NDRC LaunchPad 4 kicks off with 15 digital start-ups

9 Sep 2011

Irish start-up accelerator NDRC LaunchPad has opened its fourth programme this week with 15 high-potential start-ups participating over the next 12 weeks.

To date, 30 start-up companies have taken part in NDRC’s LaunchPad, with 30pc of participating companies securing follow-on investment so far.

Recently ranked as the sixth best accelerator programme in Europe, attracting European and global tech talent is one of NDRC LaunchPad’s strategic aims and this current programme includes Canadian team “Adjuno”.

“It’s an intensive 12 weeks, whereby we work closely with participants to validate the commercial potential of their ideas, get them to product-market fit quickly, produce a clear plan to scale their businesses and get them in front of the right investors,” Gary Leyden, LaunchPad’s director, explained.

“We had a 100pc increase in applications to this fourth programme earlier this summer and have in place a great mix of national and international teams with a wide variety of strong digital ideas, from health to gaming.”

Hands-on mentoring – investment up to €20k

All start-ups taking part in NDRC’s LaunchPad receive access to a hands-on mentoring programme, weekly workshops and networking opportunities with industry experts, and investment of up to €20,000.

The teams then work towards a product or service launch, and a pitch to a panel of interested investors and successful entrepreneurs at the “LaunchPad Lift Off” event, which will take place at the end of the 12 weeks.

Applications for the next NDRC LaunchPad will open in October this year.

Photo: Terence Hong (Adjuno), Claire Burge (Winit) and Gary Leyden, director, NDRC’s LaunchPad, at the commencement of NDRC’s LaunchPad accelerator programme

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

editorial@siliconrepublic.com