Local entrepreneur Dr. Paddy Finn from Electricity Exchange Ltd. in Castletroy, Limerick, will this weekend be bidding to become ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ (IBYE).
Dr. Finn is being supported by the Local Enterprise Office Limerick and is representing the Mid-West Region in the Best Start-Up category at the first ever IBYE National Final this Sunday, December 7th at Google in Dublin.
After a series of 31 local finals and eight regional finals, the 24 finalists, all aged between 18 and 30, are now preparing to deliver their live pitches to the judging panel on Sunday. Minister Richard Bruton T.D. will be naming Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur on stage, presenting up to €70,000 in investment funds to the three winners.
The youth entrepreneurship competition was launched earlier this year and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and run through the Local Enterprise Offices.
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Lecturer and Broadcaster, has been unveiled as the host of Sunday's high profile awards event.
The host says she is impressed by the calibre of the IBYE finalists, adding: "These aren't just the entrepreneurs of the future; many of this year's finalists are already running successful companies and employing big teams. Hopefully, initiatives such as the IBYE competition will help to encourage even more young people to set up a business in the years to come."
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s final, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton T.D. said: “Anyone who takes even a passing glance at the 24 young entrepreneurs featured in the national final can only be inspired by their energy, commitment – and above all, their outstanding businesses. These are young people who, instead of looking to find a job, and instead decided to create a job – and in many cases, to create many more jobs over the coming years.
“All of us owe a huge debt of gratitude to our entrepreneurs, whose start-up businesses create two thirds of all new jobs across Ireland. We in Government are determined to support and celebrate our amazing young entrepreneurs, and I am delighted that someone as high-profile as Aoibhinn is helping us to do that at the National Final in Google next Sunday," added the Minister.
Eamon Ryan of the Local Enterprise Office Limerick said: “As we’re only days away from the first-ever national final, we’d like to wish Dr. Finn the very best of luck on behalf of the business community here in the Region. Through the eight months of this competition, the Local Enterprise Office has been able to help and support many young entrepreneurs; we hope to be able to support them again in the very near future, as they grow and expand their businesses here locally.”
This year’s judging panel includes two entrepreneurs: Brian Crowley of the Ennis-based TTM Group and Sarah Doyle of Kinesense. They will be sitting on the panel alongside Colin Goulding of Google, Mary Fitzpatrick of the Local Enterprise Offices and Tom Hayes of Enterprise Ireland.
Ní Shúilleabháin added: "Although they're all under 30, this year's finalists have already become great role models for entrepreneurship, helping to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs."
Further updates about ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ and YouTube videos for each of the national finalists are available through www.ibye.ie or by searching #ibye on social media.
Dr. Finn is being supported by the Local Enterprise Office Limerick and is representing the Mid-West Region in the Best Start-Up category at the first ever IBYE National Final this Sunday, December 7th at Google in Dublin.
After a series of 31 local finals and eight regional finals, the 24 finalists, all aged between 18 and 30, are now preparing to deliver their live pitches to the judging panel on Sunday. Minister Richard Bruton T.D. will be naming Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur on stage, presenting up to €70,000 in investment funds to the three winners.
The youth entrepreneurship competition was launched earlier this year and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and run through the Local Enterprise Offices.
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Lecturer and Broadcaster, has been unveiled as the host of Sunday's high profile awards event.
The host says she is impressed by the calibre of the IBYE finalists, adding: "These aren't just the entrepreneurs of the future; many of this year's finalists are already running successful companies and employing big teams. Hopefully, initiatives such as the IBYE competition will help to encourage even more young people to set up a business in the years to come."
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s final, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton T.D. said: “Anyone who takes even a passing glance at the 24 young entrepreneurs featured in the national final can only be inspired by their energy, commitment – and above all, their outstanding businesses. These are young people who, instead of looking to find a job, and instead decided to create a job – and in many cases, to create many more jobs over the coming years.
“All of us owe a huge debt of gratitude to our entrepreneurs, whose start-up businesses create two thirds of all new jobs across Ireland. We in Government are determined to support and celebrate our amazing young entrepreneurs, and I am delighted that someone as high-profile as Aoibhinn is helping us to do that at the National Final in Google next Sunday," added the Minister.
Eamon Ryan of the Local Enterprise Office Limerick said: “As we’re only days away from the first-ever national final, we’d like to wish Dr. Finn the very best of luck on behalf of the business community here in the Region. Through the eight months of this competition, the Local Enterprise Office has been able to help and support many young entrepreneurs; we hope to be able to support them again in the very near future, as they grow and expand their businesses here locally.”
This year’s judging panel includes two entrepreneurs: Brian Crowley of the Ennis-based TTM Group and Sarah Doyle of Kinesense. They will be sitting on the panel alongside Colin Goulding of Google, Mary Fitzpatrick of the Local Enterprise Offices and Tom Hayes of Enterprise Ireland.
Ní Shúilleabháin added: "Although they're all under 30, this year's finalists have already become great role models for entrepreneurship, helping to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs."
Further updates about ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ and YouTube videos for each of the national finalists are available through www.ibye.ie or by searching #ibye on social media.
