€50,000 investment programme open to young entrepreneurs in Wicklow
YOUNG entrepreneurs are being invited to take part in this year’s Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneurs programme which has a €50,000 investment fund on offer to local winners and runners-up.
The Wicklow section of the national programme is being run through Wicklow Local Enterprise Office across three categories: Best Business Idea, Best Start-Up Business and Best Established Business. Interested parties have until Friday, September 29 to apply.
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 €2million.
Speaking at the national launch Sheelagh Daly, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Wicklow said ‘ the substantial investments available under IBYE are a very important part of the pro- gramme and will help more young entrepreneurs here locally to grow their businesses and create more jobs. Other business supports, such as management training, networking and one-to-one mentoring are also at the heart of IBYE.’
With an IBYE investment fund of €50,000, LEO Wicklow will award up to six investments to three category winners and three runners-up at county level. The local winners in the Best Start-Up and Best Established Business categories at county level will receive investments of up to €15,000 each and the two runners-up will each receive up to €5,000. The Best Business Idea winner at county level will receive an investment of up to €7,000 and the runner-up will receive up to €3,000 of investment. These winners at county level will progress to Regional Finals hosted early next year in Wicklow and the national IBYE finals will be held in March 2018.