The Ireland Funds Business Plan Competition SINCE 2012, AND INITIALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, THE IRELAND FUNDS HAS RUN AN ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION THAT SEEKS TO NURTURE CREATIVITY AND HONE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS OF IRELAND’S NEXT-GENERATION BUSINESS LEADERS. BY ENGAGING WITH THIRD-LEVEL INSTITUTIONS AND INNOVATION HUBS, AND FOCUSING ON EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRE- NEURS, THE COMPETITION PROMOTES THE SKILLS AND RESILIENCE NEEDED TO DEVELOP INDIGENOUS INDUSTRIES, ATTRACT INVESTORS AND, ULTIMATELY, TO CREATE JOBS. THE IRELAND FUNDS BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION WAS FOUNDED BY SAN FRANCISCO-BASED IRELAND FUNDS AMERICA BOARD DIRECTOR, BILL MCKIERNAN OF WSM CAPITAL, LLC. PARTICIPANTS HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN CASH PRIZES AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS AND MENTORSHIP. THE IRELAND FUNDS BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION connect 2019 • 32