The 2017 AIB Start-up Academy will draw to a close next Thursday, 20th April at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin 7. There will be a €200,000 business support fund on offer for entrepreneurs at the event.
The national competition comprising of a selection of Ireland’s most promising start-ups will see fourteen start-ups deliver a 5-minute elevator pitch followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with judges.
Starting in September, almost 500 entrepreneurs put forward their business ideas to an expert judging panel. These entries were narrowed down to a shortlist of 22, from which 10 were chosen. A further four start-ups were selected at the regional AIB Start-up Academy Summits in Galway, Cork, Dublin and Belfast.
Now in its third year, the AIB Start-up Academy provides start-ups with crucial business support and networking opportunities designed to help entrepreneurs bring their business to the next level.
In addition to the competition element, AIB, in association with The Entrepreneurs Academy will also hold over 80 Start-up Academy Bootcamps across the country in 2017. These free workshops are open to start-ups from all backgrounds and at all stages of development.
The final will begin at 6pm at the Lighthouse Cinema on Thursday April 20th. Keeping with the theme of entrepreneurship, previous AIB Start-up Academy finalists Peter Mulryan of Blackwater Distillery and James Winans of Vanguard Beer Collective will be supplying refreshments on the night, along with Neil Shirt Catering and Cornude Popcorn.
Speaking ahead of the final, host Gráinne Seoige said, "In January I hosted the AIB Start-up Academy Summit in Galway and having recently started a business myself I found it to be a rewarding experience. The learning process never ends and I’m eager to hear what the fourteen entrepreneurs have learned on their journey to date and their plans for the future."
Source: www.businessworld.ie