Burga Fullam

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Burga Fullam Business Advisor, Limerick City
Enterprise Board, Limerick , Ireland March 2007
Logo here
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City County Enterprise Boards Ireland

• Established 1993
• High Unemployment (15)
• Business confidence low
• Business birth rate 6.9 Europe 10.9
• Limited business opportunity

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Functions

• Develop micro-indigenous enterprise
• Stimulate economic activity at local level
• achieved through
• Financial Support (M1)
• Advice Training (M2)

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City County Enterprise Boards Ireland

• 35 Boards in total
• Structure
• Board
• Evaluation Committee
• Staff

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What Type of Business?

• Micro-Enterprises (less than 10 employees)
• Start-up
• Existing Businesses
• General Criteria
• capacity to achieve commercial viability (1993)

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Financial Supports / Grants

• 3 Types
• Capital
• Employment
• Feasibility

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Financial Support (M1)
Capital Grants Purchase of
equipment/machinery Maximum Assistance 50
or Max. 75,000 Generally as a package
Refundable Element Low interest loan Non
refundable Grant Generally 35 grant
15 refundable (variable)
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Financial Support (Continued)

• Employment Grants
• Max 7,500
• for a newly created job

• Feasibility Grants
• Max 5,100 - 50
• RD, NPD, Market Research

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Application Process Financial
Business Advice Informal meeting with Project
Officer Business Plan Formal Application Project
Officer Evaluates Evaluation Committee Board
Meeeting
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Financial Support (Continued)
E-Business 50 600 Marketing 50 750
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Non Financial Support (M2)
Pre Start Up Business Advice Start Your Own
Business Courses Marketing / Market Research
Basic Bookkeeping Sales Business Planning
Seminars Franchising Ideas Generation IPR
etc
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Non Financial Support M2(cont.)

• The Owner is the business
• Programmes for Owner/Managers e.g
• ? Management Development i.e
• Marketing General Management
• Finance Personal Development
• Employment Legislation
• I.T. Skills / E-Commerce
• Seminars Franchise Your Business
• Innovation
• Book Club
• ? Women In Business
• ? Childcare

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Culture / Awareness Raising

• University/Institute Of Technology
• Media Activity
• Schools Enterprise Programmes
• Enterprise Awards
• Limerick Business Week

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Other Services

• Business Information Service City Library
• Business Planning / Advice
• Network Evenings /Golf Outings
• Mentoring

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City County Enterprise Boards Ireland
In the interim singularly most successful
business initiative adopted by the Government
Provided assistance to 16,222
projects Assisted in creation of 30,095
jobs Average job cost 4,600 Survival rates of
CEBS assisted firms high Provided training /
mentoring 72,987 participants Review of CEBS 2003
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Change of Focus

• Initially concerned with job creation
• 1993 15 unemployment
• 2007 5 unemployment
• Recent economic climate - change of focus
• Manufacturing
• Export
• Internationally Traded Services
• Reduction Change in Grant Aid
• Focus on Soft Supports (M2)

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National Plan 2007-2013
Report of National Enterprise Strategy Group
highlighted Importance of entrepreneurship Inno
vation at local level Cost Competitiveness Manag
ement Capabilities Infrastructure for enterprise
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CEB Strategy
Local Enterprise Culture and Entrepreneurship Ass
ist new business start ups Assist the expansion
growth of existing small business Encourage
and facilitate higher levels of exporting,
Innovation, R. D (transfer to Enterprise
Ireland)
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Innovation
Small Business Forum 2006 Innovation essential
most often technological, rooted in scientific
research RD but other typesessential Use
best available expertise to adapt innovate
International best practice Increase
productivity profitability Win new markets
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Lessons learned
Financial Resources Local Delivery Training
Development Flexibility Multi Agency
Involvement Networked Personal connection
local Voluntarism
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Useful websites
www.limceb.ie www.forfas.ie www.smallbusinessforum
.ie www.enterpriseboards.ie www.designshannon.ie w
ww.laneminnow.ie
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Thank You Go raibh maith agat