A Spanish mobile booking company with two Irishmen at the helm has been accepted into one of the most prestigious accelerator programmes in the US, just months after landing a major new investment.

A heroin addict jumped the counter of a service station in Cork City to rob almost €500 in cash and a bundle of lottery tickets but it was a luckless experience which resulted in a three-year jail sentence yesterday.

VENTURE capitalists have plenty of cash to invest in worthy startup and developing enterprises, the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA) declared yesterday.

INVESTMENTS by the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA) fell by84 million last year — a 60% drop — with the bulk of investments going into technology companies despite the downturn in the sector.