Cork Enterprise Month Officially Launched - Celebrating Entrepreneurship & Enterprise in Cork

01 March 2010

On Friday 26th February, Cork Enterprise Month, a joint collaboration of the four Enterprise Boards in Cork County and City, was officially launched by Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher TD.

Cork Enterprise Month, which will run throughout March, is being organised to highlight and celebrate the comprehensive range of Cork County & City Enterprise Board (CEB's) initiatives in Cork this March and beyond.  A range of activities and events will promote and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation and help micro-enterprises thrive and develop in this new economic reality. Speaking at the launch, Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher TD said "It is very encouraging to see the pro-active approach of Cork County & City Enterprise Boards involved in organising Cork Enterprise Month.  So much happens throughout the year in association with the CEBs, but it is great to actually stop and take account of all the activities and events that take place which nurture entrepreneurial spirit."

One of the core activities during month will be the diverse range of Business Training Programmes and Seminars, providing Cork based micro-enterprises with relevant, high quality and 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.  Third level events taking place this March include: CIT Innovation Day; CIT Accelerating Campus Entrepreneurship; and Innov8@UCC Week. 

For Second Level students, the CEB's run a Cork Schools Enterprise Programme that gives students the opportunity to set up and manage their own business and compete at the regional finals and the National Finals. The Programme aims to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship. Cork Enterprise Month will see the regional finals of the Cork Schools Enterprise Programme taking place throughout the County and City. The winners of these regional heats will go on to represent their local Enterprise Board and their school at the National Finals in Dublin in April.

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 and the Genesis Enterprise 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.

Activities and events like these take place 12 months of the year, 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.