Teenage entrepreneurs from Greystones Community College and Colaiste Bhride will represent Wicklow at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final in May, the Local Enterprise Office Wicklow has announced.
The students all took part in the County Wicklow final on 27th February, which was held at Clermont House, Wicklow County Campus, Rathnew. An estimated 140 students from 13 schools took part in the annual Award ceremony locally, while 18 schools and 1300 students participated in the 6 month Enterprise programme.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country, saw over 30,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools take part in 2024/2025 event. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.
In the Junior Category, Wicklow will be represented by Leonardo O’Sullivan, Louis Dalton, Bastien Zapletal, and Donnchadh Eager O’Brien from “Crazy Knots” at Greystones Community College.
In the Intermediate Category, the student representing Wicklow at the National Final is Oisin Ward from “NeuroLingo” at Greystones Community College.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Dominic O’Loughlin and Daniel Duffy from “Vest Pro” at Colaiste Bhride will represent Wicklow at the National Final.
Special guests at the Wicklow Final included MC Noel Davidson, Cllr Paul O’Brien, Cathaoirleach, Wicklow County Council, Emer O’Gorman, Chief Executive, Wicklow County Council, and inspirational speaker Eoin Tuohy, founder of Sports Impact Technologies Ltd. based in Kilmacanogue.
During the event the mini businesses are visited by a number of judges who assess their stand and their presentation, separately the business founders also deliver a business pitch in the Dragon’s Den. There are over 7 prizes awarded in addition to the overall prizes, these range from Best Innovation, Best Intellectual Property, Best Sales and Marketing, Best Stand and Best Presentation. (See full list below)
Speaking at the county final, Cllr Paul O’Brien said: “I’m so impressed by the variety and high standard of the mini-companies on show here. You can tell that this was a great learning experience for the students who presented their products with such confidence and flair. The future is bright for our next generation of entrepreneurs!”
Emer O’Gorman, Chief Executive, of Wicklow County Council, commented: “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it’s inspiring to see young people developing practical solutions to real-world problems. These students have shown that entrepreneurship isn’t just about big ideas—it’s about finding smart, workable solutions that make a difference. I’m excited to see how they represent Wicklow at the National Finals on 8th May in Mullingar.”
Head of Enterprise, Vibeke Delahunt of Local Enterprise Office Wicklow, congratulated the students, saying: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Wicklow, with over 1300 students from 18 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on the 8th May, and we all hope to be there to support them. What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and teamwork, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers.”
The Wicklow students will compete against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, which will take place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on May 8th.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 380,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business. The Student Enterprise Programme also has a new range of online resources for 2024/2025 at www.studententerprise.ie which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
Further information about the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.