Rubicon Centre signs five-year deal to roll out 'New Frontiers' enterprise programme

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton

The Rubicon Centre, an Irish business innovation hub, has signed a five-year contract with Enterprise Ireland to continue the roll out of its national entrepreneur development programme, New Frontiers.

The contract is said to be worth €2m in both direct and indirect funding.

The enterprise programmes has been running since 1998 with 269 businesses having participated in courses at the centre so far. The centre says that 75pc of all firms that participated are still operating today.

The new deal will support over 70 start-ups, which are expected to create in the region of 650 new jobs.

Martin Corkery, Enterprise Ireland's regional manager, said the firm was delighted to continue its relationship with the Munster-based Rubicon Centre.

"2015 was a record year for start ups with 105 new high potential start- ups , 47pc of which were outside of Dublin. The success of the programme to date is proof that the team in the Rubicon Centre are focused on the development of entrepreneurs and know what it takes to encourage and drive start up companies, taking them from ideas on a page to market."

Meanwhile Rubicon centre manager, Paul Healy, said that start-ups are a "powerful engine" for job creation and economic growth.

"2016 is set to be a momentous year as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the physical Rubicon Centre in CIT and we are  doubly thrilled to retain the contract to roll out the New Frontiers Programme for another five years.

"We have learned so much from the entrepreneurs we have worked with over the past 18 years and it is them that have given us the edge in knowing what it takes to build great and sustainable businesses which can compete not just on the Irish market but on the world stage," Mr Healy said.