Patrick Walsh of Dogpatch labs presents membership cards to Jobs Minister Richard Bruton and Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton launched the nationwide search to find Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE), with a total investment fund of €2million available for young people throughout every county in Ireland.

Aimed at those aged between 18 and 30, the competition is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices.

Launching the fund Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton encouraged all young people with a startup or a business idea to apply through their Local Enterprise Office before 31st July. The competition is free to enter, and further information is available from LEOs nationwide as well as at www.ibye.ie

The first stage is a county-based competition leading to the naming of the Best Young Entrepreneur in each county. This will be followed by eight regional finals, with one young business-person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur later in the year at the national finals in Google’s European HQ in Dublin before the end of the year.

Up to €50,000 will be awarded to 3 winners in each county. The winners at national level can then receive up to an additional €50,000 and over 400 young entrepreneurs will also win places at regional Business Bootcamps with mentoring supports, to further develop their business skills.

During last year’s highly successful inaugural competition, over 1,000 applications were received, 400 young entrepreneurs took part in Business Bootcamps and 93 young entrepreneurs throughout every county in Ireland won cash investments for their businesses. At the first-ever National Final last December at Google, Eamon Keane of Xpreso Software in South Dublin clinched the overall title of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ for his parcel delivery software company, ahead of runners-up from the tourism and food sectors.

The aim of the initiative is to support a culture of entrepreneurship among young people in Ireland, to promote entrepreneurship as a career choice, and to encourage Ireland’s young people to set up new businesses which will ultimately create jobs.

Part of the effort to attract applications from young people both in Ireland and abroad will be a comprehensive social media and marketing campaign.

The deadline to apply for this year’s Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition is Friday, July 31st and the full details are available through www.ibye.ie or by searching #IBYE on social media and YouTube.

Video from the launch of #IBYE Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur: