€70,000 Prize to Kick-Start Sustainable new Business in County Cork

A County Cork Enterprise Park is putting up a €70,000 prize to give one lucky entrepreneur the chance to start a sustainable new business. The competition will be officially launched at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, Co Cork at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday May 12th. The final and presentation will take place on July 9th at Celtic RossHotel Rosscarbery, which will be attended by Enterprise and Innovation Minister Mr. Batt O’Keeffe.

Lisavaird Enterprise Park brings you the business kick start – if you have a great invention, a fledgling business or a business idea ready then you could be in with the chance to win a business kick start package worth €70,000.

The €70,000 prize includes a unit at Lisavaird Enterprise Park, near Clonakilty, rent and utilities free for one year, unit fit out, along with the associated start-up costs such as legal services, accountancy services etc. The winner must have a sustainable business idea that will provide jobs in the West Cork area.

The man behind the competition is Jerry O'Donovan, owner of Lisavaird Enterprise Park, who is the founding director of Firebird Boilers, Ballymakeera, and O'Donovan Enterprises.

Jerry started out in an economic climate similar to that of today and struggled to get support to start what is now a very successful business, which supplies the home market and also exports as far afield as New Zealand. At its peak Firebird employed 250 people but with advances in technology it now employs185 in Ireland and UK.
 
Lisavaird Enterprise Park received several enquiries about the start up units in recent months and even though the entrepreneurs who enquired had good ideas they lacked the finance, business knowledge, marketing and other essential skills.
 
After lengthy discussions with these budding entrepreneurs, Jerry realised that they were in the same position he had been in during a previous recession - before Udaras na Gaeltachta assisted him to start a business.

‘The idea of the competition sprang from that and we now hope to give a sustainable business idea a unique opportunity, which will be worth €70,000. This, in effect, will allow the owner to start up his business for free,’ said Jerry.

Entry forms available at Online at www.businesskickstart.ie. From Thursday May 13th.
 
The final adjudicating panel is:

• Mr. Padraic White SME Entrepreneur & former Managing Director of IDA-Ireland
• Professor Gerard Wrixon,  Founder and Director NMRC (now the Tyndall National Institute) at UCC
• Ms. Teresa White, Assistant County Manager Cork County Council
• Mr. Ian Dempsey,  Chief Executive Officer West Cork Leader
• Mr. Michael Hanley , Chief Executive Officer West Cork Enterprise Board
• Mr. Sean Mahon, Chief Operating Officer Southern Star Newspaper

How to apply for this competition - download application form

If you have any queries or for further information please contact the Co ordinator/ Project Manager: Jenny Barry on 087-7652580.

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