The Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) has announced a major new programme aimed at companies that are on course for a stock market listing (initial public offering or IPO) in the next 5 years, which will be launched on 15 January 2015.
The #IPOready programme, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland, will provide IPO candidate companies with a structured support programme to equip them with crucial skills in capital raising, investor relations and business management. The programme is being run in conjunction with DCU and Accelerating Company Growth (ACG) business mentors.
#IPOready will provide extensive support over 15 months to prepare successful applicants for the requirements of listing on the ISE and attracting investment from domestic and international shareholders. It will include lectures from corporate finance experts, investment practitioners and academics from DCU; coaching from mentors; and advice from senior ISE figures, entrepreneurs and leaders from Irish quoted companies.
Aileen O'Donoghue, Director of Strategy at the ISE, said:
“Listing on public markets brings enormous benefits for successful companies. Companies that have listed on the ISE raised €23.5bn between 2004 and 2013. Eight new companies have listed successfully in the past two years. This programme is designed to support more Irish companies to become IPO ready.
We want to make it easier for companies with potential to scale to follow in the footsteps of Ireland’s biggest corporate success stories such as Kerry Group, Ryanair and Paddy Power.
We’re looking for ambitious companies to come to the market and this programme will give them the skills they need to take their business to the next level as a successful quoted company. Our aim is to build a strong pipeline of high-quality companies with the business and the skills to prosper on the public markets.”