The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is a cutting edge, world recognised, youth entrepreneurship education and development programme. It is managed and provided by Foróige in Ireland and is affiliated to NFTE International. The NFTE programme originated in the USA and was brought to Ireland in 2004.
Eight businesses from all over Ireland were involved in the recent NFTE International Business Plan Competition, which took place in the Dechert office in Dublin. The young people applied, and were selected, to pitch their business in front of a panel of judges.
The three judges were Killian Buckley and Geraldine Gleeson, who represented basis.point along with Karen Hannify of Foróige.
Kone Kollector, who created a product for collecting and picking up plastic cones used in sports and recreation centres, were chosen as the winners of the competition.
Thomas Curtin and Dylan Moloney, of Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, are the founders of the business. They will now go on to represent Foróige NFTE in New York at the Global Showcaser in March, 2018.
Meanwhile, the CET (Certified Entrepreneurship Trainer) of the Year Award has been won by Donal Enright, a teacher at Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.
This is the first time since its introduction to Ireland that both students and teacher awards were won by a single school.
Thomas Curtin and Dylan Moloney with their winning Kone Kollecter project.