Roscommon’s Best Young Entrepreneur - Winners

PRESS RELEASE

10.10.2014

From ROSCOMMON LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE

Tel. 090 – 6626263

Further info LOUISE WARD, HEAD OF LEO ROSCOMMON

Mark Bannon of Vizor Technology named as Roscommon’s Best Young Entrepreneur and wins investment of €10,000.

Mark Bannon has been named as Roscommon’s best young entrepreneur and has won an investment of €10,000 in his business, Vizor Technology, as part of the €2million Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition.

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the Local Enterprise Offices.

At a function at the Abbey Hotel on October 9th, awards were made for Roscommon’s best start-up, best new idea and best add-on to an existing business, as well as an overall award for the best young entrepreneur in the county, and the winners and investments won were as follows:

Best Existing-Mark Molloy, Honest Bakery, won €20,000
Best Start-up-Niamh Cunningham, Irrelevant Fish, won €20,000
Best Idea -Mark Bannon, Vizor Technology, won €10,000

These 3 innovative Roscommon businesses will now go through to regional finals in Tuam on October 29th, where they will compete for the right to go through to the national finals and ultimately compete for the award of being named Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur at a ceremony in Dublin in December.

Marking the occasion, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD said:

“Central to our plans for jobs and growth is supporting more businesses to start-up. Two thirds of all new jobs are created by start-ups, so if we are to create the jobs we need we must support more entrepreneurs to start new businesses. That is why we put in place the entrepreneurship forum chaired by Sean O’Sullivan and that is why we established the Local Enterprise Offices to provide more and better Government supports to businesses in one easily-accessible place at local level.

“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 Roscommon and, ultimately, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur. We have excellent start-ups and entrepreneurs in Ireland – we just don’t have enough of them. It is great to see so many excellent entrepreneurs and business-people in Roscommon getting involved in this competition, and I am delighted to congratulate the winners at Vizor Technology, Irrelevant Fish and Honest Bakery. I wish all three every success in the later stages of the competition – and wish all participants every success as they grow their businesses and contribute to the job-creation we need”.

Speaking at the awards, Head of Roscommon Local Enterprise Office, Louise Ward, said:

“We have been delighted with the quality of entrants from young Roscommon entrepreneurs and congratulate our three excellent category winners. We are sure they will do Roscommon proud in the next stage of the IBYE competition, the regional final in Tuam at the end of the month. Indeed, we look forward to working with all our finalists as they grow their businesses over the coming months.”

Mark Bannon Vizor Tech with LW and AB

Mark Bannon, Vizor Tech with Louise Ward and Anne Browne

Winners 09.10.14

Back row, l to r :
Pat Murtagh, Roscommon County Council, Cllr John Cummins Cathaoirleach, Roscommon County Council, Louise Ward, Head of LEO Roscommon, Barry Egan, Director – West Region, Enterprise Ireland.

Seated, l to r :
Anne Browne, LEO Roscommon, Niamh Cunningham, Irrelevant Fish (category winner), Mark Bannon, Vizor Technology (overall winner), Mark Molloy, Honest Bakery (category winner).

Full group 09.10.14