Tackling the Country’s Social Problems
12th August 2024
A building surveyor turned changemaker, a mother improving services for children with additional needs, and an engineer developing eco-friendly nappy disposal solutions are just some of the everyday heroes celebrated by the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Ideas Academy. This three-month bootcamp is dedicated to nurturing innovative solutions to social problems.
Part of a €500,000 investment into early-stage entrepreneurship, this year’s programme had over 90 applications from everyday people across Ireland with an idea to solve a social problem close to them. There are just 30 places on the three-month programme, which has advanced the growth of social enterprises such as GORM (media training for diverse communities), The Together Academy (award-winning training cafe for adults with down syndrome) and Little Fitness (providing fitness and exercise access for children in emergency housing).
Over the past three months, participants have received training, consultancy and peer mentoring to refine and progress their solution and build core social entrepreneurial skills. The graduates will now have the opportunity to apply to pitch for a portion of a €25,000 seed fund to pilot their idea.
Bank of America is the corporate partner for the Ideas Academy. This year marks the seventh anniversary of their partnership with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. The programme consistently draws up to hundred applications annually, clearly demonstrating the need for support for social entrepreneurs at this early stage.
A graduation event was held at Richmond Barracks in Dublin to celebrate the achievements and learnings of this year’s cohort and highlight their potential to drive impactful social change in Ireland.
Commenting, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Tim Griffiths says: “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland continues to work towards making this country a better place.
These 30 projects represent the heart and soul of Ireland’s commitment to social innovation.
The Ideas Academy equips them with the skills they need and fosters a community of changemakers ready to make a difference. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on our society.”
Simon Cahill, Managing Director, of Bank of America, corporate partner of the Ideas Academy, said: “At Bank of America, we are committed to promoting economic and social mobility within our local communities, as part of our focus on Responsible Growth. We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland and the Ideas Academy’s track record of empowering early-stage entrepreneurs to address key societal challenges. We congratulate the latest cohort of graduates and look forward to seeing the change they inspire.”
For more information on Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Ideas Academy, visit www.socialentrepreneurs.ie
Pictured – Meet Ireland’s Newest Changemakers Stepping up to Tackle the Country’s Social Problems. (Image – Mark Stedman).
