NDRC Swequity Exchange calls for start-ups and backers

The initiative is building on the strong success of its first one earlier this year.
People with clever digital business start-up ideas and people interested in getting involved in developing these start-ups have an opportunity to do just that through the programme.

NDRC’s Swequity Exchange will bring people with business ideas together, choose the best ones and match them to a team of qualified voluntary experts.

The team will get equity in the business if it successfully kicks off, while the start-ups get experienced advice and support from the beginning.

Applications are being taken now via www.swequityexchange.com from both idea holders and from people with tech, creative, business and marketing skills who want to get involved.

Teams will then work together at NDRC for a five-week concentrated period, culminating in December.  The closing date for applications is Monday, 5 November.

The programme is also being supported by creative experts from the National College of Ireland and MBAs from UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Business.

“Swequity Exchange creates a win-win scenario which tests ideas and either brings them forward or sends them back to the drawing board, the benefit being that this happens as quickly as possible for the promoter,” said NDRC Inventorium director Mark Kearns.

“The value of people’s time and effort is therefore maximised and focused on the ultimate goal of starting a business. We have already seen a number of projects graduate from Swequity into our full-on LaunchPad accelerator programme.

“All an entrepreneur needs is to get access to a forum where they can meet experts and supporters who are most relevant to their idea. Swequity Exchange does just that by pre-qualifying the initial entrants to the scheme and bringing them into a circle of highly supportive industry high achievers, mentors and gurus.”