The fifth Prep4Seed 12-week Programme was recently launched in Galway with a Masterclass on ‘The Foundations of Investor Readiness’ run by WestBIC and Furthr. The programme, delivered by the four Irish Business Innovation Centres (BICs), in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland brings High Growth start-up clients through the investor readiness process quickly and effectively. 13 companies were selected from all over Ireland, representing industry sectors including FinTech, ICT and Food.

Leo McAdams, Divisional Manager, Enterprise Ireland said: “At Enterprise Ireland, we are committed to fostering innovative, export-focused start-ups. The Prep4Seed programme, delivered in collaboration with the four BICs, is an effective platform from which to launch and nurture future founders and their businesses. I am pleased to see the wide regional spread of companies across a broad range of sectors engaging in this programme and we look forward to supporting these innovative companies on their start-up journey.”

Opening the fifth Prep4Seed programme in Galway, Mary Ryan Deputy CEO WestBIC, said: “WestBIC is delighted to be part of the Prep4Seed programme, which plays a crucial role in supporting high-growth startups become investor-ready. Our ongoing partnership with Enterprise Ireland is vital in accelerating these companies on their journey to scale. Prep4Seed, which is managed and delivered by the four BICs in Ireland, gives these businesses the tools they need to thrive and succeed on a global scale and WestBIC are proud to contribute to the success of these exciting new businesses and the impact that they bring to their regions".

Commenting on participation in the Prep4Seed Programme, Tom Lindsay, Founder & Director of Accelerating Action CEO, said “We’re absolutely delighted to be part of the Prep4Seed programme. This kind of support is invaluable for start-ups like ours, helping us get investor-ready and navigate the challenges of scaling up. Having the backing of WestBIC and Enterprise Ireland, and their expertise, really boosts our confidence as we prepare for the next steps in our journey."

The Prep4Seed programme includes five Masterclasses run by the Irish BICS and six one-to-one meetings concentrating on client-led bespoke activity with experienced BIC consultants. The one-to-ones ensures that content from the Masterclasses is applied in a relevant way to each company. The individual, tailored company focus, brings these start-up companies through the investor readiness process quickly and effectively. Participants are also brought through intensive investor pitch preparation sessions and trial pitches preparing them forInvestor Pitch Day.The 12-week programme culminates with the Investor Pitch Day on November 27th where all companies will pitch to Investors and VCs at Enterprise Ireland’s HQ in Dublin.The Companies participating are: Accelerating Action, Assiduous Corp Limited, Booka Technologies Limited, Diviso.io, Emotionise AI, Equieire Equestrian Ltd, Everly, Grá Chocolates Limited, MCS-Tech, Niskus Biotec, StationOps, Trave and Zenland Games Ireland Ltd.