are in operation five years on, employing more than 1,200 people in the southwest of Ireland.
At a time when exports are crucial for the future of the Irish economy, more than 50pc of the businesses emerging from Genesis are selling to customers in international markets. Many have become Enterprise Ireland high-potential start-ups and raised significant angel and venture capital investment.
Genesis Enterprise Programme businesses
Some well-known businesses that developed through Genesis include Abtran, Crest Solutions, Comnitel/IBM, Eolas International, Ferfics, Treemetrics and Weddingdates.ie. The overall objective of Genesis is to support high-value, knowledge-based Irish-owned businesses, which have the potential to scale into export markets and create employment in Ireland. Genesis works with start-ups across a range of sectors, including energy and environment, food, photonics, information technology, mechanical engineering, medical devices, biotechnology, media and internationally traded services.
The work of the Genesis Enterprise Programme and Cork Institute of Technology in developing entrepreneurs in Ireland has been recognised in the EU’s European Enterprise Awards 2010 in Madrid.
Interested applicants for the 2011/2012 Genesis Enterprise Programme may obtain information online. The closing date for applications is Friday, 8 April 2011.
The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, funds the programme.
