VRAI - REPRESENTING LEO DUBLIN CITY AT THE NATIONAL ENTERPRISE AWARDS 2021
VRAI, a data driven virtual reality simulation company were the winner of the Dublin City Enterprise Award for 2020, taking home the top prize of €5,000.
They now go on to represent Local Enterprise Office Dublin City at the virtual National Enterprise Awards on Thursday 11th February in the Mansion House in Dublin.
Founded in August 2017 by Niall Campion and Pat O’Connor they saw the opportunity to develop virtual reality training products for high hazard environments. VRAI combines Niall’s award winning experience of directing Film and VFX, with Pat’s experience as a senior officer in the Irish Defence Forces, including operational deployments to Syria, Israel and Liberia. . VRAI’s offices are in Temple Bar where they are already employing 15 people in a gender balanced and diverse workplace.
VRAI created HEAT, allowing organisations whose activities are risky, remote or rare to train in a more authentic, memorable and measurable way. HEAT creates authentic virtual training environments, with cutting edge data capture and analytics, to improve performance, safety and training outcomes. They provide services to the defence, security, energy, utilities, aviation and construction sectors.
Greg Swift Head of Enterprise & Economic Development with Local Enterprise Office Dublin City said: “For the last two decades, the National Enterprise Awards have celebrated home grown success stories from every corner of Ireland, putting their achievements into the national spotlight. And at the 2021 National Enterprise Awards, we are delighted to be represented by VRAI, yet another home grown success story. VRAI exemplify innovation. The judges were particularly impressed by the calibre of international corporate clients they have secured in 3.5 years of operations. We wish them continued success with their company expansion plans.”
VRAI will be competing against 29 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €50,000 prize fund. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business’ ‘Best Future Focused’ and ‘Best Innovation’ in addition to eight regional awards.
For further information contact: Dublin City Council Media Relations Office E. info@dublincity.ie T. (01) 222 2170, M. 087 740 0277
https://twitter.com/DubCityCouncil www.facebook.com/DublinCityCouncil
OR Dublin City Enterprise Awards / Local Enterprise Office Dublin City www.localenterprise.ie/DublinCity T: (01)222 5611 E: info@leo.dublincity.ie
Notes to Editor:
About VRAI
Further Information: https://vrai.ie/ & www.heatvr.io Case Study: https://www.heatvr.io/iagcargo/
The platform has been used by the United Nations to raise awareness of threats caused by improvised explosive devices in Somaila, helping to eliminate threats to civilian life.
- VRAI create data driven VR simulation training for high hazard environments
- VRAI have created HEAT, a Hazardous Environment Awareness Trainer which combines authentic virtual training environments with cutting edge data capture and analytics to improve performance, safety and training outcomes.
- HEAT allows organisations whose activities are risky, remote or rare to train in a more authentic, memorable and measurable way.
- VRAI’s aim is reduce workplace deaths and serious injuries to zero, immersion training, by improving the quality and safety of high-hazard training through personalised AI reporting and analytics.
- The company has a number of international clients of noting such as Samsung, IAG, the United Nations, Pfizer and domestic clients ESB and Kingspan.
- Founded in August 2017 Niall Campion and co-founder Pat O’Connor. Pat worked for 20 years in the Irish Defence Forces and Niall spent over 15 years working in the Film and TV industry. Combining these backgrounds and skills.
- They raised €575,000 through the Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start Up Programme (HPSU
LEO Supports: Business Start UP/Priming Grant
“We received a grant from DCC LEO in 2018. This grant allowed us to move from being a sole trader business employing contract staff to employing our first 2 full-time staff members. These 2 staff members are now a core part of our team of 20. The LEO support allowed us to add full time staff, on a respectable salary, with reduced risk.” – Niall Campion
National Enterprise Awards 2021 Award Categories and Prize Fund
The 2021 National Enterprise Awards take place virtually on 11th February in the Mansion House in Dublin and are organised by the Local Enterprise Offices
- Overall Winner, National Enterprise Awards 2021 (Cash Prize for business: €10,000)
- Best Export Business (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Future Focused Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Innovation Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Eight Regional Winners (Cash Prize for business: €2,000 each)
Regions:
Dublin City, Fingal, Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown and South Dublin
Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath
Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny
Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan
Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Longford
Galway, Mayo and Roscommon
Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary
Cork City, South Cork, Cork North & West and Waterford
