Applications are now being accepted for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme.
Entrepreneurs from emerging businesses to established international groups are invited to submit their nominations now.
The closing date is on the 16th of March.
Ronan Clinton is an EY partner in Waterford, speaking to Beat news, he says it's much more than just an awards ceremony.
"The Entrepreneur of the Year Programme is a fantastic opportunity for emerging businesses right up to established international groups to engage in a programme to help develop their thought processes and really bring their businesses along.
"It's so much more than an awards ceremony, it's very much a development programme."
This year's 24 finalists will engage in a strategic growth programme over a 10-month period, which includes a week-long virtual CEO retreat.
Ronan says the past graduates demonstrates the success of the programme.
"The alumni that have previously been through that programme and the fantastic community that that alumni are.
"Anyone who enters the programme and makes it through to the final becomes a part of that alumni, what an asset to them and their businesses going forward."
As part of this retreat, the finalists will join a group of more than 100 previous finalists and winners of the programme where they will meet a range of world-class entrepreneurs, business people and academics.
The finalists will also be welcomed into a community of 550 peers in the Irish EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ community.
To date, more than three quarters (77%) of the alumni of the programme have conducted business with one another.
Together, the EOY alumni community generates revenues of €21bn, and employs more than 200,000 people across the island of Ireland.
The programme will include executive education sessions; networking fora; extensive media profiling; the annual Gala Awards.
An award is presented for each category, and an overall winner will be announced at the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in November.
The overall winner will represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Awards the following June.
For further information, please visit www.eoy.ie.
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