ENTERPRISE Ireland is inviting students from third level institutions nationwide with an innovative business idea with real commercial potential to apply to this year’s 40th Student Entrepreneur Awards, which are co-sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices.

Ten finalists will be selected to compete for several awards such as the Cruickshank Intellectual Property High Achieving Merit Award, the Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and the Local Enterprise Office ICT Award.

The overall winner will share in a €35,000 prize fund and receive mentoring from Enterprise Ireland to develop the commercial viability of their concept.

The award winners will also receive expert advice and mentoring support from Enterprise Ireland and the programme sponsors to help them turn their ideas into a commercial reality.

UCC student Mark O’Sullivan was the 2020 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur of the Year for his medical device Neurobell for the early detection and monitoring of brain injuries in newborn babies.

Other 2020 award winners included RCSI student Siobhan Ryan for PressiDect, a peri-operative pressure detection system designed for use on a theatre table, and CIT student Simon Dring who developed the TraumAlert SmartGuard to improve concussion awareness and player safety at all levels.

Brothers Jack and Nick Cotter from UCC and LIT also received an award for a lamb-handling system called The Cotter Crate which helps to prevent back injury for Irish sheep farmers.

Richard Murphy, Manager LEO Support, Policy and Co-ordination Unit, Enterprise Ireland said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Student Entrepreneur Awards which have been showcasing the creativity and innovation of third level students in Ireland over the last four decades.”

Closing date for Student Entrepreneur Award entries is March 12, 2021. Entries to the Student Entrepreneur Awards 2021 can be made via  www.studententrepreneurawards.com