/ APPLICATION FOR FUNDING SUPPORT UNDER EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES
COMPETITIVE FEASIBILITY FUND /

FOR EARLY STAGE ENTREPRENEURS AND COMPANIES

IN THE MID-WEST REGION (COUNTIES LIMERICK, CLARE, NORTH TIPPERARY, KERRY)

Legal Basis – Industrial Development Act 1998, Section 7(as amended)
Commission Regulation No. 1998/2006 De Minimis

Part 1: Applicant Details:
Please complete EITHER 1A OR 1B OR 1C. Applicants must not complete more than one section of Part 1.

A– To be completed if you are applying as anIndividual/Individuals without having registered a company or a legal partnership for the purposes of carrying out the proposed business.

Promoter(s) Full Name (if applicant is an individual)
PPS No(s). of Promoter(s): / Trading Name:
(if applicable)
Contact address: / Tel. No.:
Mobile No:
E-mail address: / Web address:
Principal activity of the Applicant: / [e.g. Manufacturer of …, Designer of ..]

OR

1B – To be completed if you are applying as a legal Partnership without having registered a company for the purposes of carrying out the proposed business.

Partnership Name: / Partnership Reg No: (if registered)
Full Name of Lead Partner: / PPS No. of Lead Partner:
Full Names of Other Partners: / PPS Nos.:
Business address: / Tel. No.:
Mobile No:
E-mail address: / Web address:
Principal activity of the Applicant: / [e.g. Manufacturer of …, Designer of ..]

OR

1C– To be completed if you are applying as a registered company.

Full Registered Name of Company
Company Reg No.
(CRO No.): / Trading Name:
(if applicable)
Business address: / Tel. No.:
Mobile No:
E-mail address: / Web address:
Company Contact Name: / Job Title:
Principal Business of the Applicant: / [e.g. Manufacturer of …, Designer of ..]
Date Company was Incorporated
(Please note only companies incorporated on or after 8thApril2012 are eligible to apply)

Part 2: To be completed by all Applicants – please tick boxes Yes or No where applicable.

Yes / No
Is the applicant an Enterprise Ireland Client (i.e. has previously received grant/equity funding from EnterpriseIreland)?
If yes, please state name of your primary contact:
Is the applicant or company a client of a County or City Enterprise Boardor a Local Development Company (i.e. has previously received grant/equity funding from a County or City Enterprise Board or a Local Development Company?
If yes, please specify the organisation(s) and state name of your primary contact:
Has the applicant or company received any financial supports from any State Agency in relation to this project?
If yes, please give full details including awarding organisation, description of financial support and value (€):
Has the applicant or company received feasibility funding for any other projects?
If yes, please specify the awarding organisation(s) and value (€):
How did you hear about this Feasibility Study Fund?
Purpose of Feasibility Study:
(summary in no more than 50 words) / Investigate the feasibility of [1]
Start Date of Study[2]
Completion Date of Study[3]
Part 3: Promoters Profile/Team Profile, Track Record and Knowledge of this Sector,
Market etc. (Max 40% of awarded marks)
Please provide full details under each of the following headings
  • State qualifications, previous work history, domain knowledge (including experience of sector, technology, customers etc) and other relevant details of promoter and wider team associated with the proposed project.
  • What is the promoter(s) current employment status?
  • Which promoter(s) will be working full time and/or part time on the project? (Please give details)
  • What other founders/promoters have a financial interest in this project? (Please list)
  • Have you any other Advisors for the Project?
  • Specify Directorships held (past or present) in other companies, together with details of current shareholding in other companies by you and your co-founders (if any)
  • Other relevant information?

Part 4: Customer Demand and Long-Term Potential of the Business to achieve significantgrowth in three years (i.e.achieving by end year 3 sales of €1m per annum withstrong early international growth potential andemployment of 10+).(Max 30% of awarded marks)
Please provide full details under each of the following headings
  • Who are your potential customers?
  • What is the customer problem your proposed solution is addressing or the niche market which you are targeting? What benefit does your product / service offer to them? Give evidence to support this.
  • What is the specific target market/country to be addressed? How was this identified? Comment on the target market with reference to market size, growth and structure.
  • How will you access and sell to your target customers?
  • What customer research have you carried out to validate the need for your product/service? Summarise the feedback.
  • What further market research do you propose to carry out?
  • Who are your main competitors by geographical market and size? Please provide website addresses of your competitors.
  • How will your business make money?
  • What is the potential of this business to achieve significant growth in three years (sales of €1m per annum with international growth potential and employment of 10+)
  • Key Milestones achieved to date.
  • Any other relevant information?

