A young Carlow entrepreneur has won a place at the national final of the prestigious ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, for a chance to share a €100,000 investment fund. 

Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson from EquiRatings, based in Ballyloo, Carlow is representing the region in the Best Start-Up category at the national final in Dublin this December and has already won €20,000 in investment from the Local Enterprise Office Carlow.

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

At the IBYE Regional Final, three local business owners and new start-ups from Carlow, all under the age of 30, went head-to-head with other county winners from Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow. 

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 a reception in Kilkenny Castle with special guest Minister Ann Phelan T.D. Other guests at the Regional Final included Bernie O Brien, Director of Services, Carlow County Council and Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Carlow. 

Congratulating the finalists, 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 competition to find the best young entrepreneur in each region, and ultimately Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur. I am delighted to congratulate all involved.” 

The local winner now faces tough competition from 23 other finalists, emerging from eight regional finals. The €100,000 investment fund in December is divided up across four prizes:

• Best New Idea (€20,000 investment)
• Best Start Up (€30,000 investment)
• Best Established Business (€30,000 investment)
• Overall Winner of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ (an additional €20,000 investment)

More than 400 business owners and start-ups from around the country have already benefitted from intensive business bootcamps and mentoring programmes through the network of Local Enterprise Offices, as part of the competition.

The Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office Kieran Comerford said: “We are proud and honoured to have a representative at the national final in December, as over 1,000 young entrepreneurs entered from every county in Ireland, with tough competition across each category. Our finalist now has a chance of being crowned ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ and to win additional investment of up to €50,000 for their business. We’d also like to congratulate all our other nominees and entrants, who ‘flew the flag’ for us at the county and regional finals and the Local Enterprise Office looks forward to supporting their businesses into the future.”

Director of Services Carlow County Council, Bernie O Brien further added “This is an excellent competition, as it gives the young people of Carlow the opportunity to pitch a business idea, with the hope of receiving support going forward. We would like congratulate all entries and wish them success in the future”

The three young entrepreneurs representing the county at the Regional Final were:

• Cory Stephen, CollegeCraic.com, Winner of Carlow’s Best Business Idea,
• Diarmuid Byrne & Sam Watson, EquiRatings, Winner of Carlow’s Best Start-Up
• Rachel Doyle, RaRa Photography, Winner of Carlow’s Best Established Business

News, results and updates for ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, is available through www.ibye.ie, www.localenterprise.ie and by searching #IBYE on social media.