Supports for Business Start-ups and expansions in County Mayo

WestBIC is an Enterprise Ireland partner providing hands-on startup support, funding readiness and investment preparation for early-stage founders in the west of Ireland.

Starting your own business and expanding it, is challenging, no matter how sure you feel that your business idea will be a runaway success. Getting the right guidance and support is so important, particularly at the start up stage. The good news is, if you plan to start up a business or expand it in County Mayo, there are several supports available for potential and existing entrepreneurs!

At WestBIC we encourage all our entrepreneurs to devote time to planning for their business, doing as much research as possible and equipping themselves with the tools to succeed.

For those commencing their journey Mayo Local Enterprise Office offers 3 training courses on a regular basis covering key areas of business. These are;

1. Start Your Own Business — One night per week over 6 weeks.
2. Managing Your Finances — helping you meet all necessary legislative and revenue requirements.
3. Marketing your Business — delivered through interactive workshops.

Aside from the core elements other targeted courses are available throughout the year focussing on relevant topics for both start-ups and existing business.

In addition to courses, Mayo LEO offers a range of other supports to qualifying businesses including;

• Mentoring; a free and confidential service and aimed at people who are potential business startups or people in business moving to the next development stage. Qualified, experienced mentors in a range of specialist areas provide advice and guidance on a range of relevant areas of business including sales, marketing, financial management and accounting, human resource development, website and social media planning, new product development and strategic business development and growth. The mentor helps identify obstacles that can occur in the business and suggest methods of overcoming them.
• Grant Aid; There are some financial supports aimed to assist with the set up and expansion of businesses in the form of grant aid. Support is available for qualifying businesses including feasibility study grants to establish if the business is viable, priming grants, business expansion grants, and technical assistance grants for micro exporters. The focus of grant supports is for businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded sectors.

Tailored supports for other enterprises are available from;

• Enterprise Ireland supporting high growth companies in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector that have the potential to achieve international sales and generate significant employment in Ireland.
• Údarás Na Gaeltachta supporting enterprises wishing to establish in or relocate to Gaeltacht regions.
• Fáilte Ireland supporting enterprises in the tourism sector to reach their full potential.
• Atlantic Technological University — New Frontiers Accelerator Programme designed for first time entrepreneurs to learn what it takes to get a new idea launched.

As the supports for enterprise are regularly adjusted to respond to needs entrepreneurs are urged to use the Supporting SMEs Online Tool which is a cross-governmental guide to help small businesses to identify which government supports may be best suited to their business

Location

Post Covid there is a realisation that with the advances in technology and the rollout of the broadband infrastructure many businesses can be established in more rural locations. For businesses wishing to locate in the Gaeltacht regions of Mayo, Údarás Na Gaeltachta has developed a network of digital hubs branded Gteic, 4 of which are based in Mayo. Other communities in Mayo have also developed hubs and these are linked via the Western Development Commission connected hubs initiative .

Welcome to Mayo

If you wish to set up a business in Mayo and you feel we can be of assistance please feel free to contact Seamus Mc Cormack smccormack@westbic.ie

Supports for Business Start-ups and expansions in County Mayo was originally published in WestBIC on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.