Ireland’s Top Young Entrepreneurs Revealed Ahead Of National Finals

The national finalists for Ireland’s largest student enterprise programme have been announced ahead of next month’s finals. From an initial 30,000 participants, over 200 students representing 88 student-run businesses have made it through to the final stage of the Student Enterprise Programme. A group of these finalists gathered in Dublin today for the announcement.

The finalists span a diverse range of sectors, showcasing the creativity and commercial awareness of Ireland’s young entrepreneurs. This year’s line-up includes innovations such as Fleet Monitor, a ship tracking app; Tiny Terrariums, a miniature plant world; WireLessCam, a waterproof wireless camera solution; and JCS Plates, a business specialising in custom-designed licence plates.

The initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices has seen almost 500,000 secondary school students take part since it began in 2003.  The 88 shortlisted businesses will exhibit at the National Finals on the 7^thMay in Mullingar where winners will be announced across the three categories of senior, intermediate and junior and one business will be named Student Enterprise of the Year for 2026.  

Gareth Evans, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices’ Enterprise Education Committee, said; “Every year, the Student Enterprise Programme uncovers incredible ideas from classrooms across the country, and this year is no different. These finalists have shown real initiative, creativity and determination to get to this stage, and they represent the very best of youth entrepreneurship in Ireland today. From problem-solving apps to eco-conscious innovations, their businesses reflect not only commercial potential but also a strong sense of purpose. We’re proud to support these students as they take their first steps into the world of enterprise.”

The Student Enterprise Programme is open to students of all ages at second level, with three separate categories – Junior (1^st year), Intermediate (2^nd and 3^rd year) and Senior (4^th, 5^th and 6^th year, LVA, LCA and Youth Outreach). There are also prizes awarded for excellence in sustainability and intellectual property.

The Student Enterprise of the Year for 2025 was “Cannon PC” from Clonkeen College, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. The idea, created by Jack Cannon focused on sustainability, refurbishing and upcycling discarded office computers into high-performance, affordable gaming PCs. 

The Student Enterprise Programme is funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country.  Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 450,000 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 is one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.