Waterford LEO looking for 'pitch perfect' business start-up
Pitch Perfect judges, Dr. Aisling O'Neill, Manager of SETU Xcelerate, Jacqui Gaule, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, LEO Waterford, Jim ‘Flash’ Gordon, Director of Boxworks CoWork Space and Michael Power, founder of Greenfeed and winner in 2024
The hunt is on for Waterford's next entrepreneur and the county's Local Enterprise Office is hoping to give someone with a great business idea the perfect start.
Pitch Perfect is a Local Enterprise Office Waterford competition for start-ups, and it’s calling all those with a new innovative idea or who have recently started a business to apply.
The LEO in Waterford is offering cash and industry prizes for those who have the best pitch.
The competition is a joint initiative between LEO Waterford, SETU Xcelerate Centre and Boxworks Co Working Space.
The competition is open to those with an innovative business idea or who are already in business, trading less than 18 months and former winners include Clare Mansfield with Flowering Fertility Support, Praveen Kaur, founder of Uoto, and Michael Power, founder of Greenfeed.
The programme invites applications for two categories - Best Business Idea and Best Start-Up Business (trading less than 18 months). Successful applicants will be selected for a Business Bootcamp where participants will be guided through the initial stages of developing their idea or business. They will then fine-tune their pitch before presenting to the judges who will select the top pitches, with prize winners announced on the day.
The bootcamp will be delivered by the Entrepreneurs Academy for free, to a limited number of participants, over the course of two Saturdays, May 16 and 23. Spaces are limited and those interested are invited to complete an expression of interest to be part of the event. The programme is only open to individuals based in Waterford, or those who intend to establish and register a business in Waterford.
On Day One of the programme, trainers will work with participants to review their idea, choose the correct business model, investigate market trends, plan the route to market and develop a business pitch. Participants will fine-tune their pitch on Day Two before presenting to the judges, who will select the top pitches.
The bootcamp and pitching will take place at Boxworks, Waterford’s coworking space for tech and creative industries.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the SETU Xcelerate Centre at SETU’s West Campus in Carriganore, Waterford, a hub for some of the region’s most innovative digital technology companies. It will enable them to gain valuable access to expertise, insights and potential connections within the ecosystem.
Spaces are limited and those interested are invited to complete an expression of interest to be part of the event before 5pm, on May 6.
To appply go online to https://submit.link/4Qp
