Applications are open now for the 2020 Ignite NI Accelerator programme, which aims to help established tech companies scale up and raise investment.
Northern Ireland has no shortage of tech startups today, with many going on to receive significant investment and compete globally. Access to highly qualified local talent and lower costs have even attracted many high-growth tech startups from elsewhere in the world to relocate to the island of Ireland.
The Ignite NI Accelerator is designed to help companies bridge that gap between being a successful tech startup and competing on the global market. It's aimed at established tech firms looking to scale up, raise capital, and expand into new markets in other countries and is open to both local companies and those willing to relocate to Northern Ireland.
The programme is based in Belfast's Ormeau Baths co-working spaces and takes in 10 companies each year, putting them on a programme that includes 9 months of co-working space in the building. Firms on the scheme are given a £23,000 Convertible Loan Note, a type of investment that is converted into equity shares at a later date, and companies that relocate to take part in the scheme are given £5,000 of additional support.
Companies on the scheme will take part in weekly workshops and sessions aimed at scaling up, will get an opportunity to talk to previous companies that have been successful through the scheme, and will attend trips to London, San Francisco, and Dublin to explore export markets. They'll also get a range of credits for tech partners, including AWS, DigitalOcean, HubSpot, Intercom, and Stripe.
Ignite NI Programme Director Chris McClelland commented on the scheme: "At this stage companies will have something working but require a more efficient approach to things like go-to-market and, if needed, raising investment. Something special is happening in Northern Ireland’s startup community, and we are keen to build upon that momentum. We are pleased with the impact of the programme and we are ambitious about how we can build upon that next year."
Applications are open now and will close on January 10th, with 10 spaces available on the scheme. head over to https://igniteni.com/ for more information.
Source: Written based on press release
