Free money for entrepeneurs, must have vagina to be eligible

[Cheshire Cat]

Have any of the IT contractors on here ever claimed/applied for a grant of any kind for their business? Are business "initiatives" feasible for one-man-band IT companies, or are they only really aimed at companies that intend to produce tangible goods, like a new brand of smoothie or that crap you see advertised in bettaware catalogues?

[PAH]

or are they only really aimed at companies that intend to produce tangible goods

If you can patent software then it must be tangible.

[Jog On]

Have any of the IT contractors on here ever claimed/applied for a grant of any kind for their business? Are business "initiatives" feasible for one-man-band IT companies, or are they only really aimed at companies that intend to produce tangible goods, like a new brand of smoothie or that crap you see advertised in bettaware catalogues?

I'm building a 'real business' and reinvesting my contracting income into it. Not developing any 'hard goods' though.

At this stage outside investment doesn't make sense but I haven't ruled the idea out for the near future.

If you can patent software then it must be tangible.

I tried to get my program patented and got told 'no software isn't patentable' I tried to get a more clear answer from them but they didn't want to know.

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm building a 'real business' and reinvesting my contracting income into it. Not developing any 'hard goods' though.

At this stage outside investment doesn't make sense but I haven't ruled the idea out for the near future.



I tried to get my program patented and got told 'no software isn't patentable' I tried to get a more clear answer from them but they didn't want to know.

I was thinking more along the lines of free handouts, rather than selling shares in company to investors. I've heard rumours abroad that some businesses get start up grants and the like. Does that sort of thing apply only to sandwich-shops and unit-shifters?

[thunderlizard]

I tried to get my program patented and got told 'no software isn't patentable' I tried to get a more clear answer from them but they didn't want to know.

I don't blame them. It has been the subject of lukewarm (EU) debate for some decades. Basically it was in a state of "might be about to happen" until 2005. Since then it's been in a state of "might not happen for a few years yet".