DUBLIN: THE world’s largest free business accelerator for start up companies has opened in Northern Ireland for the first time.
The Entrepreneurial Spark Hatchery opened in Lombard Street in Belfast city centre this morning.
The accelerator, in partnership with Ulster Bank will provide entrepreneurs with office space, mentoring and bootcamps.
The centre will provide space for up to 80 entrepreneurs.
The hub is now open to applications from new and existing businesses with growth potential.
There are already seven other Entrepreneurial Spark locations across Britain.
The completely free Enablement programme sees entrepreneurs, or ‘Chiclets’, based in the hatchery as they benefit from intensive support, as well as essential start-up necessities such as superfast broadband, office space and telephones.
Successful applicants will form part of the first intake for the new centre in February 2016, embarking on a six-month programme of business acceleration.
Richard Donnan Ulster Bank’s regional managing director, corporate and commercial Northern Ireland said: “Ulster Bank was founded by a group of local merchants who saw the chance to build an institution that would serve the banking needs of their local community. Entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and we’re excited to see the new and innovative companies that will be developed through this venture.
Creating a culture that is supportive and welcoming towards entrepreneurs is essential in developing the local private sector. This new hatchery will bring creative, like-minded people together under the same roof and I look forward to seeing the results.”
Jim Duffy, chief executive optimist at Entrepreneurial Spark added: “I am really looking forward to opening our Belfast Hatchery in partnership with Ulster Bank and to what we hope will be a collaborative approach to supporting the entrepreneurial community in Northern Ireland. Belfast has a great start-up culture and we can’t wait to be part of it.”
Entrepreneurial Spark is the world’s largest free business accelerator for early stage and growing ventures from all sectors that is completely free for the entrepreneur and takes no equity in supported businesses.
There are already seven hatcheries in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Bristol, Brighton, Leeds and Birmingham, with further UK locations launching over the next 18 months.
