South east start-ups invited to apply for share of New Frontiers funding

Applications open for 2021 intake of New Frontiers programme starting in September, help ambitious individuals bring their business idea from concept to successful start-up

A free entrepreneurship development programme is taking applications until 31 August from south east entrepreneurs and innovative business start-ups for its first phase, which starts in September.

€1.5m in Enterprise Ireland (EI) funding has been secured to run the New Frontiers programme at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) over the next five years. The 55 early-stage entrepreneurs who progress to the second phase of the programme will have access to €15,000 funding each.

From concept to success

New Frontiers Programme Manager at Waterford Institute of Technology, Eugene Crehan explains who the programme is for. “The New Frontiers programme is designed to help ambitious individuals bring their business idea from concept to successful start-up. The time commitment for Phase 1 is two evenings per week, starting from Tuesday, 14 September 2021. The application process is online, so people can apply easily.”

“Over the next five years we hope to support another 250 entrepreneurs on Phase 1 of our programme with about 20% making it through to the second phase and access to EI funding every year. Those who get onto Phase 2 are on the programme two days per week for six months and get funding of €15,000 each. The programme is run by the WIT School of Business from ArcLabs, the innovation hub based at WIT’s West Campus, Carriganore.”

New Frontiers success

Paula Carroll the National New Frontiers Manager at Enterprise Ireland said, “The achievements of companies like Taoglas is testament to the success of the New Frontiers programme in giving ambitious entrepreneurs the skills and expertise needed to build the successful businesses of the future. Enterprise Ireland considers this programme an essential element in its remit to support the development of early-stage businesses across counties of Ireland.”  

New Frontiers Programme Director at SETU in Waterford, Eugene Crehan congratulated Dermot on his “visionary leadership of Taoglas, from his days as a participant on our New Frontiers programme in Waterford to a global multinational business and a leader in GPS and IOT connectivity”.  

Applications for the next programme at SETU Waterford are now open. See www.SETU.ie/NewFrontiersWd for application details. The online Phase 1 programme commences in September 2023.