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New Frontiers Programme

2025 New Frontier Programme Participants

New Frontiers Programme at NovaUCD with Media Cube IADT

New Frontiers is a national entrepreneur development programme supported by Enterprise Ireland. The IADT Media Cube and NovaUCD delivered New Frontiers programme is aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in the South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and North Wicklow areas.

The programme is designed to provide a comprehensive set of business development mentoring supports as well as funding support to participants. It is the ultimate support to help you to develop your business idea into a successful start-up enterprise with the potential to scale internationally.

Upcoming programmes

Applications  for the New Frontiers Phase 2 Programmes programme being delivered by IADT Media Cube and NovaUCD are now open and close on the  20th January 2026.  This programme will run for 6 months from April – September 2026.

Phase 2 is a full-time six-month intensive commitment and places are offered following a competitive selection process. You will discover how to develop and validate your business proposition as you work on your capacities as a founder. You can expect workshops, mentoring, lunch-and-learns, and regular milestone reviews. It gives you access to insights from those who have gone before and will help you avoid some of the common pitfalls of startup life.

Phase 2 is a full-time six-month intensive commitment and places are offered following a competitive selection process. You will discover how to develop and validate your business proposition as you work on your capacities as a founder. You can expect workshops, mentoring, lunch-and-learns, and regular milestone reviews. It gives you access to insights from those who have gone before and will help you avoid some of the common pitfalls of startup life.

In Phase 2 you will:

  • receive support package worth over €30,000, including a €15,000 tax-free allowance (subject to eligibility and satisfactory performance)
  • have regular milestone review meetings to monitor your progress and personalised one-to-one mentoring with seasoned business mentors
  • attend Expert-led workshops in all areas of building a business
  • receive expert advice and guidance from an experienced programme team, investors, and alumni.
  • have access to seed and early-stage capital investment networks
  • have access to free co-working space at NovaUCD or IADT
  • have access to Enterprise Ireland resources, for example their Market Research Centre.

Note:You don’t need to complete Phase 1 in order to apply for Phase 2. However, lots of founders find it beneficial to start with Phase 1.

If you'd like to speak with a programme manager, contact (opens in a new window)NewFrontiers@IADT.ie to arrange a call.

The new frontiers programme is divided into three discrete phases

Phase 1 aims to establish if your idea can be turned into a feasible business proposition.

It is a part-time evening (Tuesday & Thursday) ORweekend programme (Friday evening/ Saturday & Sunday). This provides information and general start-up training which helps you to validate the market viability of your business idea.

We are running two Phase 1 Programmes in 2025.

Phase 1 Programme A: Evening Midweek
Tuesday & Thursday evenings, 6-9pm from 14th October to 20th November 2025

Phase 1 Programme B: Weekend Bootcamp
Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday, from 28th November to 7th December 2025.

The call for applications for both 2025 programmes is now open.

Phase 2 is a six-month intensive programme which requires a full-time commitment.

  • Training in all areas of business including financial management, market research & validation, business modelling, patenting, product development, marketing and sales.
  • Mentoring from experienced business advisers and practitioners.
  • Office space in the Media Cube or NovaUCD.
  • €15,000 seed funding stipend to cover full-time participation in the six-month course.
  • Networking with other entrepreneurs and business development agencies.
  • Introductions to seed and early stage capital investment networks 
  • Peer-group learning from participants in the region and across the country.
  • Access to the expertise in Enterprise Ireland through their Market Information Centre.
  • Expertise from Academic staff of IADT and UCD and support from our dedicated New Frontiers team.

Our 2026 Phase 2 Programme is running from April to September 2026.

Phase 3  gives participants the opportunity to grow their business, their customer base and to generate more sales. Businesses emerging from Phase 2 can apply to participate in Phase 3 of the Programme.

During this phase, participants will focus on implementing their Business Plan by bringing their product/service to market and preparing to acquire further funding.

How to apply

Applications to the 2026  Phase 2 Programme are now open and close on the 20th January 2026. Complete you application (opens in a new window)here .

(opens in a new window)Click here for further information on the New Frontier Programmes (Phase 1, 2 and 3) delivered by IADT Media Cube in partnership with NovaUCD. 

If you have any queries please contact  (opens in a new window)newfrontiers@iadt.ie.

NovaUCD

Belfield Innovation Park, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 3700 | E: innovation@ucd.ie