Prizes

Student Entrepreneur Awards

A great combination of cash prize and consultancy

The Student Entrepreneur Awards can turn great ideas into a winning project, cash and even a business. Winners have access to vital funding and tailored expert advice from Enterprise Ireland, Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Office.

Cash prizes to fund start-up businesses

€10,000 Overall winner

€5,000 Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award

Cash prize sponsored by Cruickshank for exceptional business idea

€5,000 Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award

Cash prize sponsored by Grant Thornton for exceptional business idea

€5,000 Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award

Cash prize sponsored by Local Enterprise Office for exceptional business idea

€10,000 Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund

6 runner-up awards of €1,500, 1 academic award of €1,000 - Totaling €10,000

Valuable mentoring to develop business ideas

Consultancy and Mentoring

Overall business advice and mentoring from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office.
Intellectual property consultancy and protection from Cruickshank.
Business plan development from Grant Thornton.

Get Started

How to Enter

Discover the Path: Access the complete guide on entering and succeeding – Explore our Brochure here.

Stage 1

Students create a two minute video that showcases their great ideas, highlighting commercial and export potential. The videos are submitted via an online entry form.

Stage 2

The top 50 entries are shortlisted and asked to submit a business plan.

Stage 3

Ten projects go forward to the final where they present their ideas to the judging panel. This session concludes with the Student Entrepreneur Awards ceremony.

Timeline

Please check out the competition timeline below

January - March

Call for video applications

March - April

Competition closes and entries evaluated

April

Top 50 submit a business plan

May

Top 10 finalists announced

June

Awards and winners announced