Jump Start, the annual entrepreneurial competition run by The LINC at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB), is being launched today, with a prize worth €25,000.
The prize includes the cost of the incubation space for 12 months, mentoring support and €2,000 in cash for the winning company to spend as it sees fit.
One of the judges, Gavin Duffy of RTÉ’s Dragons’ Den, launched the competition. Short-listed entrants will get to present their ideas to Duffy and the other judges – yourlocal.ie managing director Emer Jameson, Siliconrepublic.com editor John Kennedy and Lucia O’Riordan, regional retail and SME manager, AIB.
“Winning the LINC Jump Start 2010 competition was a great boost for InsulCheck, our start-up business,” said 2010 Jump Start winner John Hughes of Innovation Zed.
“We got access to elite office accommodation and the professional mentoring we received in marketing and business development helped shape our go-to-market plan. Of particular significance was the access we got to the excellent research and design expertise within the college. We were able to use that to perfect our product offering prior to launch.”
Mentoring in a variety of areas
The mentoring, sponsored by The LINC, AIB and FINGAL County Enterprise Board, will cover a number of areas, including digital marketing, sales, market research and finance and funding.
The winner automatically can enter the M50 Enterprise Platform Programme, and will get to meet with Enterprise Ireland to discuss possible support options.
“Our winner will be a high technology-based businesses or a scalable product-based business run by promoters with huge amounts of energy, passion and commercial drive,” said Assumpta Harvey, manager, the LINC.
Applicants must be less than two years in business and show an intention to export if they aren’t already. The closing date for applications is noon, 5 July, with the shortlist being announced 13 July and the winner on 28 July.
