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 startup 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.

Awards

Overall Winner

€10,000 Cash

Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund (€10,000)

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

Who can participate

The Student Entrepreneur Awards are open to full-time registered third-level undergraduate and postgraduate students on the island of Ireland. Entries can be from individuals or teams. Joint entries from different colleges are eligible, but if the entry gets to the final stage, one college must take the lead.

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.

Key Dates

Please check out the competition timeline below

5 March 2027

Applications Close

26 March 2027

Top 50 Announced

30 April 2027

Busines Plan Deadline

14 May 2027

Top 10 Finalists Announced

27-28 May 2027, ATU Sligo

National Final