“Surrounded by your peers you’ll quickly see what you need to work on, where the gaps in your business are & what needs attention. Embrace it!” Says Blaine Doyle from GlowDX/ KILKENNY

More young entrepreneurs from Kilkenny are wanted for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition.

Fiona Deegan, Head of Enterprise from Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny is calling on more young entrepreneurs with start-up ideas or existing businesses to enter this year’s IBYE competition before the September 29^th deadline.

She said: “If you’re aged between 18 and 35, or know someone who is, we’re looking for more young entrepreneurs to enter this year’s IBYE competition to represent the county. We have a €50,000 investment fund be shared by up to six local winners and lots of places to be won on Business Bootcamps later this year.”

Last year’s winners included Mel Clohosey, from Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny of SocialFeedia in the Best Idea Category and Leanne Nolan, Kilkenny City of Vow2WOW in the Best Start_Up Category. (Pictured below)

Speaking about his IBYE experience, Blaine Doyle from GlowDX said: IBYE can be a critical inflection point for your business; working with the community within the competition it can be used as a foothold for traction or investment. But it won’t happen unless you make it happen, needless to say plan accordingly.”

Applicants who enter IBYE in Kilkenny will be invited to participate in an Entrepreneur day on 11^th October in the IT Carlow and also to a Business Bootcamp on Friday 20^th & Saturday 21^st October in Butler House, Kilkenny to help them further develop their business ideas and management skills.

Now in its fourth year, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is run by the 31 LEOs across the country and is supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D said: “I would encourage all young entrepreneurs, between the ages of 18 and 35, to talk to their LEO about the IBYE programme and the valuable supports available throughout the various stages of the competition.”  

The three competition categories are ‘Best Business Idea’, ‘Best Start-Up Business’ and ‘Best Established Business’. Further details are available at www.ibye.ie and the deadline to enter online is September 29^th 2017.