South Dublin entrepreneurs compete at Regional Final of Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur Competition (IBYE)

27/01/2017

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South Dublin entrepreneurs compete at Regional Final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition (IBYE)

Three young entrepreneurs from South Dublin went head-to-head with entrepreneurs from Dublin City, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown at the Regional Final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition, which took place on Wednesday January 25th at the Westbury Hotel in the city centre.

Local Enterprise Office South Dublin were represented at this year’s Regional Final by:

Darragh Mason, age 35 of Dublin Mountain Design, Boden Park (Best Business Idea Category).
Aonghus Shortt, age 31 of Food Marble, Glendown, Templeogue (Best Start-Up Business Category).
Kyle McLoughlin, age 26 of Irish Garage Equipment, Rathcoole (Best Established Business Category).

The three category winners who have gone forward to the National Final were announced by the Minister for Employment and Small Business, Mr. Pat Breen T.D. at the IBYE Regional Final in the Westbury Hotel in Dublin this evening (25th January). The three national finalists who were selected by the judging panel are: Brian Henderson, Baon Diagnostics, from Dublin City in the Best Business Idea Category, Samuel Dennigan, Strong Roots, from Dublin City in the Best Start-Up Category and Ciary Clancy, Beats Medical, from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in the Best Established Business Category. These young entrepreneurs now have the opportunity, along with 21 other national finalists, to become Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur and share in a €100,000 winners’ investment fund.

Speaking at the IBYE Regional Final, Minister Breen T.D. said: “IBYE is not just a competition, it is a training ground to guide and mentor young entrepreneurs through all the stages of developing and sustaining a business. The aim of the initiative is to support a culture of entrepreneurship among young people, to promote entrepreneurship as a career choice, and to encourage young people to set up new businesses which will ultimately create and sustain jobs. What we have witnessed here this evening is the proof that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well across Fingal, Dublin City, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. We need more of this energy and commitment in order to create and sustain more jobs across the regions”.

He added: “I want to congratulate the winners here tonight and to all of you who entered the competition through the four Local Enterprise Offices in Dublin. It takes courage and commitment to start up a business. I hope that your participation in IBYE has set you on a path to continued success. We should all look forward to the final with great enthusiasm and I wish all three category winners the very best of luck at the National Final on 5th March.”

Colm Ward, the Head of Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, congratulated the local entrepreneurs, saying: “Our search to find and support Ireland’s best young entrepreneurs, which started last September, has turned up some incredible business talent. Our local entrepreneurs are the business leaders of the future and the entrants in the competition have all shown innovation and drive. After a very successful bootcamp, County Final and now Regional Final, the Region will be proudly represented by Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in the ultimate stage of the competition – the IBYE National Final in March.”

Judging takes place in early March and each finalist will have the opportunity to pitch their business plan to the judging panel. They will be assessed on criteria such as the level of innovation in their business, the potential for future job creation and their leadership skills.

Aimed at 18 to 35-year-olds, the IBYE initiative is run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) nationwide, and supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. The investment awards will be used by the young entrepreneurs to help fund business start-ups, create new jobs locally and help develop new products for international markets.

Competition details and results are available from www.ibye.ie and information around the supports available to young entrepreneurs through the Local Enterprise Offices is available from www.localenterprise.ie

-ENDS-

Image 1 - South Dublin Finalists – Mayor Guss O’Connell, Aonghus Shortt, Darragh Mason, Kyle McLaughlin and Colm Ward, Head of LEO

Image 2 - Overall Winners and Minister Breen – Brian Henderson, Ciara Clancy, Samuel Dennigan, Pat Breen.

For media queries, interviews or photography requests, please contact your Local Enterprise Office.

Notes to Editor:

About IBYE: www.ibye.ie

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) is an enterprise initiative run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country and funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. A €2 million investment fund is available through IBYE which supports young entrepreneurs through training, mentoring and direct financial investments.
During the application phase (closing date of October 14th 2016), the competition was open to those aged between 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business, including: individuals, venture teams, partnerships, existing businesses with a new idea, or people overseas (including Irish emigrants) who will headquarter in Ireland.
A record 1,842 young entrepreneurs submitted entries to the current competition, a 32% increase on the previous year.
The three categories and county prize funds were as follows:

- Best Business Idea (pre-trading) – up to €10,000 investment fund through every LEO (€7,000 for category winner and €3,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

- Best Start-Up Business (up to 36 months), with up to €20,000 investment fund through every LEO (€15,000 for category winner and €5,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

- Best Established Business (over 36 months) with up to €20,000 investment fund through every LEO (€15,000 for category winner and €5,000 for runner-up, through every LEO)

At the County Final stage before Christmas, winners and runners-up were awarded investment funds and category winners were then invited represent their area at one of eight Regional Finals in January and February 2017.
Three national finalists, one for every category, are currently being selected to represent that Region at the National Final in March 2017.
A total of 24 national finalists will compete to become “Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur”, with a €100,000 investment fund to be shared between five prize winners on March 5th.

IBYE Regional Final Dublin, January 25th (with young entrepreneurs representing LEO Fingal, LEO Dublin City, LEO Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and LEO South Dublin). Venue: The Westbury Hotel, Balfe Street, Dublin 2 (evening event). Three young entrepreneurs will be selected to represent this region at the National Final in March.

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