Cork County Council has introduced a brand new initiative to help communities to develop supportive enterprise centres in local towns and villages in Cork.  The fund, just launched, will offer local communities the opportunity to seek funding at a maximum of €35,000 to set up a facility to provide Hot Desks for small start-up and growing business enterprises.  The grant will be offered to communities who have accommodation for such a venture and who need funding for the fit-out and IT aspects of the development.  The Council will also provide the necessary help and expertise to bring these projects to fruition in the early stages.

Speaking of the new initiative, Head of Finance and Economic Development, Ger Power, Cork County Council says ‘This initiative is one part of a €1.25M investment approved by the Council, which will include a range of business development supports that will lead to increased job creation in the County.  We look forward to receiving applications from local communities who wish to develop an E Centre facility for businesses in their locality’.

This initiative builds on the successful model developed by the Council and the enterprise agencies in the town of Macroom called the Macroom E Enterprise Centre (www.macroom-e.com).  Hot Desks are provided with access to broadband, direct-dial telephone numbers and shared facilities on a 24/7 basis.  Hot Desks give businesses a low-cost and low-risk way of starting and running a business.

Manager of the Macroom E Enterprise Centre, Maeve Bowen says ‘A large part of the benefit of a Hot Desk facility is that businesses get to meet fellow entrepreneurs and to share contacts and offer support to one another.  This helps them to find solutions to problems and to motivate them to keep going with their project.  It is often very difficult for individuals to start a business at the kitchen table due to the isolation involved.  Also, these facilities are suitable for those who have needed to downsize during the recession and for the increasing number of people who wish to work remotely from their head office.’

Hot Desking facilities which will be called COCOON are intended to provide a supportive environment for businesses to grow and support programmes will be offered to businesses as the E Centres initiative develops.