CEB Grants

vin.f

Hi Guys,
Just wondering if anyone here has or had been awarded a CEB grant?
I'm looking to get a priming grant of about €25,000 for an online business. The funds will cover the core applications development and programming, Application testing, Server construction and installation, Marketing and advertising, Utility costs for the first year (broadband), Management and research costs, iOS and Android app development and possibly patenting costs.

I will be investing sweat equity into this including Project management and UI design (more experience with the latter and less of the former).
Some of the work will be outsourced and some will be awarded to providers in Ireland. After everything Is complete I'm hopeful that employment in a difficult industry to break into for graduates will be provided by the business.

The project will be breaking into a niche market, trends for targeted keywords in this area have only begun on google since mid to late 2009 so researching it's popularity is difficult (on google anyway).
So far I have only come across two or three applications that are similar but offer less than I expected from such an application, They are also targeted at completely different audiences though the line is a little blurred.
The reason I wish to get a patent Is to prevent some of the unique features I hope to have on the application being applied to the existing two or three competitors apps, though patenting may be difficult as It will include existing technologies. ( I'm also unfamiliar with patenting requirements and eligibility)

So with all of that said, what are my chances of actually receiving a priming grant from the CEB and what exactly do I need to know or have prepared before applying?

Any help on this would be great.
Thanks,

-Vin

maxwell smart

Hi Vin

Firstly, Good Luck to you, sounds an interesting project.

The most important thing is to have a fully developed business plan. Try to phrase it so that the reader understands the technical jargon you might feel is second nature. (I recently sent in a business plan to the IDA and had to reword a lot of the technical details.).

You'll need cash flow projections, debtors days etc fully explored. I know that lots of this future casting is guesswork, but it has to be down on paper. Remember, the guy who authorises the grants has to have a paper trail to show why he Ok'd the money if it goes wallop.

Max

vin.f

maxwell smart wrote: »

Hi Vin

Firstly, Good Luck to you, sounds an interesting project.

The most important thing is to have a fully developed business plan. Try to phrase it so that the reader understands the technical jargon you might feel is second nature. (I recently sent in a business plan to the IDA and had to reword a lot of the technical details.).

You'll need cash flow projections, debtors days etc fully explored. I know that lots of this future casting is guesswork, but it has to be down on paper. Remember, the guy who authorises the grants has to have a paper trail to show why he Ok'd the money if it goes wallop.

Max

Thanks!
As far as the cash flow projections, debtors days is concerned, I haven't got a clue. I'm just a guy with an Idea that knows little or nothing about business.
(That'll probably go against me)
I've downloaded the 16 page business plan template from a CEB site yesterday and I'm working on it at the moment (though a certain amount of hand holding would be great whilst filling it out). I'll also have some of the UI designed to include in the BP. This will also solidify certain points at a presentation but when it comes to monetary projections, I fall flat on my face.

Any advice?

The Good Agent

Hi Vin,

Is this link of any use?

http://bizstartup.ie/news/item/17097-enterprise-boards-without-f?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I posted the same reply on the startups.ie forum, so apologies if you've already read the above article.

Barry