Part 5: Innovation Level of ProposedProduct or Service (Max 30% of awarded marks)
Please provide full details under each of the following headings
  • What is unique or special about your proposed product or service?
  • What stage of development is the product or service at?
  • What further development do you need to undertake to have a market ready product or service?
  • Any other relevant information?

Part 6: OUTLINE OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY
This should detail how theapplicant will investigate the viability of manufacturing a new product or process, develop an innovative technology or a new internationally traded service.
(a)Please give a brief description of the feasibility study and give a list of its objectives:
(b) Please list the key tasks to be undertaken during the feasibility study and indicate how they relate to the costs listed in Part 8, “Detail of Work & Expenditure”:
(A key task must include a report of the findings of the study in a form satisfactory to EnterpriseIreland. Thisshould be submitted on completion of the study.)
(c) Please list the potential benefits of undertaking this feasibility study:
Part 7: PROJECTIONS FOR THE BUSINESS
Year End / dd/mm/2014 / dd/mm/2015 / dd/mm/2016
Project Sales €000’s
Project Exports €000’s
Project Employment
Part 8: DETAIL OF WORK AND EXPENDITURE
Please insert the relevant details in respect of the categories of expenditure being applied for.
Part 8 (a): Salaries and Overheads:
  • Maximum salary support of €1,000 per week (€200 per day) for a maximum of 12 weeks (60 days) per employee/promoter.
  • Only time spent on the proposed project by employees of the company/legal partnership/promoter can be applied for.
  • If you are working full time or part time on this feasibility study but are not being paid through the company payroll, the facility exists to claim on the basis of time input, subject to approval. The salaries element of your claim will be calculated based on your lost earnings – evidence of which must be provided.
  • Support for external consultants must be applied for in the Consultancy Fees section.
  • Employee time spent preparing for and attending Trade Fairs is ineligible.
  • Overheads of up to a maximum of 30% of eligible salary costs can be applied for.

Name / Function / Cost per week / No. of weeks / Total Salary Costs / EI Office Use Only

Salaries Sub-total

Overheads Sub-total
(Please insert a figure based on a maximum of 30% of the Salary costs applied for.)

Total Salaries and Overheads

Part 8 (b): Foreign Travel and Subsistence:
  • Only Travel and Subsistence costs for overseas trips related to the proposed project are allowed.
  • Foreign Travel and Subsistence costs must be for company employees and/or promoters.
  • Subsistence rate is to cover all out of pocket expenses including hotels, meals, taxis local fares, incidentals etc.
  • If Foreign Travel and Subsistence is for Trade Fairs it is limited to 5 employees.
  • Eligible Travel Costs:Economy Air/Ferry or Rail Fares, Mileage (60c per kilometre) or Economy Car Hire (note mileage cannot be claimed on Hire Cars)
  • Eligible Subsistence Rates: Overnight Rate –(24 hr period) Max €200 Day rate < 24 hours €60.

Name / Country &
Purpose of Trip / Travel Costs / Subsistence
Costs / TotalTravel &Subsistence / EI Office Use Only

Total Foreign Travel and Subsistence

Part 8 (c): Consultancy Fees:
  • Max. consultancy rate: 1–20 consultant days is €900 per day, 21–30 consultant days is €700 per day.
  • Max. 30 days per consultant. Where more than one consultant is being used from the same firm the daily rates will apply to the firm.
  • The Daily rate is to be inclusive of consultant’s time and all associated travel, subsistence and out of pocket expenses.

Name / Function / Cost per day / No. of days / Total Consultancy Fees / EI Office Use Only
Total Consultancy Expenditure
Part 8 (d): Prototyping Expenditure:
  • Prototype materials, specialised software tools, hire of equipment or facilities and other sundry costs relating to building a prototype are eligible.
  • Where consultants/contractors are being used to input into the prototype design/build, the costs should be entered in the Consultancy Fees section of the application form.
  • Employee time should be entered under the Salaries and Overheads section.
  • Capital items/equipmentcosts such as laptops, servers are not eligible under this expenditure item.

Please describe your proposed prototyping activity and itemise your proposed prototyping purchases here:

/ Cost / EI Office Use Only

Total Prototype Expenditure

Part 8 (e): Trade Fair Details and Expenditure:
  • Only the cost of the Applicant's first-time participation in a particular Trade Fair/Trade Show in any one country is eligible.
  • Maximum of 5 people can be supported.
  • Attendees must be the promoter oremployees of the company/legal partnership/promoter(s) of the proposed business

Name of Trade Fair:
Location:
Date of Trade Fair:
List Name of Person(s) Attending and Position in the business:
Trade Fair Expenditure: / Cost / EI Office Use
Entry Fees
Stand/Exhibition Space Rental Fees
Stand Set-up and Installation Costs:
  • This can include transportation costs for products/exhibit, installation costs at the event (excluding own employee labour). Rental cost of equipment/ICT for the stand e.g. Lighting, Projectors, Laptops, Display Monitors etc.
  • Note Purchase of equipment/ICT is not eligible

Trade Fair Overheads/Sundries:
  • Maximum expenditure of €500 is allowable towards the cost of trade show related promotional material, brochure design/printing costs, translation costs etc.

