One year after the disaster that robbed them of their loved ones, the families of the Challenger Space Shuttle crew collectively issued a powerful statement.

"Do not fear risk. All exploration, all growth is calculated. Without challenge people cannot reach their higher selves. Only if we are willing to walk over the edge can we become winners. "

Source: Gareth O’Callaghan, A Day called Hope

The LEAP Programme

LEAP is a milestone driven enterprise development programme designed to support men and women entrepreneurs in their quest to establish sustainable award winning businesses. The 12 month programme provides supports to ten entrepreneurs to challenge and guide them to develop an investor ready business plan while also supporting them to win the sales that will make their business profitable.

Our starting point each year is to recruit individuals – emerging entrepreneurs - with ambition and drive to set up their own business. LEAP is designed to facilitate high calibre candidates (and their teams) who possess enthusiasm, confidence and determination and who wish to commit full-time to their business.

May/June - The LEAP participants take up residence (free of charge) in the Enterprise Acceleration Centre, our facility located on LIT campus designed to support start-up entrepreneurs and research commercialisation.

During the 12 month programme, LEAP provides a range of integrated supports focused on strategic planning and practical business set-up in the form of management training, business coaching, mentoring and consultancy. These supports work together to challenge and guide the participants during the year long programme to develop an investor ready business plan thereby creating a platform for each business to succeed by achieving the sales that will make each business profitable.

The LEAP manager, Graham Royce is an experienced business development specialist who successfully managed his own business for many years. His role is to challenge and guide participants to meet their goals.

The Management Development/ Personal Development training is a core element of LEAP - 20 days of workshops focused on management upskilling which combine to develop management knowledge, capability and business acumen which is then utilised by participants in developing their business plans.

Finance is a critical issue for business start-ups. Enterprise Ireland's CORD programme is a feasbility support for companies on Enterprise Platform Programmes that is linked to previous salary levels. Participants on LEAP can apply to receive funding from Enterprise Ireland of up to a maximum of €30,000.

Networking is a critical issues for start-ups. The Annual Mid West Entrepreneur Showcase (link to 2007 event) provides a fantastic opportunity for EAC client including LEAP participants to showcase their products and services and develop the profile of their businesses. See www.leap.ie for details of Showcase '08 and Showcase '09.

The Next LEAP Programme

The LEAP programme is an integral part of the service portfolio provided by the Enterprise Acceleration Centre. LIT and the EAC will run the LEAP programme again in 2010. Feel free to contact Graham Royce, LEAP Programme Manager for further details and for an initial consultation. Phone 061 490152 and/or email graham.royce@lit.ie

Applicaton form for LEAP 2010/11 can also be downloaded from www.lit.ie/leap. This year the EAC is offering Pre-LEAP Masterclasses - 4 four hour workshops  on key business start up topics - to assist all applicants to successfully apply for the programme.

* LEAP is designed for individual participants but team based business concepts may be accommodated by the Enterprise Acceleration Centre.