Fingal’s 
young entrepreneurs made a strong and confident impression at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final, held on 7th May 2026 in Mullingar. Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices, the prestigious competition brought together the top student businesses from more than 30,000 participants nationwide, forming a key highlight of the programme’s 25th anniversary year.
Three Fingal‑based student enterprises represented the county at national level across the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories, following their success at the Fingal County Final earlier this year. Their presence on the national stage reflects months of dedication, innovation and hard work, and highlights the strength of enterprise education in Fingal.
Representing Fingal in the Junior category, Sam Patton and Andrew Low from Sutton Park School showcased their business Powerblocker. The students impressed judges with their clear concept, strong presentation and confidence, demonstrating impressive entrepreneurial ability at an early stage. Their achievement in progressing from county to national level is a significant milestone and a credit to both their school and county.
In the Intermediate category, Juliane Amelia O’Neill from Loreto Balbriggan represented Fingal with her enterprise Tiny Terrariums, a horticulture‑focused business centred on creativity and sustainability. Juliane was announced as the Sustainability Award Winner in the Intermediate category, an award supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and presented to student enterprises that demonstrate excellence in environmental awareness and sustainable business practices. Her business was recognised for its thoughtful design, strong sustainability ethos and clear commitment to the circular economy, earning well‑deserved recognition on a highly competitive national platform.
Fingal’s Senior category representatives were Daniel Strautniece, Jack Atkinson and Jedd Umeh from Coolmine Community School with their business Micro Forge 3D, an innovative enterprise focused on 3D printing. Their venture demonstrated strong technical skill, commercial understanding and innovation, positioning them as outstanding ambassadors for Fingal at the national finals.
All three teams had previously secured their places at the National Finals by winning their respective categories at the Fingal County Final in March. Their progression reflects not only entrepreneurial talent, but also resilience, teamwork and the confidence gained through the Student Enterprise Programme.
Alan Dillon, T.D., Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, said; “This is one for the great days for Irish entrepreneurship in the country. We get a chance to see almost 90 businesses started by secondary school students from across the country who have all been shortlisted for the finals and that in itself is an amazing achievement from the 30,000 pupils who started last September. These are students who have come up with brilliant ideas and forged them into businesses, making sales and understanding and learning the skills it takes to become an entrepreneur. No matter what path they choose in life those skills will stand by them but we hope that many of the students we see today will go on to become the start-up leaders and entrepreneurs of the future in this country.”
Speaking at the National Final, Oisín Geoghegan, Head of Enterprise at Local Enterprise Office Fingal, said: “Year on year the Student Enterprise Programme continues to showcase the very best of innovation and entrepreneurship amongst our secondary school students. We see every year that the National Finals are not an end point for our student entrepreneurs, but a stepping stone on the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey. From our class of 25/26 we hope to see some of our next great wave of Fingal business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerge”
The Student Enterprise Programme is a flagship initiative of Local Enterprise Office Fingal, supporting secondary school students to develop practical business skills, confidence and an entrepreneurial mindset. The programme in Fingal is delivered by the Student Enterprise Programme Coordinating Team, Mary Dunne, and is led by Sharon Rossignuolo, on behalf of LEO Fingal.
Now marking 25 years, the Student Enterprise Programme continues to inspire young people across Ireland, having engaged more than 500,000 secondary school students since its inception, and equipping the next generation with the skills and ambition to succeed in business and beyond.
