Tipperary’s Best Young Entrepreneurs Announced #IBYE
Tipperary’s leading young entrepreneurs were announced at the County Final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition which was held in The Horse & Jockey Hotel, Thurles on the 2 May. Run by the Local Enterprise Offices, IBYE, now in its fifth year, is a nationwide youth enterprise initiative to help 18-to-35 year olds with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business. In 2019, 1,644 young entrepreneurs entered IBYE, which is an initiative of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and supported by Enterprise Ireland and local authorities.
L/R: Pat Slattery, Director of Community & Economic Development, Mary Ryan, SEDO, Local Enterprise Office, Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive Tipperary County Council, Cathal Bourke, Managing Director of Bourke Sports Borrisoleigh, Tipperary Best Young Entrepreneur and Winner of Best Established Business, Cathaoirleach for Tipperary Mattie Ryan, Ita Horan Head of Enterprise and Madeline Ryan, Local Enterprise Office
The awards ceremony was attended by young entrepreneurs and special guests including Cathaoirleach for Tipperary, Mattie Ryan, Patrick Ryan, MD of PRWS Limited, Upperchurch who was the winner in The Established Category 2018, Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive Tipperary County Council, Pat Slattery, Director of Community & Economic Development, Tipperary County Council, Ita Horan Head of Enterprise and Local Enterprise Office staff.
L/R: Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma Ltd., based in Clonmel, winner of the Best Business Start-up Category, Cathal Bourke, MD Bourke Sports based in Borrisoleigh, Tipperary Best Young Entrepreneur 2019 and winner of the Best Established Business, James O’Brien, Real Time Rivers Ltd., based in Tipperary Town winner of the Best Business Idea category.
Cathal Bourke, Managing Director of Bourke Sports, based in Borrisoleigh won the Best Established Business award and awarded €15,000 towards investment . He was joined by Laura Moloney, Laurel The Salon based in Clonmel, who took the runner up title in this category and who received €5,000 investment fund.
L/R: Laura Moloney, Laurel The Salon, based in Clonmel, runner up in the Established Business
category, Launa Conti, “Chill The Bean” based in Clonmel, received Special Merit Award, Cathal Bourke, MD Bourke Sports based in Borrisoleigh, Tipperary Best Young Entrepreneur 2019 and winner of the Best Established Business, Mary Ryan, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, Joanne O’Herlihy, JL Designs, based in Clonmel, runner up Start-up Business, Lisa Reburn, Design Studio, based in Nenagh, runner up in Best Business Idea, James O’Brien, Real Time Rivers Ltd., based in Tipperary Town winner of the Best Business Idea and Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma Ltd., winner in the Best Business Start-up category
The Best Start Up category was particularly competitive. Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma Limited, based in Clonmel was named winner receiving €15,000 investment fund was while Joanne O’Herlihy, JL Designs, based in Clonmel was named runner-up and awarded €5,000 investment fund.
Many innovative new business concepts emerged in the Best Business Idea category. The winner was James O’Brien, co-founder of Reel Time Rivers Ltd., based in Tipperary Town, awarded €7,000 investment fund while Lisa Reburn, Design Studio based in Nenagh scooped the runner up title and received €3,000 investment fund.
This year on the request of the Judging panel we had a Special Merit Award and this was awarded to Launa Conti, Chill the Bean, based in Clonmel receiving €1,500 investment fund.
Cathal Bourke, Managing Director of Bourke Sports, based in Borrisoleigh was named the Overall Winner of IBYE 2019 in Tipperary.
The adjudicators of this year’s competition were Margaret O’Connor, M.D. of Quigley’s Bakery & Cafe, Catherine Hogan, Senior Regional Development Executive Mid West Region, Enterprise Ireland and William Cleary, William Cleary & Associates, Castletroy Business Park, Limerick.
Speaking at the awards ceremony Mary Ryan, Senior Enterprise Development Office of the Local Enterprise Office Tipperary explained: “The search to find Ireland’s best young entrepreneur began back in January and we were delighted with the calibre of entries. After a very successful Information Day, Bootcamp’s, mock pitch followed by judging, this evening we will acknowledge and pay tribute to the thirteen entrepreneurs that pitched for investment.” Mary went on to say “Each of the winners and runners-up will share in an investment fund of up to €50,000 from the Local Enterprise Office to help grow and develop their business. The 3 category winners go forward to the Regional Finals in The Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick on Monday 17th June and hopefully will progress to the IBYE National Finals which will take place in Google H.Q. on Sunday 15 September 2019”
Ita Horan, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Tipperary said: “As our winners clearly demonstrate, youth entrepreneurship is thriving here in Tipperary. IBYE is about discovering local potential and nurturing that talent through financial supports, mentoring, training and networking opportunities. In 2019, Local Enterprise Office Tipperary supported 14 young entrepreneurs through the IBYE competition and over 39 young entrepreneurs in total, for 2019. We want to build on that success by supporting Tipperary’s young entrepreneurs today and into the future.”
Other speakers at the event included Ita Horan, Head of Enterprise, Margaret O’Connor, MD Quigley’s Bakery & Cafe offered feedback on behalf of the adjudicators, Patrick Ryan, MD of PRWS Ltd., provided inside of how winning the Best Established Business category 2018 helped him to promote and go on to develop his business. Announcement of Winners came from Pat Slattery, Director of Community & Economic Development; presentations were made by Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive Tipperary County Council and joined by the Cathaoirleach for Tipperary, Mattie Ryan.
The Local Enterprise Office is funded by the Irish Government and by the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020. Let’s talk business!
Stay up to date with the competition by following on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. Find out more about supports available to entrepreneurs of all ages by visiting www.localenterprise.
