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Sixty two of Wexford’s most innovative and resilient businesses from retailers to manufacturing have been announced as finalists in the 2011 Wexford Business Awards in partnership with Wexford County Council, the Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford County Enterprise Board and Wexford Chamber. Businesses shortlisted this year range from start-ups to family businesses and well-known companies including retailers, manufacturers, training providers, tourism operators and tech businesses.

As the recession continues to make a hole in everyone's pockets, Irish people are increasingly going online to seek better value deals. Figures recently released by Ireland Metrix, Ireland's premier independent Internet Audience Measurement (IAM) service, support this trend and indicate that over two million people are visiting DoneDeal each month. The company has experienced significant growth over the last year with almost 150,000 adverts now active on the site at any one time.

Individuals, organisations, voluntary groups and companies are being invited to enter this year's Spirit of Enterprise Michael Dee Award. Named after the late Michael Dee, a former Enterprise Ireland executive who tirelessly supported the development of enterprise across the South East, the award organisers are calling for nominations before the March 31st deadline.

Sonru was announced winner of the Innovation and Technology Award at the Leinster final of the 2011 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards at a ceremony in Dunboyne Castle on Wednesday last (January 26th). Sonru and the seven other winning businesses from the Leinster region, who were selected from a shortlist of 119 companies, will now go on to compete with the winners from the other provinces for the national title and individual category title at the all-island final in April.

The Rising Tide Centre has recently been established to assist entrepreneurs and start up businesses in the New Ross area and to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the town environs. The shared office enterprise space at The Rising Tide Centre, based over three floors at 35 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, is an initiative from the €2.1m Wales/Ireland EU Interreg-funded Rising Tide Project.

Whether you are just thinking of starting a new business, in the process of getting a business off the ground or looking to expand, one of the things you should be considering is the wide range of training courses and seminars organised by Wexford County Enterprise Board specifically designed to meet the information/training needs of all budding entrepreneurs.