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Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions

 

  1. The Student Entrepreneur Awards are open to full-time registered third level students on the island of Ireland only.
  2. The project concept must be the student’s/team’s idea only. Full ownership of the project concept must reside with the student/team submitting the application to the Student Entrepreneurship Awards.
  3. If one or two of the team decide to pursue with the business concept, they must do so in full agreement with the remainder of their team.
  4. If the applicants decide not to pursue the business concept, they are entitled to assign all rights of the submitted project to their registered college at the time of application. All members of the team must be in agreement to this assignment.
  5. Finalists are wholly responsible for the development of their project concept and commercialisation and should be responsible for drawing down any prizes both cash and consultancy based that they are entitled to.
  6. Finalists may draw down their cash and consultancy prize up to 2 years after the announcement at the closing ceremony relevant to their projects.
  7. Event Promotion: Competitors may be required to participate in a photo, video and/or film session which Enterprise Ireland may use for the Student Entrepreneur Awards website and other promotional material related to this event.
  8. Photography: Photographs will be taken at this event by Enterprise Ireland for the Student Entrepreneur Awards website and other promotional material related to this event.
  9. Privacy: Enterprise Ireland is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. Please click here for further information on your privacy rights.

Awards

SEA Logo 2

Overall Winner

€10,000 Cash

 

 

 

Cruickshank

Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

Grant-Thornton

Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

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Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award

€5,000 Cash

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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

3 people sitting and working on a project
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