A programme to help people aged 50 and over to develop their business ideas has opened for applications. The Ingenuity Build Your Own Business programme gives participants the skills and advice required to pursue their entrepreneurial ambition, guiding them through the various aspects of business and business planning. The programme is led by ISAX and run in collaboration with the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) and supported by Bank of Ireland.
The Ingenuity Programme has already seen over 150 people take part. The overall objective of the programme is to assist participants in assessing their business ideas and advising on how to make them a reality. The programme has been tailored to the learning methods of mature professionals and allows time for participants to apply what is learnt to their business idea.
Graduates of the programme will have the support of an Alumni Club afterwards and the course also acts as a gateway to the ISAX Smart Ageing Innovation Hub. These are co-working spaces available in both Dublin and Limerick for graduates of the ISAX Ingenuity Programme.
In Dublin, the programme will start on the 10th of April, running for two evenings per week in the Guinness Enterprise Centre until the 31st of May.
This year, the programme will run for the first time in Cork, kicking off on the 18th of April and running until the 6th of June. An information evening for anyone interested in enrolling in the programme in Cork will take place in the Bank of Ireland Workbench on Patrick’s Street, Cork, on Monday the 12th of March from 17:00 – 19:00.
Anne Connolly, CEO of ISAX Ireland said: “We are delighted to have the support of Bank of Ireland as we continue to roll-out tailored courses for mature entrepreneurs throughout 2018. Ireland’s population is ageing and today it’s a myth that starting a business is only for young people. People age 50+ often have greater industry knowledge and established professional networks to help them start a business. This programme gives anyone thinking about retiring or exiting from their current career, anyone looking at self-employment as a realistic career option, or anyone who has recently started a business, the opportunity to develop their proposition.”
Pictured at the announcement were: Anne Connolly, CEO of ISAX; Kevin Curran, Head of Enterprise Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West; Sharon Corcoran, Director of Economic Development & Tourism at Cork County Council; Eilis Mannion, Head of Bank of Ireland Cork County; Sean O’Sullivan, Head of Enterprise Local Enterprise Office; Bernard Jones, Inspire Partner; Paddy Ryan from Kinsale who is the first person to sign up to the Cork programme; and Joe Phelan, a former participant of the Dublin programme who owns an Alpaca farm.
