Bootcamp to kick start-ups into top shape

Bootcamp to kick start-ups into top shape

A group of well-known Irish technology entrepreneurs will launch a new venture called Startupbootcamp in Dublin next week. The new programme is designed to help domestic and international start-ups bring their first products to market.

Backers of Dublin's first Startupbootcamp, which will work with 10 start-ups from Ireland, Europe and America, include Iain MacDonald, the founder of Skillpages.com, who previously sold Perlico, a telecoms company; Elaine Coughlan, a partner in Atlantic Bridge and Conor Stanley, a founder of Clearscape and investor in Bloom Equity.

Eoghan Jennings, the former chief financial officer of online business networking company XING, has also invested in the project as well as co-founding Startupbootcamp, which is already up and running in Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

"What we're doing is entirely privately funded," Mr Jennings said, "and it will help develop innovative start-ups, from places like Brazil, Lithuania, Poland, the UK and even California in the United States, here in Dublin."

Mr Jennings said Startupbootcamp's tech supporters were investing €300,000 initially in helping the first 10 start-ups, which will be based in Dublin for three-month programmes of business development, mentoring and networking.