Cork trio head to Mullingar for enterprise awards
The national finalists for Ireland’s largest student enterprise programme have been announced ahead of next month’s finals with 3 Cork city schools set to feature.
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 for the announcement recently.
3 regional final winning teams will represent Cork city schools at the National Student Enterprise Programme Finals in Mullingar on Thursday 7 May.
In the Senior Category are Soil Bombs from Mount Mercy College. Also from Mount Mercy College are Kozy Koalas in the Intermediate Category while Happy Tails Co. from Ursuline College Blackrock are in the Junior Category.
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 over 500,000 secondary school students take part since it began in 2003. The 88 shortlisted businesses will exhibit at the National Finals on 7 May 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 (1st year), Intermediate (2nd and 3rd year) and Senior (4th, 5th and 6th 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 500,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.
The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.