Some of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) winners from previous years met up with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. to talk about the role IBYE has played in their business success stories.
They were also joined by representatives of Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). Their message to aspiring young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 is to grasp the opportunity and get their applications into www.ibye.ie by the 14th October deadline.
Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) is an initiative of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland, and is run by the 31 LEOs across the country. Each LEO has an investment fund of up to €50,000 to award to young entrepreneurs across three categories locally – Best Business Idea, Best Start-Up Business and Best Established Business.
As well as the financial elements of IBYE, the previous award winners stressed the importance of learning from each other at the IBYE bootcamps, and the invaluable advice and assistance at the one-to-one mentoring sessions.
Sheelagh Daly of the Local Enterprise Offices said: “The €50,000 per county investment fund on offer from each of the 31 Local Enterprise Offices is a major part of the competition, with up to six local businesses winning significant investment prizes in every local authority area. In addition, up to 450 young entrepreneurs from around the country will also win places at regional Business Bootcamps, with access to expert guidance and mentoring for their business ideas and new ventures.”
Further information and details about the IBYE competition are available from the 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide, through www.localenterprise.ie and from the IBYE website at www.ibye.ie
