GMIT launches Student Enterprise Awards 2016

GMIT students in all campuses are in with a chance to win substantial cash prizes and supports for their start-up ideas and businesses following the launch of the GMIT Student Enterprise Awards 2016. Now in its eighth year, the competition is open to students of all disciplines in the institute’s five campuses in Galway and Mayo.

Organised by the GMIT Mayo Innovation Hub, the annual event gives students a unique opportunity to test their creative business ideas and win a share of the prize money worth €3,000. The main sponsor of these awards is Shell, with GMIT and Enterprise Ireland as co-sponsors. The winner will receive a cash prize of €2,000 plus free desk space for three months in the GMIT Innovation Hubs (Mayo or Galway) plus mentoring support. The second place winner will receive a cash prize of €500 plus free desk space for three months, third place will receive a cash prize of €300, and fourth place will receive a cash prize of €200.

The competition involves GMIT lecturers from Business, IT and other disciplines who are assigned to each finalist to help them prepare for the pitching competition which takes place at the Mayo campus in March 2016.

Examples of previous winners include:

• An innovative therapeutic recreational service for teenagers
• A detection device to help keep children safe,
• An outdoor surfing magazine,
• ‘Lollicakes’ an innovative healthy confectionary,
• A road safety app and
• Woodbows  - stylish contemporary wooden bow ties - which was last year’s winner

Maria Staunton, Manager of the GMIT Innovation Hubs Mayo, stated that the number of applications for the competition is growing year on year. “This competition gives students at GMIT a unique opportunity to test their entrepreneurial skills and explore their ideas to see if they have commercial potential. This year should once again provide a great selection of ideas, showing the enthusiasm and innovation of students attending the college. Some of the finalists from previous years have gone on to set up new businesses, and last year we were delighted that four GMIT Student made it to the Final 50 of the Enterprise Ireland National Awards with one winning Best Emerging Business at the Finals - Mr Wee, an innovative application for toilet etiquette.

Elaine Phillips of Shell Ireland, sponsors of the GMIT Student Enterprise Awards, explained:  “Enterprise has been a long standing theme of our community investment programmes. The GMIT annual awards have always fostered exciting and innovative concepts. I wish all this year’s entrants good luck with their enterprises and in the competition itself.”  

To compete in the 2016 GMIT Student Enterprise Awards, students need to download the application form from  www.gmit.ie/ideas, email the completed application form, including a link to their 210-second YouTube video, to Innovation Hub  by January 18th, 2016 at 5pm

For further information contact:

Annemarie Cahill

GMIT Innovation Hubs (Mayo)

Phone: + 353 94 9043198

eMail: Innovation Hub Mayo 

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