WEALTH October 23, 2025 0 Comments

How LEO Cork City and OtterBox are Powering the Next Generation of Student Entrepreneurs—And Why It Matters to Investors Now

Ever wonder what it’s like to walk a mile in the shoes of a managing director—just for a day? Well, last Wednesday, a group of bright young minds from Cork got a taste of exactly that, thanks to a brilliant collaboration between Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City and OtterBox. MD’s Day isn’t your typical school event; it’s a dynamic plunge into the world of innovation and leadership, where secondary students don the hat of a managing director and engage directly with seasoned business pros. Imagine the buzz as students from schools like Bishopstown Community School and Presentation Brothers College dove headfirst into mentoring sessions, soaking up wisdom to fine-tune their entrepreneurial visions. That kind of hands-on experience? It’s the kind of spark that could light up the future of Irish business. Curious to see how these young visionaries are shaping tomorrow’s economy? LEARN MORE

Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City and OtterBox hosted MD’s Day for local secondary school students on Wednesday (22 October) as part of the LEO Student Enterprise Programme.

MD’s Day gives aspiring young entrepreneurs the opportunity to step into the role of a managing director for a day.

Participants engaged with OtterBox business leaders to learn about innovation and leadership and received valuable mentoring to help them further develop their entrepreneurial ideas.

Students from Bishopstown Community School, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Coláiste Chríost Rí, Coláiste Daibhéid, Douglas Community School, Glanmire Community College, Mount Mercy College, Presentation Brothers College and St Patrick’s College attended the event.

Barrie Collins, managing director of OtterBox, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Cork’s young entrepreneurs to OtterBox once again for MD’s Day.

“Their enthusiasm, creativity and drive to learn are truly inspiring. Events like this remind us just how much potential exists within our local schools.”

Dr Niall O’Keeffe, head of enterprise at LEO Cork City, added: “MD’s Day is all about connection — bringing the business community and our young entrepreneurs together to share knowledge, inspiration, and experience.

“The enthusiasm shown by the students this year was exceptional and we’re proud to support opportunities that help them build the confidence and skills to turn ideas into reality.”

The Student Enterprise Programme is Ireland’s largest and most successful student enterprise competition, with over 25,000 second-level students taking part annually.

The programme is open to students from Junior Cycle, Intermediate Cycle, and Senior Cycle, encouraging them to research, set up and run their own real-life businesses under the guidance of their teachers and with support from the Local Enterprise Office.

The programme aims to promote entrepreneurship as a career option, while helping students develop practical business skills such as idea generation, marketing, finance and team management.

MD's Day — School students pictured with Dr Niall O’Keeffe, Claire Lyons, Cathy Fitzgibbon, and Barrie Collins. (Pic: Alison Miles / OSM PHOTO)

Each Local Enterprise Office organises County Finals and the winners go on to compete at the National Final, which takes place in May each year.

For more information on the Student Enterprise Programme in Cork City, visit studententerprise.ie or email Cork City Schools Student Enterprise Programme coordinator Cathy Fitzgibbon.

Photo: Pictured are Dr. Niall O’Keeffe, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Cork City; Claire Lyons, Regional Vice President of Legal & OR, OtterBox and Barrie Collins, Managing Director, OtterBox at MD’s Day 2025. (Pic: Alison Miles/OSM PHOTO)