Winners of the inaugural IDEAS Kilkenny competition for innovative start-ups announced

The final of the inaugural IDEAS Kilkenny competition, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Office initiative was held in Langton House Hotel on Tuesday 31^st May. This initiative has launched back in March 2022 during Local Enterprise Week and the competition attracted entrepreneurs from right across the county with an array of tech related business ideas. The competition involved a series of business workshops and one-to-one mentoring culminating to the finale, whereby finalists pitched towards an investment fund worth €10,000 (€6,000 in the Start-up Category and €4,000 in the Pre-Start Category).

At the final of the ‘IDEAS Kilkenny’ competition, from left to right:  Winners Cait Mackey Maher, Yellow Deer Designs Start Up Category Winner and Richie Walsh, Maximo Ltd Pre-Start Up Category Winner

Following a series of individual pitches on Tuesday 31^st May to the judging panel which comprised of Rosemary Ward, South East Business Innovation Centre, Padraig Briody, Padraig Briody and Sons, John Duggan , Loanitt Ltd and Aileen McGrath, Local Enterprise Office; the winners were announced. In the Pre Start-Up Category, Richie Walsh t/a Maximo Ltd was announced the overall winner. Richie is currently in the process of developing a digital fintech platform which helps people easily contribute to a pension.  In the Start-up category, Cait Mackey Maher founder of Yellow Deer Design a greeting card, print and design business was announced the winner. Cait is expanding her business and developing a subscription-based model for her bespoke, personalised greeting cards.

Presentation to Start Up Category Winner in the Ideas Kilkenny Competition: Fiona Deegan, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny; Cait Mackey Maher, Yellow Deer Designs, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Kilkenny County Council and Sean McKeown, Kilkenny County Council.

At the Awards ceremony of the IDEAS Kilkenny competition, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Kilkenny County Council said “This overall aim of this competition was to encourage and support people starting out on their entrepreneurial journey”. She added “We hope you have enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot through participation in IDEAS Kilkenny Competition in terms of refining the business proposition and developing an investor ready pitch which helped to prepare for future funding”.

Presentation to Pre-Start Up Category Winner in the Ideas Kilkenny Competition: Sean McKeown, Kilkenny County Council, Richie Walsh, Maximo Ltd, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Kilkenny County Council and Fiona Deegan, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny.

Fiona Deegan, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny said “Whilst the investment fund is a very important element of the competition, other business supports such as management training, networking and one-to-one mentoring are also at the heart of this competition. We hoped that by taking part, it was supported our finalists move their business proposals to the next level”.

For more information about supports from the Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny, visit www.localenterprise.ie/kilkenny