Pictured at the launch of the 2009/2010 Newstalk 106-108 fm Student Enterprise Competition were members of the 2008/2009 winning team from the National College of Ireland (NCI), (l-r) Indre Navickaite, Oisin Kelly, Emmet Duffy and Killian Doherty, Team Captain, with Denis O’Brien, Competition chairperson. Now in its fourth year, the competition is designed to develop an understanding of business management and promote early-stage entrepreneurship among third level students. Using a case study format, the competition encourages participants to research companies and, as part of a team, devise solutions to real life business scenarios

Entrepreneur Denis O'Brien today launched the 2009/2010 Newstalk 106-108 fm Student Enterprise Competition, in association with The Irish Times, at the National College of Ireland (NCI) - - a search for the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The competition is in its fourth year, and is designed to develop an understanding of business management and to promote early-stage entrepreneurship among third level students. Using a case study format, the competition encourages participants to research companies and, as part of a team, devise solutions to real life business scenarios. A record 1,300 students, across 330 teams, from Ireland’s 15 Institutes of Technology and the National College of Ireland, entered the 2008/2009 competition, which was won by a team from the National College of Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, chairperson of the competition Denis O’Brien said, “Since its introduction in 2006, the Newstalk 106-108 fm Student Enterprise Competition has gone from strength to strength. It gives students the opportunity to work together outside their normal college environment and allows participants to put into practice the knowledge they have gained from their studies. Now, more than ever, it is essential that the business community across the country helps to support and develop the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs.”

The competition is exclusively open to students from Ireland’s 15 Institutes of Technology and the National College of Ireland. Local launches will be held in each of these colleges in the coming weeks. Teams must submit written proposals to their local co-ordinator for the first round, which will be judged by their colleges. The top four entries from each college will then be given a second case study on which they present their submission to their local judging committee.

Each of the 16 judging committees will consist of top local business and media representatives as well as a local INTRE (Irish Network of Teachers and Researchers of Entrepreneurship) representative. The winning team from each of the ITs will receive prize money along with accommodation and hospitality in Dublin for the National Semi-Final and Final in February, 2010.

The overall prize for the winning team and its team coach is a study trip to the Caribbean where they will shadow senior executives in Denis O'Brien's telecommunications company, Digicel Group.

Killian Doherty, captain of the 2008/2009 winning team from NCI, said “We all learnt so much from last year’s competition, but none of us could have envisaged the vast knowledge and experience we gained during our time spent with Digicel in Jamaica. Winning the competition also gave each of us the opportunity to sample Jamaican culture and see things we may never have the opportunity to see again. I strongly urge anyone eligible to enter the competition to do so. Being part of the competition is a fantastic experience, winning the competition is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The Irish Times is an associate sponsor of the competition for the fourth year.

The closing date for entries is Wednesday, 14th October 2009 and entry forms must be completed through the competition website http://newstalk.ie/newstalk/studententerprise/. The first case study will be available online from Thursday, 15th October 2009 and proposals must be submitted to the local co-ordinator by Tuesday 3rd November 2009.