Limericks Best Young Entrepreneurs are announced at IBYE Awards 2016

Pictured at the IBYE Awards 2016 recently are Adrian Fleming, Accuvio winner Best Established Business trading over 36 months; Eamon Ryan, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Limerick, Kelly O’Brien, CDK Tech winner Best Business Idea Pre-Trading, Patrick O’Donovan, TD, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, who presented the awards; and Paddy Finn, Electricity Exchange winner Best Start Up Business trading up to 36 months.
Picture: Liam Burke Press 22.

The Limerick winners of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE Awards 2016) were announced at an awards ceremony in the Castletroy Park Hotel. The Best Business Idea, not yet trading was won by Kelly O’Brien, CDK Tech, runner-up was Mark O’Brien, O’Brien Creations.  The Best Start up Business trading less than 36 months was won by Paddy Finn, Electricity Exchange, runner-up Philip Mackessy, Mackessy Technology Ltd.

In the third category, Best Established Business Trading over 36 months the winner was Adrian Fleming, Accuvio Sustainability Software, runner up was Paul Austin, Get West Events and Adventures Ltd.  The three local category winners now proceed to a regional competition, with the winners from each region progressing to the National stage of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition which features an Investment Fund of €100,000 to be shared among the winners at a ceremony in Google Headquarters Dublin in January 2017.

The Local Enterprise Office, Limerick will invest €50,000 in the 6 winners through Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) Competition 2016/17.  The IBYE Awards 2016 attracted over 60 applications from young people, aged between 18 and 35 from across the city and county. After a full review of applications, fifteen finalists were shortlisted and took part in an intensive 2 day Business Boot Camp.

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Eamon Ryan, Head of Enterprise for Limerick, commented: “This initiative is designed to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and to encourage the establishment of new innovative businesses by Ireland’s best young entrepreneurs.  This year I am pleased with an increase of 58% in the number of applicants and I am delighted with the quality of applications submitted.”

“The IBYE Awards 2016 is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs and the competition is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices.”

Attending the Awards ceremony and presenting the awards Minister for Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan said “Central to the government’s plans for jobs and growth is supporting more businesses to start-up.  Two-thirds of all new jobs are created by start-ups, so if we are to create the jobs we need we must support more entrepreneurs to start new businesses and that is why we established the Local Enterprise Offices to provide more and better Government supports to businesses in one easily-accessible place at local level.  We have excellent start-ups and entrepreneurs in Ireland – we just don’t have enough of them.”

“It is great to see so many excellent entrepreneurs and business-people in Limerick getting involved in this competition, and I am delighted to congratulate CDK Tech, Electricity Exchange and Adrian Fleming on their success.  I wish all three winners every success in the later stages of the competition, and wish all participants every success as they grow their businesses and contribute to the job-creation we need in Limerick.” 

For further information on the IBYE Awards 2016, click here.
To read more about entrepreneurship in Limerick, click here.