Do you have what it takes to be Ireland’s best young entrepreneur of 2018?

The launch to find Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneurs of 2018

Ellie Donnelly

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D. and Minister of State for Business, Pat Breen T.D. have launched the search to find Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneurs of 2018 (IBYE).

The competition, which is run by local Enterprise Ireland offices, is open to people between the ages of 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business.

Competitions are run across three categories; best business idea, best start-up business, and best established business.

As part of the competition up to 450 young entrepreneurs will be invited by the LEOs to attend free regional 'Entrepreneur Bootcamps' later in the year to help them develop their business and new venture ideas.

Previous winners of the competition include Samuel Dennigan of frozen food company Strong Roots, Rhona Togher of Restored Hearing, and Ciara Clancy of Beats Medical.

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With an IBYE investment fund of €50,000 each, every LEO will award up to six investments to three category winners and three runners-up at county level.

The local winners in the best start-up and best established business categories at county level will receive investments of up to €15,000 each and the two runners-up will each receive up to €5,000.

Meanwhile the best business idea winner at county level will receive an investment of up to €7,000 and the runner-up will receive up to €3,000 of investment.

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Speaking at the launch, the Tánaiste, Frances Fitzgerald said that the Government wants to support more young entrepreneurs right across the country through the LEOs.

"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 Tánaiste said.

Winners of the competitions at county level will progress to regional finals early next year, and the national IBYE finals will be held in March 2018.

Now in its fourth year, IBYE has an investment fund of up to €2m. Closing date to enter this year’s competition is Friday, 29th September, 2017.