The National Enterprise Awards for 2026 take place on Thursday 18th June 2026 at the Mansion House in Dublin. The awards are a celebration of the very best small businesses from across the country and serve to highlight the work that Local Enterprise Offices are doing with up-and-coming enterprises in every local authority area in the country.
The 31 finalists have each been chosen by their Local Enterprise Office to represent them and their area at the awards, which are in their 26th year. The finalists feature a diverse mix of sectors and founders all competing for a share of the €80,000 prize fund and the chance to be named National Enterprise of the Year. There are also regional awards, and categories for Best Start-Up, Best Export Business, the Innovation Award, Digital Award, Green Award and the Female Entrepreneur award.
There will also be an Outstanding Achievement Award presented to an Irish business who started with the support of their Local Enterprise Office and has gone on to achieve international success.
Previous winners of the award include Irish Yoghurts (1998), Digiweb (2004) and more recently Pestle & Mortar (2019), Bevcraft (2021) and Advanced Cosmetics (2023). Last year’s winner was healthtech firm SPRYT, supported by Local Enterprise Office Monaghan. SPRYT’s virtual assistant can liaise directly with patients on scheduling and managing appointments via simple SMS communications.
To read about this year’s Finalists please click on an area below
National Enterprise Awards: Meet the Finalists
Waterford
