Social Entrepreneurs Ireland: The Ideas Academy

Overview

This is a three-month programme which will provide you with the support and direction you need to help you to kick-start your idea and take the next steps to start tackling the problem.

Participants on the Ideas Academy are supported to clearly articulate, refine and progress their solution, to build skills and accelerate learning in core areas of importance to social entrepreneurs, and to move from idea to action.

The programme is delivered remotely with three in-person events (as detailed in the applicant guide) for building community and making meaningful connections.

What you receive

Training & Support

Over several core learning days, you will be supported to deepen your understanding of the problem you’ve identified, refine your solution, and develop an action plan to pilot your idea post-programme.

Peer Support & Networking Opportunities

We know that that it can be lonely being a social entrepreneur. On the Ideas Academy you will receive peer support and access to networking opportunities to help build your confidence and network, and gain insight into the social entrepreneur journey.

Funding Available

Each project selected for the Ideas Academy programme will also receive a 500 euro bursary.

At the end of the programme all participants will have the opportunity to apply to pitch for a portion of 25,000 euro seed funding to further pilot their idea.

Important Information & Announcements

• Applications to the Ideas Academy open once per year
• In 2024, they opened 13 February and closed 12 March.

They’re looking to support budding social entrepreneurs…

The Ideas Academy is for passionate, driven individuals, who are interested in solving a social problem. They should be ambitious, visionary, and open to learning and developing themselves and their idea through The Ideas Academy. They are accepting applications from individuals and two-person partnerships.

A societal challenge…

There are a lot of problems and issues to be addressed in Ireland so we’re looking for people who can clearly demonstrate why the issue they want to address is of particular importance and why they’re passionate about it.

An idea….

Applicants should have an idea with the potential to solve a social problem. The idea should be new, better or different to existing initiatives which are currently tackling the problem. The Ideas Academy programme is suitable for people with ideas at either the research or testing stages.

Eligibility Criteria…

• You are aged 18 years or over at the time of applying for the programme.
• You are the person leading on this idea – the main driver and decision maker.
• The primary focus of your idea is on benefiting society in Ireland.
• You have identified a social or environmental issue and have a new or better idea to solve it.
• You are available to commit to full attendance for all of the core learning sessions on the Ideas Academy.

For more information contact them on +353 1 685 3191 or email: info@socialentrepreneurs.ie

To view a list of awardees visit the website here