Nominations have opened for the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) programme.
Entrepreneurs from emerging, established and international businesses across every industry on the island are invited to put themselves forward between now and February 17th. Eight finalists will be chosen per category in the competition, of which The Irish Times is a media partner.
Finalists then participate in a nine-month programme that includes “executive education, networking forums, tailored media profiling and the annual CEO retreat”, which this year will take place in Toronto, Canada.
Roger Wallace, the head of the EOY programme, said: “Entrepreneurs are the driving force of Ireland’s economy.
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“In a world defined by constant change, new global norms and rising pressures, these leaders remain steady innovators who turn bold ideas into real impact. As a country, we rely on their ambition, and it is more important than ever that we champion, support and celebrate the entrepreneurs shaping tomorrow.”
Edward McCloskey, the founder of Louth-based WaterWipes, was named as Entrepreneur of the Year at last year’s awards in November. The WaterWipes founder also received the international entrepreneur award on the night.
Áine Kennedy, the founder of The Smooth Company, was chosen as the emerging entrepreneur, while Derek Foley Butler, chief executive of Grid Finance, won the established category.
In addition, businessman Denis O’Brien received a special recognition award, having been the inaugural EOY winner in 1998. The businessman, whose interests span telecoms to golf resorts, said he was “flummoxed”, thanking Frank O’Keefe, managing partner at EY Ireland, for the “honour”.
Mr O’Brien said EOY was “just the most special programme for business people in the country”, noting it has had an “absolutely profound” impact on Irish entrepreneurship.
