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Local Enterprise Office Waterford announces plans for ‘Local Enterprise Week’ in March

Around the country, 14,500 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs expected to attend over 380 events during Local Enterprise Week in March.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D. has welcomed plans by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) to host more than 380 inspiring events around the country for an estimated 14,500 start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners during Local Enterprise Week 2017. The focus of Local Enterprise Week is to increase awareness of the range of LEO supports and services available to micro and small enterprises.

Running from March 5th to 10th, all 31 LEOs, including LEO Waterford will be celebrating Local Enterprise Week with a range of events for start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses in their area.

Entrepreneurs of all ages will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, seminars, advice clinics and one-to-one mentoring in areas such as: Intellectual Property Rights, Trading Online, Resource Efficiency, Social Media and Customer Service.

Highlights of Local Enterprise Week in Waterford are expected to include:

• Protect Your Intellectual Property Rights on 7th March with the Patents Office in The Granville Hotel.
• Women in Business Networking Event on 8th March in The Garden Room, Waterford Museum.
• Funding your Business Workshop on 9th March, Manapia Building, The Mall.
• HR and general business one to one mentoring sessions in both Waterford City and Dungarvan.
• Cost Saving through Resource Efficiency in conjunction with Waterford Chamber and Southern Region Waste Management Office.

Local Enterprise Week officially kicks-off on Sunday, March 5th with the national final of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition in Google Headquarters in Dublin.  IBYE, which is an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices and supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland, achieved an unprecedented number of entries across all 31 LEOs with more than 1,800 young people competing for the €2 million IBYE investment fund. Local Enterprise Office Waterford is represented in the IBYE competition by Flexi Wage, Dreamboat and Aphex.

Welcoming the extensive range of events planned by the LEOs for Local Enterprise Week, Minister Mitchell O’ Connor said: “I am very impressed with the comprehensive programme of events organised by the LEOs for Local Enterprise Week 2017. I would encourage every start-up and small business owner to make it their business to check out and participate in the events taking place in their locality. It is important that anyone starting or growing a business is fully aware of the extensive range of enterprise supports that are available to them. As set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, 2017, I also want to encourage more micro and small businesses to grow international sales and diversify into Europe and beyond. The LEOs are the first-stop-shop on hand to help entrepreneurs and small business owners embark on this journey.”

Richie Walsh of the Local Enterprise Office Waterford said that Local Enterprise Week was the ideal ‘shop window’ to show the wide range of supports on offer to start-ups, sole traders and small businesses in Waterford. He said: “Local Enterprise Week, which takes place from March 5th to 10th, is a collaboration on a local and national scale between LEOs, local business communities, Government Departments, other units within Local Authorities, and State support agencies. We hope these events will inspire and motivate hundreds of entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in Waterford.  Small businesses continue to be the backbone of our local economy, with huge potential to grow and create jobs.”

Details for all events can be found at www.localenterprise.ie/waterford and Local Enterprise Office Waterford are strongly advising businesses to book well in advance.

ENDS

For all media queries, please contact Brid Kirby, Local Enterprise Office Waterford on 0761 10 2766 or bkirby@waterfordcouncil.ie