A cloud-based platform for paperless operations from Blanchardstown is this year’s winner of the Fingal Enterprise Award (FEA) for 2020, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Fingal has announced.
Kianda Technologies Ltd took the top prize of €5,000 and will now represent LEO Fingal at the 22nd National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin next May.
This year’s winner is a cloud-based platform helping companies to eliminate paper and automate all existing manual processes in a single place – and critically it empowers non-IT staff to build powerful business applications quickly with no coding. It provides organisations an intuitive (codeless) platform, allowing them self-build digital business processes and gain in-house control. With a customer base across the EMEA (Europe, Middle-East and Africa) Region, the platform is being used for processes in industries such as HR, quality control, project management and finance.
This year’s runner-up at the Fingal Enterprise Awards, held in Fingal County Hall, was Baldoyle-based Corr Optical, Ireland’s only ISO-accredited advanced glazing laboratory providing frames and prescription lenses to independent opticians.
Kianda Technologies Ltd will now be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund as national judging gets underway in April. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Future Focus’ and ‘Innovation,’ in addition to eight regional awards.
The Fingal Enterprise Awards took place as part of a very successful Local Enterprise Week programme of events. There were over 300 events taking place across the country, run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices from March 2nd to 6th.
Speaking during Local Enterprise Week Oisín Geoghegan, Chair of the LEO Network and Head of Enterprise in Fingal said: “For the last two decades, the National Enterprise Awards have celebrated small-business success stories from every corner of Ireland, recognising their achievements in the national and international spotlight. At the 2020 National Enterprise Awards, we are delighted to be represented by Kianda Technologies Ltd. The company is led by two very bright and ambitious entrepreneurs. We wish them continued success with their future endeavours.”
The nine other local businesses shortlisted this year were as follows:
- Corr Optical – Baldoyle-based glazing lab providing frames and prescription lenses to independent opticians (runner-up)
- 65 Hurls – a producer of custom-made ash hurls based in Ballycoolin
- Alectra Partitions by Interior Building Products – a producer of glass partition for office spaces based in Blanchardstown
- Azure Communications – a provider of printing, mailing, and communications solutions based in Damastown
- Dimension88 – a provider of ‘mixed reality’ real estate experiences based in Swords
- Empeal by Wind Of Change – a health-risk management digital platform and productivity tool from Castleknock
- Fasten8 – a provider of automotive supply solutions based in Ballycoolin
- Mimic Lashes – an eyelash extension brand and training provider from Malahide
- Take The Cake – an artisan vegan bakery based in Mulhuddart
Among the special guests at the ceremony were Mayor of Fingal Cllr. Eoghan O’Brien, Ms. AnnMarie Farrelly (Chief Executive of Fingal County Council), Declan Hughes (Assistant Secretary at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation), Cllr. Jimmy Guerin, Cllr. Darragh Butler and FEA 2019 winner Sarah-Jane Brangam, Director and Co-founder of Cult Drinks. Members of the judging panel included Michael Dawson (CEO, One4all Group), Deirdre O'Neill (Enterprise Ireland) and Larry Brady, Business Mentor at LEO Fingal.
The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Eoghan O’Brien and the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Ms. AnnMarie Farrelly, attended many of the events during Local Enterprise Week and offered encouraging words to all who participated throughout the week.
Mayor O’Brien commented:
“I am delighted that over 1,000 business owner/managers and aspiring entrepreneurs took time out to participate in the terrific events over this past week. It is fantastic to see so many innovative and bright entrepreneurs engaging with the Local Enterprise Office and I would urge all of our businesses to make the most of the services available”.
The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly added:
“There were many memorable highlights during Local Enterprise Week and it was clear from the atmosphere at all of the events that participants were getting a great deal of benefit from their attendance. I was particularly pleased to be at the opening event which featured a Start-Up Bootcamp on Monday in Donabate, the Enterprise Awards final on Thursday and the Fingal Enterprising Women’s networking lunch on Friday, featuring daytime Emmy nominee and food entrepreneur Catherine Fulvio”.
Other high-profile events that took place during the week included a Digital Masterclass with Seanie Walsh hosted by PayPal in Ballycoolin, an Ethnic Entrepreneurs Expo in Balbriggan hosted by Empower Fingal and the Fingal Ethnic Network, the Dublin Region Agile Showcase hosted by Enterprise Ireland, a business networking breakfast with Fingal Dublin Chamber, a Productivity Seminar hosted by Balbriggan Chamber, and a business strategy seminar at IBM Ireland.
Local Enterprise Week is organised every year by the Local Enterprise Offices and supported by Enterprise Ireland, Local Authorities and the Government of Ireland.
