Businesses planning to enter the SCCUL Enterprise awards are being urged to submit their entries as soon as possible. The deadline for entries to the innovative awards programme which celebrates entrepreneurship and rewards local enterprise is 5.30pm on Monday November 3.
Launched last month, the competition is already attracting a strong level of interest from businesses intent on claiming the €10,000 cash top prize. This year organisers have developed a new web interface to facilitate easy of entry for awards applicants.
"We've have had very positive feedback from this year’s applicants who are finding the new online system much easier to navigate. The new functionality allows applicants to work on their application, editing as they see fit before finally submitting it,” said John Lenihan, Chairman SCCUL Enterprises Ltd.
Celebrating five years of the SCCUL Enterprise Awards, businesses throughout Galway city and county are encouraged to enter in one of six categories including business services, consumer goods and services, ICT, social enterprise, agriculture and food, and arts, tourism and sport.
The overall winner will be chosen from the winners of the six categories and will claim the first prize of €10,000 cash sponsored by St. Columba’s Credit Union, olus a specially commissioned trophy.
Supporting the SCCUL Enterprise Awards this year are a number of local business organisations who have come on board as sponsors of the individual awards categories. The six category sponsors are Allied Irish Bank, Collins McNicholas HR & Recruitment Group, Enterprise Ireland, Mazars, SSL Logistics and Ulster Bank.
Cash prizes of €1000, specially commissioned trophies and media promotional packages worth €1250 from Galway independent are on offer to winners in each of the six categories.
The judges will also award six ‘one to watch’ prizes sponsored by Galway City Council and Galway County Council.
A special recognition award sponsored by ICE Cube will be awarded to a business or organisation deemed worthy of special note by the judges.
The student enterprise award category is open to students attending courses up to level 8 in third level institutions in Galway City and County. The student enterprise award has a prize fund of €2,000 sponsored by Winters Property Management with the winner receiving a top prize of €1250.
Joining the judging panel for this year’s awards is entrepreneur, broadcaster and former RTE Dragon, Norah Casey. The prize winners will be presented with their awards at a special SCCUL Enterprise Awards prize giving ceremony and business expo hosted by NUI Galway in the Bailey Allen Hall on Thursday January 29 2015.
Entries are accepted online on www.scculawards.ie or on official entry forms which are available from Ballybane Enterprise Centre ( 091 386 004 ) .
