Talk the talk

FERGAL MCCANN of InterTrade Ireland’s Equity Network, a support programme for businesses looking for private equity funding, talks to David Clerkin.

Tell me about your Seedcorn competition.

We’re trying to find early-stage businesses from all over the island of Ireland that are trying to find private equity - someone else’s money - to help them grow and deliver a return for investors. The competition gives them the opportunity to win money for their business and, more importantly, learn from the experience of trying to prepare a business plan to attract investment. The reality for high-growth businesses is that they find it hard to get bank debt. Private equity is a more suitable form of financing.