Applications have opened for National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) Founder Weekend ahead of its return to the RDI Hub in Kerry from 17-19 February.
More than 60 individuals and start-ups took part in the 48-hour sprint from the national start-up accelerator programme last year, and the 2023 edition will mark the second time it has been run from the south-west.
The event will be fully remote though, and the focus will be on low/no code product build to help those with no technical knowledge to understand how they can design a minimum viable product themselves with free tools available online.
Other workshops include storytelling, pitching and the mentor one-one-ones, with up to 40 mentors attending to give participants feedback and advice. The deadline for applications is Sunday, 12 February.
Maeve Lyons, of NDRC and organiser of Founder Weekend, said the event is "exceptional in that it provides people from various stages along the startup journey an opportunity to join, learn and share with like-minded individuals.
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"Ultimately, this weekend is about founders supporting founders. We bring them together over the weekend sprint, in order for them to collaborate and grow their idea or startup."
Liam Cronin, CEO of RDI Hub, added: "It’s fantastic to be able to deliver this amazing programme remotely, making it accessible to everyone without the need to travel.
"Last year’s event was incredible, and it’s great to see Richelle Flanagan’s (My Moves Matter) success since Founder Weekend last year and we can’t wait to see her app when it launches."
Applicants don't need to have an idea for a product in advance, and NDRC said the weekend was "all about figuring it out with like-minded people" and the assistance of the NDRC team.
Leo Rodriguez from Helgen Tech, James Flynn of ConnectMor, Richelle Flanagan of MyMovesMatter and Hrvoje Smolic of Graphite Note are among the previous attendees who will return this year to the share their knowledge.
"Founder Weekend was amazing for me in terms of helping me realise my product offering, define my target audience and tailor my messaging and I am delighted to be returning as a speaker at the event next month," Smolic said.
Founder Weekend alumni to have secured significant funding include hiking information app Hiiker, which received €500,000 in investment from Fuel Ventures, Enterprise Ireland and several private investors; consumer rewards app ProMotion Rewards, which raised €725,000 in pre-seed investment; and robotics firm Helgen Technologies, whose Xbat+ project was accepted into the government's €40m Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.
(Pic: Flavia Bianchi)
