Business development agencies on both sides of the Border have come together to encourage people in the north-west to start their own technology firms.
The Cross Border Technology Enterprise Start-Up programme will be run by Enterprise Ireland and its sister agency in the North, LEDU. Workshops and lectures will be held in Enniskillen, Derry, Sligo and Letterkenny.
The focus is on technology based businesses in areas such as software, new media, biotechnology, food manufacture and electronics.
Twelve people will be selected for the programme, which is due to start in April and run for a year. According to Enterprise Ireland, the "substantial financial support provided" offers participants a level of security during the initial research and implementation of their business plan. Incubation office space will also be provided.
The manager of LEDU's western regional office, Mr Joe Doherty, said he hoped the pilot project would act as a platform for future North-South initiatives, as well as helping the economy in the north-west region.
Mr Brian O'Malley of Enterprise Ireland said running the programme with LEDU meant participants could avail of expertise and facilities in Magee College in Derry as well as the Institutes of Technology in Letterkenny and Sligo. He explained that Magee had particular strengths in areas such as software development.
"There will now be a richer mix of skills among the people providing the programme," he said. "We are missing out on so much if we don't do it in partnership with Magee."
Mr O'Malley described the ideal candidate as someone who had graduated in a technical discipline and already had a number of years' experience. "It is basically designed for somebody at middle-management level who has a product or business idea to develop."
He said participants would be brought together whenever possible to help create a network between them. The programme has received assistance from the International Fund for Ireland.
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