Some of the Donegal finalists who will be attending an intensive Business Boot Camp. Photo: Clive Wasson
THE search is on for Donegal’s Best Young Entrepreneur. Organised by the new Local Enterprise Office the competition has attracted almost fifty young people in the county to take part in the Donegal phase of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.
The winning local businesses will receive investment of up to €50,000, and the chance to represent Donegal at the regional and national finals where winners are eligible for extra investment of up to €50,000 determined according to business prospects and investment needs.
Sixteen people aged 30 and under from throughout the county have been selected as Donegal finalists and are attending an intensive Business Boot Camp that entails training, mentoring, marketing and other supports that will also be available at various stages of the competition.
The competition will be judged under three distinct categories – best new idea, best start-up business and best established business with new add-on.
The first week in September will see the final of the Donegal competition with the winner of each category being announced before going forward to the regional final and ultimately national final with one business person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur in early 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.
This is hugely important for job-creation as two thirds of all new jobs are generated by businesses in the first five years of existence – more start-ups and a thriving entrepreneurial culture will lead to more jobs being created.
Featured are entrepreneurs from all over the county who have made it to the final. Launching the Business Boot Camp Michael Tunney, Head of Local Enterprise, said: “It is fantastic to see the entrepreneurial spirit of young Donegal people and this initiative supports them so that they can realise their ambitions and their business success can help make recovery local in every part of the county.”
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