Local Enterprise Office Laois have announced that winning teenager entrepreneurs from Mountrath Community School and Portlaoise College will go forward to represent Laois at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals.
The students all took part in the Laois Final yesterday which was held virtually on YouTube and Facebook.
427 students across 7 schools took part in the programme during this academic year.
The winning local students will now compete against approximately 80 student enterprises from all over the country for a place in the Top 15 shortlisted teams to make it to a live event on Wednesday May 18 at The Helix in Dublin.
This year’s live event will not only be a special one as it’s the first in-person event since 2019, but also as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Student Enterprise Programme.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Laois will be represented by Raymond Goode and Caelum O’Brien of RC Woodcrafts from Mountrath Community School.
Their business is handmade retro wooden signs (based on the design of vintage Irish road signs) as well as laser-cut medal holders, both of which can be personalised with place-names or people’s names.
In the Intermediate Category, Oisin Grundy with his business ‘Osite’ from Portlaoise College will be representing the county at the Finals.
Osite offers tailored web design services at affordable prices for students and start-up businesses.
In the Junior Category, the students going forward to represent Laois at the National Finals are James Crean and Valeria Codreono of Sapone Soap from Portlaoise College.
This company makes scented, organic, vegetable-based handmade soap.
In the “My Entrepreneurial Journey” Competition, Mosa Hafeez will represent Laois in the National Finals at Intermediate level.
While in the “Most Creative Business Idea” competition, Oisin Grundy with his business idea ‘Sniff n’ Sip came out on top at Junior Cycle level and Noor Fatima with her business idea ‘The Sweat Zone’ at Senior Cycle level. All of these students are from Portlaoise College.
Special guests at the Laois County Final included young entrepreneurs, Richard Grimes and Peter Timlin of Pure Clothing; an exciting new sustainable clothing business, and DJ Emma Power, who is blazing a trail in the broadcasting world.
Speaking at the county final, Honor Deevy of Local Enterprise Office Laois congratulated the students.
She said: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in County Laois, with excellent participation across all of the competitions this year.
“Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck going forward to National Final.
“In what has been a particularly challenging couple of years for students, the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands.
“What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business.
“The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers.”
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
Dunamase College
Heywood Community School
Mountrath Community School
Mountmellick Community School
Portlaoise College
Scoil Chríost Rí
St Mary’s CBS Portlaoise
Names of winning enterprises
Junior Category Winner – Sapone Soap
School: Portlaoise College
Students: James Crean, Valeria Codreono
Business Description: Scented, organic, vegetable-based handmade soap.
Intermediate Category Winner – Osite
School: Portlaoise College
Student: Oisin Grundy
Business Description: Offers tailored web design services at affordable prices for students and start-up businesses.
Senior Category Winner – RC Woodcrafts
School: Mountrath Community School
Students: Raymond Goode, Caelum O’Brien
Business Description: Handmade retro wooden signs (based on the design of vintage Irish road signs) as well as laser-cut medal holders, both of which can be personalised with place-names or people’s names etc.
My Entrepreneurial Journey – Intermediate Level Winner – Hoppsy
School: Portlaoise College
Student: Mosa Hafeez
Info: Mosa interviewed a local entrepreneur and impressed the judges with her account of her imaginary business called “Hoppsy” which is a social media app.
Most Creative Business Idea – Junior Cycle Winner – Sniff n’ Sip
School: Portlaoise College
Student: Oisin Grundy
Business Idea: An attachment for a water bottle that holds capsules which use scent instead of additives to create a desirable flavour perception, allowing you to make water taste like your favourite drink. This concept is based on the science of smell playing a significant role in influencing taste.
Most Creative Business Idea – Senior Cycle Winner – The Sweat Zone
School: Portlaoise College
Student: Noor Fatima
Business Idea: A health and fitness app and website for people with disabilities.
