Tipperary innovators invited to road-test business ideas on free New Frontiers programme
Tipperary innovators, entrepreneurs and start-ups have the opportunity to invest one night a week to road-test their business ideas.
The New Frontiers programme for early stage entrepreneurs is open for applications for its 8-week programme starting in September.
New Frontiers, funded by Enterprise Ireland, is for potential entrepreneurs who have a well thought-out innovative business idea or an innovative technology that has the potential to be developed into a scalable high potential start-up company.
Padraig Moore
New Frontiers Programme Manager at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), Eugene Crehan says Phase 1, which is taking applications for this September, is ideal for working people who want to investigate their start-up idea over a few months and perhaps even take it further if they are successful in getting onto Phase 2 of the programme.
“The time commitment for Phase 1 is one evening per week for 8 weeks, starting from early September. As well as being a fantastic learning and development experience it is also a useful lead-in to Phase 2 of New Frontiers. On Phase 2 of New Frontiers participants spend six months getting paid to develop their business ideas; they receive €2,500 tax free a month for six months. We have individuals travelling from across the south east to participate.”
Past participants on New Frontiers at WIT from Tipperary in recent years include:
Padraig Moore, Reel Time Rivers, participated on Phase 2 of the New Frontiers Programme in 2019. The key benefit for him was: “Reel Time Rivers entered the New Frontiers programme with only an innovative business idea, but finished the programme as a structured start-up company with an investor ready Business Plan. I would highly recommend the New Frontiers programme to anyone thinking of starting a business, you learn from experienced mentors on the business essentials required to turn your innovative idea into a potentially successful start-up.”
In 2016 Enterprise Ireland announced increased supports of early-stage entrepreneurs over five years across the south east region with funding of €2.7m to run New Frontiers programmes in Waterford and Carlow institutes of technology.
Phase 1 of the New Frontiers Programme will commence in Waterford at ArcLabs, the innovation hub based on WIT’s West Campus in September 2019 on a part-time basis, with Phase 2 commencing in December 2019.
The deadline for applications is Monday, 2 September at 4pm. Applicants apply online at www.wit.ie/newfrontiers.
