Supports for Business Thomas Mc Evoy Head of
Supports for Business Thomas Mc. Evoy Head of Enterprise Louth County Council 27 th March 2019
Local Enterprise Office Louth � LEO sits at the heart of the Economic Development Unit of Louth County Council. � First Stop Shop for all business needs. Seamless Integration � Planning, regulations and support in one place.
First Stop Shop for small business
Local Enterprise Office Louth Who can we assist? LEOs can assist small businesses if …. . Commercial venture Market for the product/service Capacity for growth and job creation For Grant purposes Up to 10 employees No Displacement and Deadweight Manufacturing / Traded Services with potential for international markets
Local Enterprise Office Supports Training Mentoring Financial
Non-Financial (Soft) Supports ØMentoring §Business Planning, Market Research, Sales, Financial Management, Sourcing Finance, Human Resources, Operations, IP & patenting, product development, Quality, Safety, Consolidating costs, Social Media & Online Marketing, E-commerce & web etc. or sector specific mentoring ØTraining ØConsultations All Companies
Non-Financial Supports - Training Start Your Own Business Ø Start Your Own Online/Food Business Workshops Ø Social Media Workshops Ø Capability Development programmes for general business support and specialised areas (LEAN, food, innovation, export, female entrepreneurship, etc. ) Ø Procurement, Marketing, Data Protection, Finance, Preparing Business Plan, Record-keeping and Tax Ø Retail Excellence Ireland Ø
National Enterprise Programmes • Local Enterprise Week • Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur • National Enterprise Awards • Student Enterprise Programme • National Women’s Enterprise Day • Enterprise Villages at: National Ploughing Championship and Showcase • Promotion of Community Enterprise Centres (CECs)
Financial Supports - Grants Eligibility requirements (for mainstream grants)…… Commercial venture Ø Market for the product/service Ø Capacity for growth and job creation Ø Up to 10 employees Ø Manufacturing / Trading Services Ø Retail excluded from mainstream grants, but may qualify for retail supports and Trading Online Voucher Ø
Types of Grant aid ØFeasibility ØPriming ØBusiness Expansion
Business Supports Roadmap – 3 steps to mitigate Brexit 1. Assess Exposure – BREXIT Scorecard 2. Prepare a Plan - Grants from Enterprise Ireland Inter. Trade. Ireland 3. Get Supports (financial and non-financial): - Build Competitiveness - Expanding reach/ Target New Markets - Innovation - Building Scale / Finance - Advice (mentoring/ customs training)
Step 1: Assess Exposure to BREXIT - Brexit Scorecard • www. Prepare. For. Brexit. com • Free online tool to self-assess readiness for Brexit in key areas: Strategy, Operations, Finance, Sales/ Marketing, Innovation, and People/Management • Leads to LEO /EI supports package
Step 2: Avail of Supports to Prepare a Plan & Look at Non-Financial supports ‘Prepare a Plan’ Grants: - Enterprise Ireland clients (€ 5, 000 to prepare Brexit Plan) - Non-Enterprise Ireland clients (€ 2, 250 Inter. Trade. Ireland Brexit Ready Voucher)
Non- Financial supports • Tailored ‘Brexit’ Mentoring (via LEO) • Management Development/ Business Training • Customs Insight Course Go onto LEO / EI website View Course and/or Register to participate • Export Development Workshops eg. Monaghan tomorrow, 14 th March
Step 3: Get Supports to Build Margin Four strategic responses Competitiveness Optimising people, equipment, technology, and information in sourcing, production and delivery of goods and services Innovation and R&D = LEAN Prog Expanding Reach Diversifying into new international markets and new market segments within the UK and elsewhere = Export Grant Development of better solutions (new or improved products services or processes) to provide a strong competitive edge = Co-Innovate / Innovate Accel. / Agile Fund Strong operational finance in parallel with strategic financial planning Financial Management = Brexit loan scheme
Competitiveness: LEAN Programme • Across all sectors • Strong focus - LEO 2019 • Subsidised Cost (80%) • Most effective programme open • Produces Results!
Innovation: 1. Co-Innovate Programme Manufact’g & tradable services with international potential SMEs in Border Counties & NI (contact: LEOs/LEAs) - Free 2. Innovate Accelerate Supplementary support for Louth cos. (<10 employees) = And to help target New Markets 3. Innovation Vouchers (€ 5 k value research at 3 rd level inst. ) 4. Agile Innovation Fund (R&D costs, over 18 mts, up to 45%)
Reaching New Markets Export Grant o Businesses employing up to 10 FTEs o 50% of costs met, up to € 2. 5 k grant o Explore and Develop New Export Markets o Manufacturing/I. T. S. ; Eg. participation at trade fairs, international trade networking events, marketing materials, translation, export websites o Application forms available from LEO
Financial supports 1. MFI (all sectors, non-secured loans <€ 25 k, via LEO) 2. SBCI (Brexit loans >€ 25 k <€ 1. 5 m, via pillar banks) 3. LEO Grant supports (Manufacturing/I. T. S. ) 4. Trading Online Voucher Scheme (training, support and grant up to € 2. 5 k, all sectors, via LEO)
Finally… search for ……. • Local Enterprise Office Louth…. . www. localenterprise. ie/Louth Brexit Information Centre • Irish Government’s Brexit website www. Gov. ie/Brexit
Thank you Further details available in LEO Brexit Handout Local Enterprise Office Louth, Louth County Council Town Hall, Dundalk T: 1890 202 303 E: info@leo. louthcoco. ie W: www. localenterprise. ie/Louth www. prepareforbrexit. com
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