IBYE Regional Winner for LEO Cork North and West

North Cork entrepreneur reaches National Final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition (IBYE)

The National Final of the €2million IBYE competition will take place on 5th March in Dublin. 

IBYE Regional Winner Cork N&W

Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West is delighted to confirm that Fiona Edwards Murphy from Apis Protect has clinched a place in the national final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition in Dublin this March.

Fiona is competing in the Best Idea category and is one of three young entrepreneurs who will represent the Cork and Waterford Region. The local entrepreneur now has the opportunity, along with 23 other national finalists, to become Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur and share in a €100,000 winners’ investment fund.

The Regional winners across three categories who will go forward to the National Final were selected at the IBYE Regional Final in Dungarvan on 19th January. The two other national finalists who were selected by the judging panel were also from Cork: Mark Moriarty of Awesound from South Cork in the Best Start Up category and Richard Barrett of Pundit Arena also from South Cork in the Best Established category.

Kevin Curran, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West, congratulated the local entrepreneur, saying: “Our search to find and support Ireland’s best young entrepreneurs, which started last September, has turned up some incredible business talent.  Our local entrepreneurs are the business leaders of the future and the entrants in the competition have all shown innovation and drive. After a very successful bootcamp, County Final and now Regional Final, the county will be proudly represented in the ultimate stage of the competition – the IBYE National Final in March.”

Judging takes place in early March and each finalist will have the opportunity to pitch their business plan to the judging panel. They will be assessed on criteria such as the level of innovation in their business, the potential for future job creation and their leadership skills.

Aimed at 18 to 35-year-olds, the IBYE initiative is run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) nationwide, and supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. The investment awards will be used by the young entrepreneurs to help fund business start-ups, create new jobs locally and help develop new products for international markets.

Competition details and results are available from www.ibye.ie and information around the supports available to young entrepreneurs through the Local Enterprise Offices is available from www.localenterprise.ie

For media queries, interviews or photography requests, please contact your Local Enterprise Office.

Notes to Editor:

About IBYE:      www.ibye.ie

  • Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) is an enterprise initiative run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country and funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. A €2 million investment fund is available through IBYE which supports young entrepreneurs through training, mentoring and direct financial investments.
  • During the application phase (closing date of October 14th 2016), the competition was open to those aged between 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business, including: individuals, venture teams, partnerships, existing businesses with a new idea, or people overseas (including Irish emigrants) who will headquarter in Ireland.
  • A record 1,842 young entrepreneurs submitted entries to the current competition, a 32% increase on the previous year.
  • The three categories and county prize funds were as follows:

- Best Business Idea (pre-trading) – up to €10,000 investment fund through every LEO (€7,000 for category winner and €3,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

- Best Start-Up Business (up to 36 months), with up to €20,000 investment fund through every LEO (€15,000 for category winner and €5,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

- Best Established Business (over 36 months) with up to €20,000 investment fund through every LEO (€15,000 for category winner and €5,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

  • At the County Final stage before Christmas, winners and runners-up were awarded investment funds and category winners were then invited represent their area at one of eight Regional Finals in January and February 2017.
  • Three national finalists, one for every category, are currently being selected to represent that Region at the National Final in March 2017.
  • A total of 24 national finalists will compete to become “Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur”, with a €100,000 investment fund to be shared between five prize winners on March 5th.