Three local business owners and new start-ups from County Carlow, all under the age of 30, have gone head-to-head with other winners from Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow at the Regional Final of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ Competition.

Although none of the County Carlow finalists made it through to December’s national final, they will share a €50,000 investment fund through their Local Enterprise Office, from the county final stage of the competition.

The nominees were all interviewed by a three member judging panel and had to deliver a business pitch, live. Assessed on criteria such as business innovation, job creation potential and financial planning, the announcement of the national finalists was made at an evening reception last night at the Arboretum in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow.

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D. said: “Central to our plans for jobs and growth is supporting more businesses to start-up. Part of this plan is also fostering a stronger culture of entrepreneurship and promoting start-up business as a career option for young people. That is what is behind this new competition to find the best young entrepreneur in the region also ultimately Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.”

Importantly, over 400 business owners and start-ups from around the country have benefitted from intensive business bootcamps and mentoring programmes at local level, as part of the competition. The Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office Kieran Comerford, said: “We are very proud and honoured to have had such strong contenders in this year’s ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, especially when you consider that over 1,000 small business owners entered this year. I’d like to congratulate all our nominees and entrants, who ‘flew the flag’ for us at county and regional finals and we look forward to supporting their businesses into the future.”

The local representatives at yesterday’s regional finals were:

• Best Idea - Ana Kehoe, Hats Off 2U
• Best Start Up - Roisin Hynes, Bank IT
• Best Established - Lucas Kurowski, Gaelic Escargot

Seven other regional finals, due to take place between October and November, will involve finalists from the following counties:

Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dublin South

Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath

Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan

Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Longford

Galway, Mayo and Roscommon

Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary

Cork City, South Cork, Cork North and West and Waterford

For all the latest news and updates about the ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, visit www.ibye.ie, www.localenterprise.ie or search #ibye on social media.

ENDS

For all local media queries, please contact the Local Enterprise Office. www.localenterpriseoffice.ie

Photography Note: Joe Keogh Photography was commissioned to attend this regional final and high res imagery will be available, reproduction-free, from your Local Enterprise Office.

Notes to Editor:

WHAT IS THE IBYE COMPETITION?Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is run by the new Local Enterprise Offices, and the winners at county level are eligible for an investment in their business of up to €20,000, while the winners at national level can receive an additional investment of up to €50,000. Investments in winning businesses will be determined according to business prospects and investment needs.

Mentoring, marketing and other supports will also be available to participating businesses at various stages of the competition. The competition is open to individuals aged 30 and under and will be judged under three distinct categories:

• Best new idea (best idea for a new business)
• Best start-up business (in business for 18 months or less)
• Best established business with new add-on (in business for longer than 18 months and is adding a new dimension to their business).

The first stage was a county-based competition (run by the 31 LEOs) which led to the naming of the Best Young Entrepreneur in each county. This stage also included bootcamps and mentoring programmes. This is being followed by eight regional finals and one national final, with one business-person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (in December 2014).