Cork County & City Enterprise Boards launch

02 March 2011

 

This year sees the second annual Cork Enterprise Month, introduced as a joint initiative by the four Cork County and City Enterprise Boards, - Cork City, North Cork, South Cork and West Cork.  The initiative is used to highlight the wide variety of training, networking, events and activities that are available all year round to support new business start-ups as well as micro enterprises (1 to 10 employees) wishing to grow their businesses in the coming months and years. 

March is chosen as it is the month when there are a number of key activities and events taking place throughout the county, organised by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEB's) to promote and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the county. 

Speaking at the launch Sean O'Sullivan, CEO, South Cork Enterprise Board stated "March is traditionally seen as the month when things grow and develop and awake from a sleepy winter.  In business it is a month where we see great activity when people are looking to bring new vigour and life to their businesses and also a time when we see a lot of new business start-ups.  The message we would like to communicate is that the County and City Enterprise Boards should be the first port of call for all new businesses and for small businesses looking to expand."

Also commenting on the Enterprise Month was Michael Hanley, who is the CEO of the West Cork Enterprise Board and Manager of the North Cork Enterprise Board "It's an exciting and challenging time for micro-businesses and we have a wide range of programmes and seminars coming up in March and beyond to encourage entrepreneurship and business development.  These activities provide Cork based micro-enterprises with relevant, practical, high quality and very importantly highly subsidised training, covering an extremely wide variety of business topics."

These training programmes range from one day seminars to 8 week programmes and 9 month management development programmes, all of which are a vital component in developing the business skills of Cork owner/managers and entrepreneurs.

Cork Enterprise Month also celebrates the next generation of Cork Entrepreneurs with a number of activities and events being organised by the CEB's in association with Second and Third Level Institutions throughout the County and City.  Secondary school events taking place this March include: The Regional Finals of the Cork Schools Enterprise Programme 2010/2011 and the Junior Dragon's Den Competition. Third level events include: CIT Innovation Day and Intern Programme; CIT Acceleration Campus Entrepreneurship Programme as well as activities with the UCC Entrepreneurial Society.Over the past number of years, networking has become a vital ingredient to the success of all businesses and the CEB's have been at the forefront of assisting businesses to encourage and develop this skill. 

In March a number of Networking Events will take place through organisations set up by or in association with the CEB's.  The events are designed as a cost effective means to connect like minded business people in an environment that is very conducive to developing new business leads and sales. Some of the events are even free to attend and just require you and your business card.

Various Entrepreneurship Platforms will also be highlighted throughout Cork Enterprise Month, including Green Shoots, the Genesis Enterprise Programme, the Business Start Programme and the Ignite Programme; where start up businesses can be assisted in the crucial development stage and at a time when many businesses need the most help.  The CEB's, through these various programmes, can accelerate business development through rapid incubation programmes which include business mentoring, provision of business address and/or office facilities, as well as a wide range of other very relevant and necessary support for business start ups.

The CEB's activities, programmes and events take all year round, but in March, Cork Enterprise Month will give a flavour of the ongoing level of enterprise and entrepreneurial activity that the CEB's engage in on an ongoing basis.

For further information on all of the events and activities taking place throughout the month and beyond visit www.corkenterpriseboards.ie or contact your local Enterprise Board. Cork County & City Enterprise Boards are funded under Ireland's EU Structural Funds Programme 2007-2013 with funding from the Exchequer and the European Regional Development Fund.