IT / Software company startup

paddyred9

Hey folks,

I've already registered a small software development / consultancy company and I work on it on the side at the moment and have a decent amount of work however I have some of my own ideas that I'd like to develop which would take time and resources.

Have any of you started up a software company recently? If so did you get any grants etc?

Thanks

Donagh_mc

You could try enterprise Ireland, although they are having a 'review' of all applications so grants could be hard to come by

RedXIV

Hey Paddy,

I'm part of a small software company recently registered. We were able to get an enterprise board grant but i think most of the budget for this year is gone. That said, the enterprise boards do seem very interested in IT so I would defintely approach them, you may get other assistance as well as a chance to get in for next year's budget.

Best of luck!

Red

paddyred9

Hey Red,

I noticed you on another thread.
What company did you set up? I've been consulting in mostly telco and financial billing systems for the past few years so I've decided to go out on my own for more standard comercial systems.

Do you mind me asking the ball park of figures for the grant you got? Did you just take the leap and go get office space etc?

RedXIV

paddyred9 wrote: »

Hey Red,

I noticed you on another thread.
What company did you set up? I've been consulting in mostly telco and financial billing systems for the past few years so I've decided to go out on my own for more standard comercial systems.

Do you mind me asking the ball park of figures for the grant you got? Did you just take the leap and go get office space etc?

Sure

We got a €5k employment grant, half a few weeks ago, other half in 6 months. Didn't get office space, to be honest, we didn't want it, we are all set up at home to work and it's working for us so far. However, i did get invited down to an enterprise platform program which has been really good so far, in terms of learning the business end of things (like you, i came from a technical background). The enterprise board will do everything in their power to help you and you may find getting an office etc alot easier than getting a grant. However, one of the seldom mentioned things about the enterprise board is the constant stream of information i'm getting from them regarding IT events, enterprise events and anything else i've expressed and interest in.

Definitely get in touch anyway, as i said elsewhere, they are extremely keen on IT so you should get treated well

paddyred9

RedXIV wrote: »

Sure

We got a €5k employment grant, half a few weeks ago, other half in 6 months. Didn't get office space, to be honest, we didn't want it, we are all set up at home to work and it's working for us so far. However, i did get invited down to an enterprise platform program which has been really good so far, in terms of learning the business end of things (like you, i came from a technical background). The enterprise board will do everything in their power to help you and you may find getting an office etc alot easier than getting a grant. However, one of the seldom mentioned things about the enterprise board is the constant stream of information i'm getting from them regarding IT events, enterprise events and anything else i've expressed and interest in.

Definitely get in touch anyway, as i said elsewhere, they are extremely keen on IT so you should get treated well

Great thanks Red,
Im working on a large product at the moment for a client but after that I'll be pursuing my own ideas directly so I may yet be in touch for a hand! Did you leave your job or is it possible to get a grant and work part time on it?

RedXIV

Any time mate, i'm on here alot so just PM me

I'm working part time with mine. Not sure if thats exactly allowed or not but the enterprise board seemed to want to do everything in their power to help me so i'm going by what they say

Plogue

check out http://www.j4bgrants.ie/ I found it great

W!zard

I am in the same boat, and agree with the comments so far that yes it is good to be in IT / you will get help. There is much more than grants that the enterprise boards can help with, keep that in mind.

Best of luck with your new IT biz ! :cool:

kenbrady

RedXIV wrote: »

However, i did get invited down to an enterprise platform program which has been really good so far, in terms of learning the business end of things (like you, i came from a technical background).

If you are on an EPP did they put you forward for CORD funding ?

paddyred9

Plogue wrote: »

check out http://www.j4bgrants.ie/ I found it great

I had a look here and found it all very confusing. I have no idea which grant im supposed to be looking at.. :-(

Also I really want to know whats possible if I wanted to continue to work for the first year and work on the company projects in my spare time.

in saying spare time I've been working for the previous year around 20 - 30 hours a week outside of work on my own venture. These things take time and I'd like to get in someone to help out which is why i'd need some grant funding.

paddyred9

W!zard wrote: »

I am in the same boat, and agree with the comments so far that yes it is good to be in IT / you will get help. There is much more than grants that the enterprise boards can help with, keep that in mind.

Best of luck with your new IT biz ! :cool:

Thanks

Did you start up already? Whats your company?

adrian.s

If you think the company has potential to meet Enterprise Ireland's HPSU classification (ie. €1M in sales, 10 jobs, export oriented) give them a call and present to them, they can give you pointers on the amount of assistance available.

I reckon they will look for you to be involved with full time though, so see what options you have in this area.

I'd also recommend getting onto one of the EPP programs and you'll be able to see very quickly from there what options you have in terms of support for getting your business off the ground. You'll probably find the CORD grant most suited if you go this route, as it will pay 50% of your previous salary for 12 months and lets you concentrate full time on growing the business.

If you've been working on this for 20 - 30 hours a week, it should be quite well developed. Instead of grants, could you get customers?

Adrian.

paddyred9

adrian.s wrote: »

If you think the company has potential to meet Enterprise Ireland's HPSU classification (ie. €1M in sales, 10 jobs, export oriented) give them a call and present to them, they can give you pointers on the amount of assistance available.

I reckon they will look for you to be involved with full time though, so see what options you have in this area.

I'd also recommend getting onto one of the EPP programs and you'll be able to see very quickly from there what options you have in terms of support for getting your business off the ground. You'll probably find the CORD grant most suited if you go this route, as it will pay 50% of your previous salary for 12 months and lets you concentrate full time on growing the business.

If you've been working on this for 20 - 30 hours a week, it should be quite well developed. Instead of grants, could you get customers?

Adrian.

Yes I've already got a couple of customers but not on the scale I'd need as I mentioned above this work so far has been ad hoc for specific customers.
What I want to do is to work on my own project from my own idea that wouldnt be funded by customers until its a finished product.