BRIGHT COMMERCIAL IDEAS WANTED

The £2.56m VITAL cross-border initiative funded by the EU’s INTERREG IVA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body will focus on seeking and implementing innovative ideas in Northern Ireland (outside the Greater Belfast area) and the six border counties of Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo. The project is a partnership between Queen’s University Belfast, Dublin City University and is led by Dundalk Institute of Technology.

VITAL aims to identify and assess more than 600 ideas. These ideas will be evaluated down to 160 commercially viable ideas with potential and of those it is envisaged that at least 30 will be matched to existing SME and seasoned entrepreneur ‘implementers’.

The VITAL initiative will then provide assistance with fast tracking the route to market, where appropriate, through one-to-one mentoring, consultancy, access to market knowledge and priming funding if required. “We are looking for seasoned entrepreneurs who are looking for new opportunities to get in touch with us. We are also calling on SME owner managers to get involved” says Mr. Kieran Fegan, director of the VITAL project based in Dundalk Institute of Technology’s Regional Development Centre.

Interested individuals and companies can register their interest on the www.vitalforideas.com website. VITAL project managers can provide further information if needed and can assess the suitability of those individuals and companies to participate. There is no charge for participating in the VITAL project.