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ISAX and DCU Ryan Academy call for mature entrepreneurs to join ‘Ingenuity’ accelerator
ISAX and DCU Ryan Academy call for mature entrepreneurs to join ‘Ingenuity’ accelerator

ISAX and DCU Ryan Academy call for mature entrepreneurs to join ‘Ingenuity’ accelerator

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Ireland Smart Ageing Exchange (ISAX) and the DCU Ryan Academy have launched a new accelerator programme called ‘Ingenuity’ targeted at mature business owners aged over 50 who are seeking to scale-up their businesses. Sponsored by Bank of Ireland, the programme is designed to specifically address the challenges facing business owners and will include workshops, bespoke mentoring and excellent networking opportunities.

The increase in life expectancy coupled with the reduction in the size of the working population has meant that Ireland’s ageing demographic has become one of the key issues facing policymakers. There will be considerable change over the next 25 years’ when the number of people aged over 65 years will be over 1.3 million compared with 460,000 in 2006. 

Self-employment and entrepreneurship offers many potential benefits for individuals and the economy in general. 25% of those who are self-employed in SMEs, which account for 99.7% of all active Irish business enterprises, are in the 50 – 64 age group.

Developed from research commissioned by ISAX, the Ingenuity Accelerator course is currently accepting applications. The advantages mature adults have over their younger counterparts is that they  have built up a lifetime of industry knowledge and experience, and have forged a lifetime of connections and relationships. Barriers include the perception many people have that entrepreneurship is a young person’s game, as well as technological change, such as social media.

About the Ingenuity Accelerator Programme:

  • It’s a tailored accelerator programme for 20 mature entrepreneurs running their own businesses with fewer than 10 employees
  • The programme runs 1 day a week, over 9 weeks from 24th March to 26th May 2017, culminating in a finale event at which each company will pitch to a network of investors and mentors.
  • It is run in DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24 and is sponsored by Bank of Ireland.
  • The 2017 Ingenuity Accelerator Programme is open for applications until 20th February 2017.
  • Applications can be made on-line: info.isax.ie/ingenuity-accelerator-application
  • For more information call 061 317578

Pictured is Anne Connolly, ISAX; David Merriman (left), Bank of Ireland; and Peter Dunne, co-founder of Carbon Conversion Technology Ltd