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Twelve student enterprises have received a special award acknowledging their 'excellence in enterprise', from An Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Department of Education and Skills on Marlborough Street in Dublin. The Seán Lemass Award for Excellence in Enterprise was presented to student entrepreneurs who received top prizes at one of two national student enterprise programmes; the Student Enterprise Awards, organised by the County and City Enterprise Boards and the Transition Year Mini Company "Get Up And Go" Programme, run by the Transition Year Programme under the auspices of the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST).

On the 10 May 2012 in the River Lee Hotel in Cork there is a free event for entrepreneurs and businesses who wish to understand what assistance is available to help them profit from innovation. Enterprise Europe Network are launching their Directory for Innovation Supports & Services available to all Small & Medium Enterprises in Ireland. You will hear why you should think about innovation and learn about the supports & services available to you! This information is vital to your business if you want to grow and profit from international business.

A 17 year-old entrepreneur from Wicklow, producing hand-painted glass baubles picturing local and national landmarks, was awarded top prize at the 10th Annual Student Enterprise Awards National Finals on Wednesday, April 18th in Croke Park. Ciara Whooley of 'Irish Baubles' from St. David's Secondary School in Greystones, won the Senior Category at the County and City Enterprise Boards' student enterprise programme, which is biggest competition of its kind in the country.

Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), in conjunction with Minister for Finance Mr Michael Noonan, TD, has announced the creation of a unique, privately generated fund to support the early and developmental stage for start-up businesses in the Mid-West region.The €1million ‘Enterprise Ladder Fund’ (ELF) is the first seed-fund specifically for start-up companies at an Irish Institute of Technology. Qualifying companies can expect to receive funding of between €10,000 and to €25,000 through the newly established ELF.

Support options available include assistance towards employing a full time or part time sales person, engaging a graduate for a 12 month sales & Marketing project or funding for a market research project. Since its inception, the programme has helped more than 350 companies across the island, generating over £100m worth of sales. In 2011 alone each company participating on Acumen benefitted from an average of £240k worth of additional sales.

InterTradeIreland has today launched the 2012 phase of its exciting sales development programme, Elevate, which aims to help small businesses across Ireland develop sales opportunities through first time cross-border exports.  Research carried out by InterTradeIreland indicates that small businesses which are not exporting have been hit hardest by the recession.