Ms Jean O'Sullivan:

Actually, they are not obliged to start a company to come to Enterprise Ireland either. A lot of companies approach us initially from a feasibility point of view, where they have a clear idea of a business and need some funding to investigate whether it is a viable business model before they attract investment. Our supports at that stage are about trying to get them to bring together an investor-ready business plan and for them to realise whether the product, service or technology in question will actually be valid from an international perspective. It is only at that point that they will set up the company. Even when they are working with the local enterprise offices, typically when they are trying to build up a business, they will set up a company because we all are trying to build businesses of scale and one must set up the company to be able to employ people and get the best benefits.