Fingal’s Enterprise Awards with €16,000 Prize Fund Part of Local Enterprise Week
A drinks business from Donabate is this year’s winner of the Fingal Enterprise Award for 2019.
Cult Drinks took the top prize of €5,000 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Fingal at the 21st National Enterprise Awards on Wednesday 29th May in the Mansion House in Dublin.
Employing ten staff from their based in Donabate, Cult Drinks have successfully launched and built a diversified portfolio of brands in both the domestic, UK and Global markets.
There were two runners-up at the Fingal Enterprise Awards held at County Hall in Swords: Busterbox from Ballycoolin (a subscription service for dog owners) and Peptalk of Lucan (a technology platform for employees to improve wellbeing). Each runner-up receives an investment of €2,000 in their business, while the other seven finalists receive €1,000.
Judging is taking place in April and May and Cult Drinks will be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the National €40,000 prize fund. The Mansion House in Dublin is the venue for the awards ceremony in May and categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start Up Business’ and ‘Innovation,’ in addition to eight regional awards.
The Fingal Enterprise Awards, by the Local Enterprise Office, are taking place as part of Local Enterprise Week 2019. There are over 370 events taking place across the country for this year’s Local Enterprise Week, being organised by the network of Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Speaking during Local Enterprise Week Oisin Geoghegan Head of Fingal Local Enterprise Office said: “Cult Drinks has already become a success story and the judges were particularly impressed by the year-on-year success of this business. The National Enterprise Awards are a great barometer for what the Local Enterprise Offices are doing and every year the standard is getting better and better and we are delighted to have Cult Drinks representing us in the Mansion House in May.”
Among the special guests at the ceremony was the Mayor of Fingal Cllr Anthony Lavin and Chief Executive Paul Reid. Members of the judging panel included Jock Jordan of One4All Gift Vouchers and Deirdre O’Neill of Enterprise Ireland.
Referring to the FEA and this year’s winner, Cllr. Anthony Lavin, Mayor of Fingal said: “The Fingal Enterprise Awards brings an extraordinary cadre of innovators each year. Fingal County Council, through our Local Enterprise Office, continues to cultivate these small businesses and provides practical supports which help them to flourish not only in Ireland but also in Europe and further afield. Well done to Cult Drinks and all of the finalists this year”.
Speaking during the Fingal Enterprise Awards, Paul Reid, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council congratulated the winners Cult Drinks and acknowledged the contribution of the small business sector: “We need to shine a light on our local and small businesses as they continue to create much of our employment growth. Very importantly, our local entrepreneurs need to be celebrated. It is through their innovation, creativity and determination that our younger generations will be inspired as our economy thrives in the coming years”.
The awards were just one of the many highlights of Local Enterprise Week, which comes to an end on March 8th. All over the country, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices have been jointly running over 370 events aimed at start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses in their area, to mark the week.
Other high-profile events during Local Enterprise Week included an intensive, full-day “Fingal Startup Bootcamp” in Blanchardstown. Famed Dublin GAA sportsman and business entrepreneur Bernard Brogan gave an impassioned and honest keynote speech on building a legacy through motivation, teamwork and good living. Meantime In Swords on Monday morning, more than 100 businesses learned about how they can trade online more effectively.
On Tuesday, the Fingal Dublin Chamber hosted a behind-the-scenes networking event featuring some of Fingal’s most successful businesses. Tuesday night continued on full-throttle with 170 food producers hearing from an expert panel of some of the biggest food processors at a sold-out event at the Radisson Blu, Dublin Airport.
Wednesday featured two events on the subject of raising finance and included a live “dragons Den” business pitching event for start-ups. Then on Thursday Balbriggan played host to a Marketing breakfast as nearly 50 local businesses learned how to sell their brand and gain traction at low cost.
Finally, on Friday, Local Enterprise Week culminated in a celebration of International Women’s Day with a networking lunch with over 120 female entrepreneurs at Dublin Airport.
