Offaly Winners Fly the Flag at Regional ‘Best Young Entrepreneur’ Finals

Offaly Winners Fly the Flag at Regional ‘Best Young Entrepreneur’ Finals

Three young Offaly entrepreneurs are flying the flag for the county at the regional finals of the inaugural ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, which is offering an investment prize-fund of €2 million.

All under the age of 30, the local business owners and new start-ups are going head-to-head with other winners from Laois, Kildare and Westmeath on Friday, 7th November, 2014 for a chance to win a place at the national final in Dublin this December, in a competition co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Office Offaly.

Launched by the Government earlier this year, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country.

The Offaly winners, who have been selected to represent the county at the regional finals, are:

 EmmaRose Conroy Emma Rose Conroy from Eurostallions (Offaly’s Best Young Entrepreneur and Best Start Up Category)

Trading since March 2014, Euro Stallions is Ireland’s first & only fully dedicated stallion semen agency & Ireland’s first EU Approved Semen Storage Centre.  Specialises in providing sport horse breeders ease of access to the world's top sport horse stallions.

MarkClendennen Mark Clendennen from Applied Concepts Ltds (Best Established Category Winner)

Founded in 2010, Applied Concepts Ltd specialises in the design and manufacturing of abrasive blasters, and in the supply of abrasive blast media, blast pot consumables, abrasive blasting safety gear, various blast equipment parts and accessories

JackDooley Jack Dooley from Greener Globe (Best New Idea Category Winner)
Greener Globe is owned by four 5th year students from Tullamore College. They have created two water conservation devices: a water saving showerhead, and a leak Detection System.

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 new competition to find the best young entrepreneur in the region also ultimately Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.”

The Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office Offaly, Orla Martin said: “Our winners are proudly ‘flying the flag’ for the county, competing against other young entrepreneurs in the region for a place at the prestigious national final. But the benefits of entering the competition don’t end there. Throughout Ireland, over 400 finalists have already benefitted from intensive business bootcamps and mentoring programmes at local level, so the impact of the IBYE programme will be seen for many years to come.”

The regional final on November 7th is taking place in the County Buildings, Mullingar and the Mayors and Cathaoirligh of all participating local authorities are being invited to attend, along with representatives of the business community.

For all the latest news and results for the ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, visit www.ibye.ie, www.localenterprise.ie or search #ibye on social media.