€2,000 Award for a Monaghan Professional with an inspiring business idea and plan

As part of the ‘Discovery Zone’ programme from Monaghan County Enterprise Board  

Monaghan County Enterprise Board has launched a new initiative called “Discovery Zone”. This fully funded programme will assist experienced Monaghan professionals, who find themselves out of work or under employed and want to develop new business ideas, start a new business or explore ways in which they can use their skills, experience and talents to exploit commercial opportunities.  Monaghan County Enterprise Fund has committed to providing a monetary business start-up award of €2,000 to the entrepreneur who presents the most inspiring business plan as part of this ‘Discovery Zone’ programme with a second prize of €1,000.   “Discovery Zone”, which has been designed and developed by the Regional Development Centre at the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), provides a range of supports for start-up enterprises. These include comprehensive business training, coaching and mentoring support programmes, incubation facilities where the budding entrepreneurs have office facilities, an opportunity to meet and network with experts who can help them in their start up process, technology transfer assistance and access to the DkIT research activities.

There was wonderful praise of the ‘Discovery Zone’ from participants who have already gone through the programme with Robbie Richardson saying that the constant guidance and support provided was remarkable and that because of this programme he has started to believe in himself again and now has a plan for the future. Stephen O’Brien feels that the course has given him more than he could have ever expected.   While another one of the ‘Discovery Zone’ success stories Francis Murphy said “It was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. The best part for me was bringing the idea for mobile units to a viable business plan. I am grateful to the team for their time and commitment. They always demonstrated a genuine interest in our projects and in seeing them succeed. This is a rare quality in a lot of programmes that I have attended over the years”.    Another participant who has been on the ‘Discovery Zone’ programme is  Sharon Morgan who said that she would highly recommend the programme as it was life changing for her and she would like to do it all over again!

The ‘Discovery Zone’ programme is free of charge to Monaghan participants and will not jeopardise social welfare payments.  Applications are currently being sought from experienced professionals who are either unemployed or under employed and would like to be part of this programme.  As places are limited, early application is advisable.

According to Sean MacEntee, Regional Development Centre, DkIT; “We are delighted to be launching ‘Discovery Zone’ in County Monaghan and we are inviting suitable professionals with commercial experience to apply for a place on this exceptional and rewarding programme.  In our selection process we will be looking for people who have a passion and a positive attitude to developing a business idea.  The ‘Discovery Zone’ programme is unique and unlike other business start-up programmes in that it is a voyage of self discovery, enabling personal development, building self esteem, taking a team approach and removing obstacles to start your own business.  We have already successfully completed a “Discovery Zone” programme in County Louth where ten participants turned their life and business prospects around. Those on the programme called it life changing and had high praise for the expert team who nurtured and transformed each person during the twelve week programme. Already two of the participants are trading and one is about to launch their business with more new business launches in the pipeline from the other members who participated in the programme.”

Briege Quinn, Business Adviser at Monaghan County Enterprise Board, said “We are mindful of the current economic environment in County Monaghan and know that there are a number of experienced people who have found themselves needing to consider new career opportunities. The ‘Discovery Zone’ is a twelve week programme which aims to: Help participants to both generate new business ideas and/or to evaluate existing business ideas:  Assist with the technical and commercial evaluation of these ideas: Enable the completion of a feasibility study on the participant’s most viable business idea”

Briege Quinn continued.  “We are delighted to announce a further incentive for two successful participants on the Monaghan ‘Discovery Zone’ programme.  Monaghan County Enterprise Fund have offered a prize of €2,000 to be awarded to the entrepreneur who presents the most inspiring business plan to help them get their business of the ground.  There will also be a prize of €1,000 for the runner up”. 

This Discovery Zone programme will help experienced people,  who are either out of work due to the economic down-turn or who feel under-employed to develop a new career by assisting them develop a business idea. The elements of the ‘Discovery Zone’ include a formal training day once per week: and participants will need to commit three days per week to the programme.  Support from a dedicated Programme Manager and Programme Facilitator from the Regional Development Centre in DkiIT:  Mentoring by experienced business professionals: case studies from inspiring entrepreneurs: full use of the DkIT library facilities and informal access to technical advice from researchers/academics as well as use of the M:TEK facilities in Monaghan are all part of the programme.

For an application form or more information please call Briege Quinn at 047 – 71818 or e.mail briege@mceb.ie  or log on to www.mceb.ie