Press Release                                                                                                     8th February 2016

Local businesses to be celebrated at National Enterprise Awards

Local Enterprise Office Clare opens up applications for 2016 National Enterprise Awards

Small businesses and start-ups in Clare are being encouraged by the Local Enterprise Office to enter this year’s National Enterprise Awards, for a chance to represent the county and share a €20,000 national prize fund.

The deadline to enter the National Enterprise Awards Clare is 28^th of February and last year’s local winner was Anne Behan from Aine Knitwear in Clonlara. At the National Awards Aine Knitwear won the Best Design category.

This year’s local winner will represent the county at the 2016 National Enterprise Awards in May, with twelve awards on offer and a top prize of €5,000.

Co-ordinated by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network, the National Enterprise Awards were set-up to celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s micro-enterprise sector. Previous winners have included Irish Yogurts from West Cork, Hot Irishman Irish Coffee (Walsh Whiskey Distillery) from Carlow, Innovate IT and Telecoms from Wexford, Grouse Lodge Recording Studios from Westmeath, DesignPro from Limerick and Simtech Aviation from Fingal.

According to Padraic McElwee Head of Enterprise of the Local Enterprise Office Clare, the National Enterprise Awards highlight the success stories behind Ireland’s small businesses. Encouraging local businesses to enter this year’s competition, he said: “The Local Enterprise Office is the first stop shop for small businesses and start-ups here in the county and we want to celebrate their impressive achievements, giving them national recognition for their successes. Winning awards can open doors for businesses and we’re inviting local businesses and start-ups to take the next step by entering the National Enterprise Awards.”

Last year’s national winners included: MyBio (Overall Winners, supported by Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny), Áine Knitwear (Design Award, supported by Local Enterprise Office Clare), Vision Built Manufacturing (Export Award, supported by the Local Enterprise Office Galway), the Property Button, (Start-Up Award, supported by Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown) and Gannon Eco (Innovation Award, supported by Local Enterprise Office Westmeath).

Three other national finalists from 2015 were: Glendalough Distillery (supported by Local Enterprise Office Wicklow), Elemex (supported by Local Enterprise Office Louth) and Kinnegar Brewing (supported by Local Enterprise Office Donegal).

Further details about the supports available to local start-ups and small businesses are available through www.localenterprise.ie. Updates around the National Enterprise Awards are available by searching #NEAwards16 on social media.