Total Trade Fair Expenditure
Part 8:Total Feasibility Study Expenditure
For EnterpriseIreland Internal Use Only: this section must be completed by the EnterpriseIreland Regional Executive following the assessment by the Evaluation Panel.
Please ensure that the “EI Office Use” column has been completed in the Project Expenditure section above.
Where specific items of expenditure are being reduced or disallowed please provide detail/reason for each below. (Note: the reasons will be included in the final letters of offer issued to successful applicants).
Disallowed/Ineligible Expenditures Details:
Part 9: DECLARATION BY APPLICANT
An authorised Officer of the Company or the Promoter must complete this Declaration.
I confirm that the Promoter/Company:
Is a Small Enterprise[4] or an individual promoter.
(A small enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 50persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 10million.)
Was incorporated on or after8th April2012, if the applicant is a registered company
Has not and will not seek aid from EnterpriseIreland or any other State Agency in respect of this expenditure.
Is a manufacturing or an internationally traded services4 business.
Is not involved in activities that fall within gambling or "gaming" as defined in the Gaming & Lotteries Act 1956
I confirm agreement for EnterpriseIreland to share application details with external assessors under non-disclosure agreements
To the best of my knowledge all information provided in this application is true and accurate.
De Minimis Aid Received[5] / Yes / No
Has the applicant received De Minimis Aid in the last three years.
Note: A false declaration by an individual/company/group resulting in the threshold of €200,000 being exceeded could later result in the aid being recovered with interest.
If YES, how much De Minimis Aid has been granted to you/your company in the last three years (please list type, amount and date received in the Table below).
Detail (including State Agency Name) / Amount / Date
IT IS MANDATORY TO SIGN OR TYPE AND DATE THE DECLARATION BELOW.
You must sign or type against ONE of the following:
A. Name of Promoter:
OR
B. Name of Lead Partner:
OR
C. Name of Company’s Authorised Officer: / Date:

Please return the completed Application Form via e-mail to:
by no later than 6.00pm on Tuesday 8th October 2013.
Applications received after the 6.00p.m. deadline will be ineligible.

All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.

EnterpriseIreland will not release any information received as part of this application except as may be required by law, including the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. In the event of a FoI request, the client will be given reasonable advance notice in order to contest such disclosure.

End Notes

1

[1] Describe the project to be investigated in one sentence. This must involve the investigation of the viability of: manufacturing a new product or process; an innovative technology or service offering; for example:

“….. the feasibility of manufacturing commercial waste handling equipment and systems”

“…… the feasibility of manufacturing salad dressings and marinades for the catering industry”

“…… the feasibility of developing software for the financial services industry”

[2] Give the dates that the study will begin and end. Any expenditure incurred prior to the start date is ineligible for support. Start date cannot be before 8th October2013.

[3] Final claim date of study is 18 months from date of approval, which is the date that all expenditure must have been incurred and a valid claim submitted to EnterpriseIreland

4Eligible Internationally Traded Services

The Industrial Development (Services Industries) Order 2010 sets out the services that qualify for support from the enterprise development agencies.These are

Data processing and electronic commerce

Technical and consulting services

Commercial laboratory services

Administrative/service centres, co-ordination and headquarters services

Research and development services

Media, multimedia and recording services

Entertainment and leisure services

Training services

Publishing services

International Financial services

Healthcare services

Construction related services

Environmental services

Supply Chain Management and Logistics Management services

Commercial international standards bodies

Technology test centres

Prototype laboratory services

Intellectual property services

Group Procurement

Shipping services

Education Services

  • [4]

[5] De Minimis Aid:
The aid being sought is provided under the European Commission Regulation on De Minimis Aid. Small amounts of State aid, up to 200,000 Euros in any three-year period to any one enterprise, are regarded as too small to significantly affect trade or competition in the common market. Such amounts are regarded as falling outside the category of State aid that is banned by the EC Treaty and can be awarded without notification to or clearance by the European Commission. A Member State is required to have a mechanism to track such aid (called 'De Minimis aid') and to ensure that the combined amount of De Minimis aid payments from all sources to one enterprise in any three-year period respects the 200,000 Euro ceiling. Please provide details of all other De Minimis aid which has been granted to your company within the past three years. It should be noted that a false declaration by a company resulting in the threshold of 200,000 Euro being exceeded could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest.