2025 National Final Winners

Junior Category

Overall Winner:

Bumblebees
Drumshanbo Vocational School
Leitrim

2nd Place:

Grip Geenie
Desmond College
Newcastlewest
Limerick

3rd Place:

Stud Savers
St. Oliver’s School, Oldcastle
Meath

Best Innovation:

Helpful Hoist
Castleisland Community College
Kerry

Best Sales & Marketing:

Brillian Creative
St. Joseph’s Secondary School
Spanish Point
Clare

Best Display Stand:

Washing Warriors
Mount Mercy College
Cork

Intermediate Category

Overall Winner:

Suet & Song
St. Kieran’s College
Kilkenny

2nd Place:

EASY Stand
St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton
Leitrim

3rd Place:

Sea Tan Gone
Desmond College, Newcastlewest
Limerick

Best Innovation Award:

FutureDev
St. Patrick’s Classical School, Navan
Meath

Best Sales & Marketing Award:

OEC Darts
St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Drogheda
Louth

Best Display Stand:

Grainne Whale,
Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh
Mayo

Senior Category

Overall Winner:

Cannon PC
Clonkeen College
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

2nd Place:

It’s a Dose
Moyne Community School
Longford

3rd Place:

Tie Towel
Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh
Cork City

Best Innovation Award:

Study Tok
Rockwell College
Tipperary

Best Sales & Marketing:

ARA Haircare
Colaiste Muire, Ennis
Clare

Best Display Stand:

Ean Bia
St. Mary’s Secondary School Macroom Cork

Greg Fry Memorial Shining Star Award

Donal Bennis
The Post Plucker
Hazelwood College
Limerick

Intellectual Property Awards

Junior Category, Bumblebees, Drumshanbo Vocational School, Leitrim
Intermediate Category, FutureDev, St. Patricks Classical School Meath
Senior Category, Hoody Buddy, Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Westmeath

Sustainability Awards

Junior Category, Reading Angels, St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar, Donegal
Intermediate Category, Eco Chew, Hansfield Educate Together School, Fingal
Senior Category, Wild Cards, Mount Sackville Secondary School, Fingal

FINALISTS FOR TOP STUDENT ENTERPRISE AWARDS ARE ANNOUNCED

The national finalists for Ireland’s largest student entrepreneurial programme were announced today ahead of the finals next month. Over 200 students from 85 school enterprises across the country will compete in the finals of the Student Enterprise Programme from the 30,000 or so who began the programme in September. A selection of the finalists were in Dublin today for the announcement.

The initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices has seen almost 450,000 secondary school students take part since it began in 2003. The 85 shortlisted businesses will exhibit at the National Finals on the 8th 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 2025.

Gareth Evans, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices’ Enterprise Education Committee, said; “Year on year we see an amazing spread of businesses from across the country in our National Finals. The interest in entrepreneurship and the skills that come with it is increasing all the time and we can see that with the participation levels rising in recent years. This year we have an excellent level of finalist from Junior through to Senior. Again we are seeing some fantastic innovation by students to solve real life problems that they are seeing everyday and they are acutely aware of creating sustainable and competitive businesses. Irrespective of who wins next month these students have skills for life.”

The 85 Finalists cover all sectors of business from a gamified AI study app (StudyTok) and a sea salt hair spray (Tramore Sea Salt Spray) to an online directory for renovating or building a home (Mooving.ie) and a protein enhanced straw (ProSip). The full list of finalists can be viewed at www.StudentEnterprise.ie

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 2024 was “High Lift” from St. Patrick’s Classical School in Navan, Co. Meath. The idea, created by Sean Finnegan and his business Finnegan Fabrication, manufactures portable cranes that can be fitted to the interior of commercial vans to help those in construction and similar industries to lift heavy materials in and out.

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 also has new range of online resources for 2024 / 2025 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.

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.

Ends

For further information:
Rachel Kilbane – Drury – 083 339 8587 / Rachel.Kilbane@drury.ie
Declan Lee – Enterprise Ireland – 087 695 7451 / Declan.Lee@enterprise-ireland.com

Inaugural 2025 Alumni Achievement Award

We are delighted to announce the launch of our inaugural SEP Alumni Achievement Award.

This award will recognise outstanding alumni who have excelled in their entrepreneurial journey since taking part in the Student Enterprise Programme. With over 400,000 students having taken part in the Student Enterprise Programme over the past 23 years, we have seen some incredible young entrepreneurs make their mark in the business world.

We have launched a campaign asking former SEP students to get in contact with us to let us know if they continued their business after finishing the Programme. We also welcome applications from students who have gone on to work for other organisations/companies and brought their entrepreneurial expertise with them into their roles.

Any alumni interested in putting themselves forward for this award should contact our National Co-ordinator Yvonne O’Neill for further details on nationalcoordinator@studententerprise.ie

We look forward to announcing our 2025 Alumni Achievement Award Winner at our National Final on Thursday 8th May in Mullingar.

Best of luck to all our alumni!

Folens’ SMART Business Competition 2025

Calling all SEP teachers … do you fancy winning a  3D Printer for your school?????

We have two to give away between now and April!!!

To enter: simply send us your best SMART BUSINESS TIP for running student enterprise with your students…. What is your #1 Best Tip??????

Use the hashtag #SEPSMARTBusinessTip and post to your Twitter, Instagram or Facebook account.

Entry deadline is Monday 14^th April

With thanks to our sponsors Folens