The half-day seminar was the focal point of the first Mid-West Entrepreneur Showcase hosted by Limerick Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Acceleration Centre, LITs on-campus business incubation facility.

One of the speakers, attended by over 160 business people from the MidWest, was Jerry Kennelly, the well known Kerry entrepreneur and founder of Stockbyte which was sold in April 2006 for €110m.

“From a state support, infrastructure, tax and can-do perspective, there has never been a better time to start a global business from Ireland. I cannot understand why more people don’t give up their jobs for the rewards offered by running your own business based here,” Mr Kennelly said.

Damian Young, head of the Small Business segment in Bank of Ireland declared that the environment for new businesses remains positive.

“There are a wide range of supports available to small businesses today that were not there 20 years ago. The environment remains good with low taxation, financial incentives and a range of skills and knowledge supports. Access to capital is key and banks continue to support small businesses at early stages,” Mr Young said.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Maria Hinfelaar, Director of Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), who said that a thriving entrepreneurial economy could deliver a range of economic, regional and social benefits for Ireland.

Citing a recently published report on Entrepreneurship in Ireland in 2006, she said that Ireland remains one of the foremost countries in the EU in terms of entrepreneurship.

“The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2006 for Ireland found that 44% of Irish adults perceive that there are good opportunities to establish a new business at present, 50% also believe that they have the necessary skills to successfully establish and run a business. Ireland ranks third highest in the EU in terms of entrepreneurial activity and our Enterprise Acceleration Centre plays a key role in supporting entrepreneurs and start-up enterprises in the region,” Ms Hinfelaar said.
Further information see http://www.eac.ie/showcase.htm

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