The annual Enterprise Month was officially launched today (Monday next 22^nd February) at the Kerry County Council Chambers by Mayor of Kerry Cllr Pat McCarthy. Now in its third year Enterprise Month has gone from strength to strength with the objective of shining a spotlight on just some of the enterprise activities on offer all year round across Kerry. The month is a collaborative initiative between Kerry County Counil, Enterprise Ireland, Kerry Local Enterprise Office, North, East & West Kerry Development; South Kerry Partnership Development, IRD Duhallow, IDA Ireland, Udarás na Gaeltachta and IT, Tralee (Centre for Entrepreneurship Enterprise Development - CEED). The Month gives established businesses and budding entrepreneurs an opportunity to network and discover the assistance available to them in growing and sustaining a business in Kerry. The month has become the annual ‘go-to event’ for entrepreneurs in Kerry.

The calendar of events for 2016 which can be viewed at www.ceed.ie includes over 30 events across 15 days. The county-wide events cater for all stages of business across many sectors from start-ups to established and growing businesses. The highlight of the calendar is the Cantillon Conference on Thursday 25^th February at the IT Tralee North Campus. Cantillon is a “Forum for Fresh Thinking”, which challenges the status quo, pushes experts to think differently and allows its audience to really participate in debate on issues that affect our economy and the development of entrepreneurship in Ireland. Topics for debate are chosen to reflect issues that are topical and relevant to the strategic development of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial development in this country as well as the strategic development and transformation of our current economic model. The forum takes its name from Richard Cantillon (1680-1734) the Kerry-born economist, banker and entrepreneur. He is recognised internationally as a brilliant intellectual and the founding father of modern day economics and was the first person to use the word 'entrepreneur'.

The theme for Cantillon 2016 is “FinTech” – Disrupting the Landscape. FinTech encapsulates ‘innovation in financial services’, whether that means new products from new startups, or the adoption of new approaches by existing players where technology is the key enabler. Speakers at event are a combination of national and international thought and business leaders, economists, journalists, academics and entrepreneurs. This is a must for anyone in the e-commerce space, online trading/retailing, stockbroking and financial services sector.

Cantilllon is an all-day conference and will be followed by the Business Leaders’ Forum Dinner at Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa later that evening. This year sees the inaugural Cantillon Entrepreneur Award in association with EY (Ernst & Young) which will be presented on the evening and will honour a Kerry Entrepreneur each year. Tickets are now available to book for both events at www.cantillonfintech.eventbrite.ie