October 2013 saw 14 aspiring entrepreneurs from 11 start-up businesses, join the 4th IGNITE Graduate Business Programme at UCC, setting out on their journey to conquer the business world with their innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. IGNITE is now recruiting for the next intake of budding entrepreneurs and has issued a call out for early expressions of interest.

The IGNITE Graduate Business Programme which was established in 2011, is a nine month business incubation programme for recent graduates from any discipline from any third level institution with a viable business idea; aimed at nurturing, developing and strengthening their entrepreneurial potential. IGNITE will host an information workshop this February, where interested recent graduates can find out more about taking the next step to making their innovative ideas a viable business proposition, and further information on this will be available from ignite.ucc.ie.

Since its inception, IGNITE has supported 40 start-up businesses, many of whom have successfully launched and are now generating revenue.

A number of 2013 participants are off to a flying start and Eamon Curtin, IGNITE Programme Director said, the IGNITE Programme has gone from strength to strength.

“Last year saw nearly 100 expressions of interest, almost twice the number of applicants as the previous year, and the quality of the applicants was higher than ever.” Drawing widely on graduates from across Irish universities, including UCD, TCD, UL and UCC, this year’s businesses are developing products and services in areas as diverse as food and nutrition, engineering, education, fashion, ICT, facilities management and media.

The programme includes a comprehensive Start Your Own Business programme, and access to UCC’s academic, research and commercialisation expertise. Eamon added “We need to encourage entrepreneurship and IGNITE is the ideal bridge between the knowledge gained at third level, and the challenges of making a commercial success from great ideas.”

To submit an application of interest, or for further information about the upcoming information workshop, visit http://ignite.ucc.ie, email ignite@ucc.ie, or contact Eamon Curtin, IGNITE Programme Director on 021-4205499.