Making the Right Start with Genesis

13 February, 2008

Call for Applications for the 2008/9 Genesis Programme

Genesis is delighted to announce that it has now commenced recruitment for the 2008/9 Genesis Enterprise Programme which will start in May 2008. Genesis is a 12 month full time incubation programme that provides a comprehensive range of supports to innovative, knowledge-intensive start-ups across Cork and Kerry to help them grow and develop into highly successful companies capable of competing in global markets.

Now in its 10th year, Genesis has helped over 150 entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground, Genesis has a proven track record of success with start ups across a diversity of sectors including medical devices, food, photonics, mechanical engineering, biotech, machine vision and many others. Some companies that started life in Genesis include Abtran, Amocom, Comnitel, Cully & Sully, Selatra, and Pulse Learning.

The Genesis business incubation programme equips participants with the practical skills, expertise, networks and tools necessary to develop an idea into a solid real business. Along the way, they learn how talk to the market, raise investment capital, and launch the product/service in the marketplace. Specific supports include:

• Free professional office facilities in an entrepreneurial incubation environment in the Rubicon Centre, CIT including business address, desk, phone, meeting room and canteen facilities.
• A personal mentor with significant sectoral knowledge, contacts and business experience
• Intensive Management Development Training & Workshops
• 1:1 Expert Clinics in the areas of strategy, finance and marketing.
• Individual business coaching provided by experienced programme manager
• Networking with other entrepreneurs in Genesis and across its alumni network.
• Opportunity to access the staff & facilities of the GEP Programme Partners which include Cork Institute of Technology, Enterprise Ireland, the 5 South West Region County Enterprise Boards, Údarás Na Gaeltachta, Cork BIC, and University College Cork.
• Financial benefits available to participants can include up to 50% of prior year income, up to a maximum of € 38,000 for qualifying applicants
• The emphasis on the Programme has always been to support high value, knowledge based businesses across Cork and Kerry that are creating some intellectual property (whether product or service based) and have the potential to scale into export markets. 
• Applications for the new 2008/9 Genesis programme can be made at www.gep.ie which commences in May. For an informal and confidential discussion of your business idea and eligibility, please contact Denise Kennedy, Programme Manager, at 021.4928916 or dkennedy@gep.ie
• The Programme is funded by the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment under the National Development Plan 2000 - 2006.

Press Contact: Denise Kennedy