€50k fund available for local start-up businesses

SOUTH Dublin Local Enterprise Offices encourage young entrepreneurs (ages 18-35), to apply for access to a €50k investment fund.

Young businesses with an outstanding idea/commercial venture for a start-up or existing business can enter the IBYE competition.

A €50k investment fund will be awarded to the category winners from each of the 31 LEO’s nationwide, and an investment fund of a further €100,000 in available for the winners of the IBYE national final.

Applications and optional videos need to be submitted before October 14.The competition is open to any young person with a business idea, no matter what their background, or qualifications.

The IBYE competition is a national competition to find Ireland’s best young entrepreneur.

The competition is broken into three categories – best business idea, best start-up business and best established business.

Previous winners include Perrystown resident Eamon Keane, who won Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur 2014 for his Xpreso business.

The former Templeogue College student co-founded the parcel-tracking software company in 2013, after dropping out of his PhD studies.

“The competition enabled us to develop our business plan with assistance from the LEO and fine-tune our investment proposal,” said Eamon.

“I would highly recommend it to any young entrepreneur looking to set up or develop their business.”

Apply at www.ibye.ie.