6 October 2020
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Creating a startup is one thing, but growing it – or ‘scaling it’ – is another
A new programme called ‘Scale Cork’ is Ireland’s first Scaling Programme for SMEs supported by Cork County Council through its economic development fund and operated by the Rubicon Centre at CIT.It is a 9-month programme is open to 6 companies in the medtech, agritech and digital health sectors, who are willing to scale beyond their current capability and interested in increasing sales, developing exports and building relationship with FDIs in the region.
Criteria for eligibility include:
– Employ more than 10 employees
– The business is profitable with the potential to increase profitability
– Has a turnover greater than €500,000
– Has some IP in the business or potential to exploit same
– Has the potential to grow sales by 20% per annum.
An initial benchmarking exercise will be conducted with the companies to identify enablers for growth that will facilitate expansion into new markets as well as addressing operations, finance, digital readiness, talent, marketing, and innovation. Expert mentoring will be provided by teams of mentors with sector-specific experience, and the companies will have access to multiple resources within the Rubicon and CIT.
Paul Healy, General Manager CIT Rubicon Centre, Bernard Yore, CEO ESS Group (ESS and Eirdata) and Aileen Hurley, Project Manager Economic Development Enterprise and Tourism Cork County Council at the launch of the Scale Cork, a pilot programme that focuses on Medical Devices, Agri-Tech and Digital Health sectors. Picture Darragh Kane
Aileen Hurley, Project Manager Economic Development Enterprise and Tourism Cork County Council Bernard Yore, CEO ESS Group (ESS and Eirdata) and Paul Healy, General Manager CIT Rubicon Centre at the launch of the Scale Cork, a pilot programme that focuses on Medical Devices, Agri-Tech and Digital Health sectors.
Picture Darragh Kane
Picture Darragh Kane
