The competition, now in its 27th year, is designed to encourage innovation, promote enterprise and foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among third level students. The awards scheme is open to students from all academic disciplines and courses of study. Regardless of your chosen field, if you’re a third level student with a novel idea that you think has commercial potential, then this competition is for you. It could even be the start of something really big – your very first step towards establishing your own successful business. Or maybe you might be able to sell on your idea and obtain royalty income from the manufacturing/selling rights.

All you need to do is demonstrate to the judges that your business idea is viable, well thought out and well researched and you’re on your way! Ideally your idea should be based on a manufacturing project or an internationally traded service.

The finalists have just been announced for the 2009 Student Enterprise Awards that will be held in the University of Ulster Coleraine on the 9th and 10th June. 

The are as follows:

1. Baby Milk Maker – University of Ulster – Ashleigh Benson, Alison Benson, Niall Corriagan & Ryan Quigg
2.  In Sav – Queens University Belfast – Martin Jonathan Milliken, Matthew Milford, Matthew Hazley, Lee Borland, Alex Houston
3.  Eventwolf – Dublin City University – Allan Dixon
4.  Hypehip.com – Waterford Institute of Technology – Monica Ramirez Arizmendi, Chrystiane Cavalcanti, Yi Zhang, Eoin Donnelly
5.  E-Rat – Shannon College of Hotel Management – Nicole Kupfer, Olga Grestina, Dino Lee, Sharon Emmett
6.  Vision Re – Cork Institute of Technology – Etaoin Ni haILPIN, Norma Dowling, Kieran O’Callaghan
7.  Nebulaer – Cork Institute of Technology – Luke Crowley, Ciara McKenna, William Murray, Kevin Gilmartin
8.  Rigi – Jig – Cork Institute of Technology – Damian Buttimer, Dave Cronin,  William O’Shea, Fiona Hedderman
9.  G-One Trading – University College Cork – Tommy Brophy, Barry Houlihan, Sean Duggan, Richard Barrett, Niall Douglas
10.  Neonatal EEG Service – University College Cork – Cliona Moore, Aisling Gleeson, Stephen Connolly, Mark O’Donovan, William Quigley

Congraulations to all finalists, as this year the standard of applications was very high.