15 recommendations for small business support

From Ireland On-line:

"Fifteen recommendations were included in the report in order to create a better environment, stimulate growth and inspire entrepreneurship in the small business sector. They include raising the standard of management capability through the establishment of a Management Development Council, providing knowledge acquisitions grants, making innovation vouchers available to small business and developing a national entrepreneurship policy."

Knowledge acquisitions grants? Now that's a new one on me. What exactly are they?

Comments

[Damien Mulley]

Details here: http://www.forfas.ie/sbf/webopt/sbf060516_full_report_webopt.pdf

[James Corbett]

Ah, thanks Damien! So, Knowledge Acquisition Grants are "to enable small businesses in the manufacturing enterprises, on a cofunded basis."

[James Corbett]

Oops, something got lost there. Should have been -

"to enable businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors to gain access to research based knowledge, expertise and facilities in higher education institutes, research bodies and large private enterprises on a cofunded basis".

[keith bohanna]

Yea - that looks right James - this is the development/buying in of externally developed IP (intellectual property) - for example taking a concept developed by a third level and commercialising it (making money out of it!)

keith