Enterprise Ireland will take applications the latest outing of its Competitive Start Fund for female entrepreneurs from May 3. Up to €50,000 in equity funding is available to a maximum of 15 successful female applicants with early stage startup companies.

Applications are open to startups where the boss is a woman involved in Manufacturing and Internationally Traded Services, including the following subsectors: Internet, Games, Apps, Mobile, SaaS, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, Lifesciences, Food, Cleantech and Industrial Products.

Enterprise Ireland does not run funding rounds that are reserved for men only. Because if they did of course there would be hell to pay.

As well as securing the funding, ten of the successful applicants will get the opportunity to participate in Dublin BIC’s ‘Innovate’ accelerator programme, in what is a new addition to the funding programme. Innovate will be delivered over a 12-week period in the Guinness Enterprise Centre.

Enterprise Ireland’s CSF is aiming to accelerate the growth of female-led startups that have the potential to employ more than ten people and achieve €1m in export sales within three years. Sarita Johnston, female entrepreneurship manager with Enterprise Ireland said 20% of HPSUs in 2016 were led by women.

Conor Carmody in Dublin BIC added: “Dublin BIC has deep expertise and a proven track record in supporting entrepreneurship. We plan to bring this expertise and access to our network to the benefit of the participants on the Innovate programme.” An information session on Innovate is taking place at the Guinness Enterprise Centre on Monday 8th May at 6pm.

The closing date for applications to the CSF for female entrepreneurs is May 17.

Separately, Smart Dublin and Enterprise Ireland have launched three new Small Business Innovation Research  competitions with up to €600,000 in funding available. The challenges aim to source smart and low cost innovative solutions to tackle illegal dumping, to monitor and predict blocked gullies in high risk flooding areas and to design wayfinding solutions in the Dublin region. The competition is open for applications until June 9 at www.etenders.gov.ie.

Photo (l-r): Jobs minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Liz Fulham of  Sales Optimize and Sarita Johnston. (Pic: Fennell Photography)