At a Gala Awards Ceremony in the Silver Tassie Hotel in Letterkenny on Wednesday evening the winners of the Donegal stage of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur were announced.
Organised by the Local Enterprise Office the competition attracted almost fifty young people, aged 30 and under, from across the county. After a full review, fifteen finalists were shortlisted and commenced an intensive Business Boot Camp, delivered by Gerry Moan of Constructive Intervention, before a final adjudication on Wednesday under three distinct categories – best new idea, best start-up business and best established business with new add-on.
Announcing the winners Michael Tunney, Head of Local Enterprise, commented “The future of entrepreneurship in Donegal looks extremely bright. The leadership and creativity demonstrated, as well as the level of commitment, determination and motivation to excel shown by our finalists was remarkable. Every one of the ideas and businesses represented here tonight has the ability to develop further and create the levels of employment that the county needs. The twelve young entrepreneurs that will not be selected as winners should not see themselves as anything other than excellent young business people”.
Mr Tunney then went on to announce the winners as follows:
Best New Start Up and a prize of €20,000: Pete Friel, Chartered Education, Rathmullan.
Chartered Education is a professional education company providing online courses and study materials to trainee accountants complemented by engaging video tutorials. Courses can be accessed at the convenience of the user and the study material caters to all learning types, allowing their students to study in a way that suits them.
Best Established Business with a New Add On and a prize of €20,000: Christy Lynch, Efficient Renewables Ltd., Muff.
Efficient Renewables Ltd designs, installs and sources quality, sustainable heating systems for private and commercial buildings throughout Ireland. The business has built a reputation for a wide range of services offering solar heating, underfloor heating, heatpumps, water saving products, etc.
Best New Idea and a prize of €10,000: Ellevyn Irwin, Click Clinic, Buncrana.
Click Clinic is a platform that connects people with non-serious medical conditions to health care professionals in just a few taps. It’s the ‘Hailo’ of the medical appointment world facilitating clients to be treated in the comfort of their home or workplace.
Overall Best Young Entrepreneur in Donegal: Pete Friel, Chartered Education, Rathmullan
The three Donegal winners progress to a regional final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition where hopefully they will progress to the National Final in December.
The aim of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is to encourage and support a culture of entrepreneurship among young people, to promote entrepreneurship as a career choice, and to encourage the establishment and development of new innovative businesses by our young entrepreneurs. The initiative is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 roll out plan and is organised by the network of Local Enterprise Offices across the country.
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