The AIB Start-up Academy is a joint venture between The Irish Times and AIB to find the top start-up talent in the country and to help people start or strengthen their businesses by providing information, networking opportunities and the chance to win a place on an intensive eight-week training course.

That course will begin in January 2016, and there will be a grand prize valued at more than €250,000, which includes a €20,000 cash investment for the overall winner and an advertising and mentorship package for each runner-up.

Between now and November, AIB and The Irish Times will run a series of "Start-up Nights" throughout the country to connect entrepreneurs with like-minded people and the wider start-up community.

While Dublin has a thriving tech start-up scene, these events extend beyond the tech sector and beyond Dublin. The next AIB Start-up Night will take place in Galway on June 17th.

Entrepreneurs can apply for a spot on the intensive eight-week AIB Start-up Academy course that begins in early 2016. Applicants will go through a rigorous selection process.

Last year almost 300 start-ups applied for the programme. Twenty companies were chosen to pitch in front of a panel of judges, who selected 10 finalists to participate in the academy. An 11th start-up was chosen by popular vote.

The course, run by Irish Times Training, a subsidiary of The Irish Times, is designed to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses faster and more sustainably. The training programme covers a range of topics, from business modelling to social media strategy.

Over eight weeks, the academy finalists are guided through a curriculum focused on developing the skills essential to start-ups, including finance, accounting, marketing, sales, product development and more.