Seedcorn Business Competition returns for 2018

by Startacus Admin

The All-Ireland Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition is back for 2018, with a total cash prize fund of €280k and the ambition to help early stage innovative companies get investor ready and to introduce them to valuable networks.

Aimed at independent ventures incorporated on the island of Ireland (ROI or NI) in the seed, startup or early stages of business development and ideally targeting international markets.

As well as the cash incentives, the Intertrade Seedcorn comp provides support and advice from top investment experts and the competition mimics a real venture capital investment process which builds the capacity and experience of all those participating.     

Competition elements include business plan submission, with valuable, constructive feedback given from entrepreneurs, investors and businesspeople.  

Other market ready aspects of the competition include the development of the business idea, making the concept ‘investor-ready’, gaining exposure to venture capitalists, other investors and senior business leaders, and increasing the credibility and profile of the business involved.  

Speaking about the competition, Ken Nelson, Chairman of InterTradeIreland said: “The overall winner will take home a €100,000 cash injection to support the growth of their business, which will go a long way towards realising ambitious expansion goals.  However, Seedcorn is about so much more than just financial support.  Participants benefit in a host of other ways, receiving invaluable guidance, tips and advice from our experts, investors and other entrepreneurs, as well as refining business plans and pitch proposals to better demonstrate their offering to potential investors. Since its inception in 2003, companies who have gone through Seedcorn have raised in excess of €229m; last year alone, in excess of €10m was raised.”  

Last year’s overall winner was Phion Therapeutics from Belfast which sells services (contract research) and licences (right-to-use-its technology for pharmaceutical development and therapeutic applications).       

This year’s competition is now open for registration at www.intertradeireland.com/seedcorn. with the deadline for submissions being the 1st June 2018.  

If you are interested in Irish based startup competitions, you might also want to know that upSTART, the startup pitch competition that brings together a whole host of top UK, Irish and European tech startups, Investors, and Judges is BACK for 2018 at Digital DNA. Find out more about upSTART 18. 

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Published on: 14th April 2018