Young entrepreneurs from Sligo and Donegal are among those from throughout Ireland gathering in the Mansion House in Dublin today for the Foroige Youth Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
Fourteen finalists managing seven start-up businesses will pitch their products to a panel of expert judges from the business world.
The teen entrepreneurs are aged between 15 and 17 and have beaten off stiff competition at county and regional level to make the national final.
Among the competitors today is a company named ‘Clip It’ which produces wheelie bin clips for windy weather.
It is made up of Eimear Kearney, Elizabeth Fahy, Rachel Toal, Éadaoin Kinsella, all from The Mercy College, Sligo
Also competing is the business called KT Clothing which produces gender neutral clothing. The entrepreneurs there is Katie McGloin, from Magh Ene College, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
The winner will be determined by a competitive twenty minute pitch to a judging panel.
Those competing today made the final from 1,000 young entrepreneurs who set up start-up businesses as part of the Foróige Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship programme this year.
Sean Campbell, Chief Executive, Foróige said the young entrepreneurs have not only created high quality marketable products and thriving businesses, they have laid the foundation for their future careers and earned critical skills for the modern world.
For the last four years the winner of the competition has gone on to take the European title.
This year’s winners will go on to compete in Bulgaria.
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