With just under three weeks to go until the 2013 Dublin Web Summit, the finalists of Ireland's most prestigious start-up competition, the ESB Spark of Genius Award, are revealed, the winner of which will be announced at the Dublin Web Summit on 31 October with a cash prize of €25,000 plus a fund of services.

The shortlist includes 30 high-growth, high-potential young Irish companies with innovative solutions in the areas of business, mobile marketing, technology and various other creative areas.

The competition, now in its fourth year, focuses on the most promising high potential Irish start-ups, giving them the opportunity to present their solutions live on stage at the Dublin Web Summit to the 1,500 developers, entrepreneurs and investors in attendance. Two rounds of pitching will take place during the Dublin Web Summit with the grand final playing out on the Main Stage in front of an audience of thousands of leading international start-ups and technology investors.

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Representing the judging panel, David Scanlon of Enterprise Ireland advised on what the judging panel are looking for: "The team needs to show they have a deep understanding of their target users, and ideally have relevant experience in convincing similar markets to part with their cash. If they don't have this, then a solid plan about how they're going to fill the skills gap."

The ESB Spark of Genius Award is open to any Irish start-up which has been in operation for less than three years and has received under €1m in funding to date. Entrants will be judged on the uniqueness of their idea, their level of development thus far, and their potential for future growth.

This year's ESB Spark of Genius judges are made up of a mix of industry professionals alongside representatives which include sponsors, governing bodies and influencers in Ireland.

(CD/JP)