Ellevyn Irwin, Click Clinic from Buncrana Co. Donegal Regional winner for Best New Business Idea and who will compete nationally in December to be Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur on RTE in December.
A young Donegal entrepreneur has won a place at the first-ever national final of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, for a chance to share a €100,000 investment fund.
Ellevyn Irvwin from Click Clinic based in Buncrana is representing the region in the Best New Idea category at the national final in Dublin this December and has already won €10,000 in investment from the Local Enterprise Office.
Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country.
Yesterday, three local business owners and new start-ups from Donegal, all under the age of 30, went head-to-head with other county winners from Sligo, Longford and Leitrim.
The nominees were all interviewed by a three member judging panel and had to deliver a business pitch, live. Assessed on criteria such as business innovation, job creation potential and financial planning, the announcement of the national finalists was made at an evening reception last night at the Public Services Centre in Donegal Town.
Congratulating the finalists, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D. said: “Central to our plans for jobs and growth is supporting more businesses to start-up. Part of this plan is also fostering a stronger culture of entrepreneurship and promoting start-up business as a career option for young people. That is what is behind this new competition to find the best young entrepreneur in the region also ultimately Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.”
The local winner now faces tough competition from 23 other finalists, emerging from eight regional finals. The €100,000 investment fund in December is divided up across four prizes:
Best New Idea (€20,000 investment)
Best Start Up (€30,000 investment)
Best Established Business, with New Add On (€30,000 investment)
Overall Winner of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ (an additional €20,000 investment)
Importantly, over 400 business owners and start-ups from around the country have benefitted from intensive business bootcamps and mentoring programmes organised by the Local Enterprise Offices at local level, as part of the competition.
The Head of Enterprise with Donegal County Council Michael Tunney said: “We are very proud and honoured to have a representative at the national final in December, as over 1,000 businesses entered from every county in Ireland and competition for every place was intense. Our finalist now has a chance of being crowned ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ and to win additional investment of up to €50,000 in their business. We’d also like to congratulate all our other nominees and entrants, who ‘flew the flag’ for us at the county and regional finals and who also came very close to winning and we look forward to supporting their businesses into the future.”
The Donegal representatives at yesterday’s regional finals were:
For all the latest news and updates about the ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, visit www.ibye.ie, www.localenterprise.ie or search #ibye on social media.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
WHAT IS THE IBYE COMPETITION?
Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is run by the new Local Enterprise Offices, and the winners at county level are eligible for an investment in their business of up to €20,000, while the winners at national level can receive an additional investment of up to €50,000. Investments in winning businesses will be determined according to business prospects and investment needs.
Mentoring, marketing and other supports will also be available to participating businesses at various stages of the competition. The competition is open to individuals aged 30 and under and will be judged under three distinct categories:
Best new idea (best idea for a new business)
Best start-up business (in business for 18 months or less)
Best established business with new add-on (in business for longer than 18 months and is adding a new dimension to their business).
The first stage was a county-based competition (run by the 31 LEOs) which led to the naming of the Best Young Entrepreneur in each county. This stage also included bootcamps and mentoring programmes. This is being followed by eight regional finals and one national final, with one business-person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (in December 2014).
Regional Finals (to be held in October and November 2014)
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dublin South
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Longford
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Galway, Mayo and Roscommon
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary
Finalists from Local Enterprise Offices in: Cork City, South Cork, Cork North and West and Waterford
Select an option below
