South Dublin’s Best Young Entrepreneurs Win €30,000 Investment
Two of the county’s best young entrepreneurs have won a total investment of €30,000 through the Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, as part of the €2 million Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition (#IBYE).
Aimed at young and aspiring entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 30, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices.
At a ceremony in South Dublin Local Enterprise Office on October 7th, awards were made for South Dublin’s best start-up and best new idea as well as an overall award for the best young entrepreneur in the county.
The local winners and investments won were as follows:
Best New Idea (winning a €20,000 investment):
Christopher Conlan, Pewter Games Studios, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Best Start-Up (winning a €20,000 investment):
Eugene Murphy, Muscrai Suction Excavation Irl Ltd, Perrystown, Dublin 12
Christopher Conlan from Pewter Games Studios in Clondalkin was also named as South Dublin’s “Best Young Entrepreneur”
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Christopher Conlon, winner of Best New Idea Award & South Dublin's Best Young Enterpreneur,
Mayor Sarah Holland and Eugene Murphy winner of Best Start Up |
All local winners will now represent South Dublin at the regional finals in The Conrad Hotel on November 4th. A total of 24 finalists will then compete at the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur National Finals 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. 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 also 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 getting involved in this competition, and I am delighted to congratulate the local winners. I wish all three winners 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”.
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| Colm Ward (Head of LEO South Dublin), Elaine Ralph (Judge), Christopher Conlon (Best New Idea Award & South Dublin's Best Young Entrepreneur, Mayor Sarah Holland, Lorraine Bowen (Judge), Will Townsend (Judge) |
Mayor Sarah Holland congratulated all the finalists on reaching the final, and complemented them on their very strong business ideas and significant entrepreneurial ability. She said that “in the Local Enterprise Office, South Dublin, we aim to develop and foster a culture of entrepreneurship within our county.” The Mayor also wished our winners well in the Dublin Regional Final on 4th November.
Speaking at the ceremony, Colm Ward, Head of Enterprise from the Local Enterprise Office South Dublin paid tribute to all the young entrepreneurs in the region, saying: “As the first stop shop for entrepreneurs and small businesses, it is heartening to see a growing and vibrant community of young entrepreneurs locally. Through Business Bootcamps, mentoring and general business advice, the Local Enterprise Office plays a vital role in supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, on a year-round basis. We will also be working closely with this year’s IBYE winners, to help maximise the return on the €30,000 investment that they have been awarded.”
This year’s judging panel were also thanked during the ceremony for their role in the competition and members included Elaine Ralph, Founder of SuperDisty, Will Townsend of Cooney/Carey Chartered Accountants and Lorraine Bowen of QED Training.
Special guests at the #IBYE County Awards included Mayor Sarah Holland, Cllr. Charlie O’Connor,Chief Executive Danny McLoughlin, and Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development Frank Nevin.
Back in 2014, South Dublin was represented in last year’s #IBYE competition by Gareth Sheridan of Nutriband, Rathfarnham, Norma O’Mahony of Effy, Lucan and Eamon Keane of Expresso, Perrystown who won the overall National Competition and was named Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur 2014.
Details around Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition are available through www.ibye.ie and information on supports for all small businesses can be accessed through www.localenterprise.ie.
Interview opportunities are available with 2015 #IBYE winners and finalists, along with representatives of the Local Enterprise Office. For all queries around Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition, please contact your Local Enterprise Office.
Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur 2015 (#IBYE)
Website: www.ibye.ie
Social Media: #IBYE
Now in its second year, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is a competition that is open to everyone with an innovative business idea
- individuals
- venture teams
- partnerships
- existing businesses with a new idea
- people overseas (including Irish emigrants) who will headquarter in Ireland
Each Local Enterprise Office (LEO) ran a competition from May to August 2015, aimed at finding winners in each of the three categories as well as an overall winner in each county. Each LEO will have a total fund of €50,000 to invest in the three winning businesses according to criteria including businesses’ investment needs.
The competition will then proceed to eight regional finals with winners identified in each category. In total, 24 finalists will be selected during the regional finals, during the judging stage. All 24 finalists will win a place at the IBYE national finals, to be held in December.