Irish Business Innovation Centres (BICs), which support start-ups to access funding, mentorship and specialised resources, has launched an Impact Report, the first time the four BICs from around Ireland have come together to launch such a report. The four BICs include AxisBIC, which covers Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
The report shows the four BICs engaged with more than 1,000 new clients over the three years from 2022 to 2024, and also highlights that during this timeframe, there were 143 successful Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) applications.
Figures show that 68% of companies awarded PSSF funding nationally worked with the Irish BICs. The report also shows that 59% of companies awarded iHPSU status nationally worked with the Irish BICs and there were 157 successful iHPSUs applications.
VALUABLE MENTORSHIP
Chair of the Irish BICS, Martin Murray of Furthr, said: “This impact report is important as it highlights the crucial role played by the Irish BICs in helping innovative start-ups to grow and develop into a successful enterprise. The four BICs have been providing invaluable supports for more than three decades to start-ups right around the country. By coming together under the one umbrella, we are strengthening our message that our experienced mentors are on hand to help overcome all the challenges a new business faces.”
The other three BICs are Propelor (Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford); Furthr (Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Wicklow) and WestBIC (Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath). The Irish BICs are supported by Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
As well as offering mentorship to innovative and scaling businesses, the Irish BICs provide support to early-stage companies applying to Enterprise Ireland for Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) and iHPSU (innovative High Potential Start-Up) funding. In addition, the BICs collaborate with Enterprise Ireland to deliver capability building programmes such as Prep4Seed, an investor readiness programme.
More information on the Irish BICs can be found on www.irishbics.ie
, which support start-ups to access funding, mentorship and specialised resources, has launched an Impact Report, the first time the four BICs from around Ireland have come together to launch such a report. The four BICs include AxisBIC, which covers Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.){kind=link}