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Competition to find Limerick’s best young entrepreneurs IBYE Limerick enters final stages

Competition to find Limerick’s best young entrepreneurs IBYE Limerick enters final stages – The competition is open to people between the ages of 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business.

Competition to find Limerick’s best young entrepreneurs IBYE Limerick enters final stages

By I Love Limerick Correspondent Jordan Mac Cormaic

The competition to find Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) steps up a gear as the IBYE Limerick county final takes place on Monday 12 November.


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IBYE is a programme run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), including LEO Limerick with the support of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland.

The competition is open to people between the ages of 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business.

Now in its 4th year, IBYE has an investment fund of up to €2 million and there is a €50,000 county investment fund on offer to local winners and runners-up in Limerick.

IBYE is run locally by Local Enterprise Office Limerick across three categories: Best Business Idea, Best Start-Up Business and Best Established Business.

Eamon Ryan, Head of Enterprise for LEO Limerick said: “We had a huge response to the competition this year.  We’ve attracted entrepreneurs aged 18-35 from right across the county with an amazing array of business ideas and start-ups.”

“We’ve also been really impressed by the young entrepreneurs who’ve entered in the Best-Established category, many of whom have multiple employees or are already exporting into international markets.  Judging by the calibre of entries this year, the future of enterprise in Limerick is looking bright.”

Co-ordinator of IBYE Limerick, Mary Killeen Fitzgerald added: “IBYE is a springboard for young entrepreneurs here locally, connecting them to their Local Enterprise Office who can help them to start or expand a business.” 

She continued: “Everyone who entered the competition this year was invited to “Enterprise Day” where they met with mentors, learned about the supports available to them and got really valuable business advice.  From there, shortlisted applicants took part in an intensive Business Bootcamp before submitting their updated business plans for the county final.”

The Limerick County Final takes place on Monday 13 November 2017 in the Strand Hotel.  The event will be hosted by Meghann Scully, Spin SouthWest and presentation of awards will be made by Patrick O Donovan, T.D, Minister of State at the Departments of Finance, and Public Expenditure and Reform. 

Among the special guests at the awards ceremony will be Stephen Keary, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, and Conn Murray, Chief Executive of Limerick City and County Council along with other elected representatives and business leaders.

To visit the official IBYE website click here

To read more IBYE stories on I Love Limerick click here 

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