Applied Concepts scoops top prize at the Offaly Enterprise Awards

Applied Concepts scoops top prize at the Offaly Enterprise Awards

Arderin Distillery T/A Mor Gin is named Offaly’s Best Young Entrepreneur

EnterpriseAwardsWinners2015           IBYEWinners2015  More photographs available on Facebook

Enterprise Awards Winners             IBYE Winners

There was great celebration on Thursday, 1 October at the 2015 Offaly Enterprise Awards. The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) hosted an evening celebrating business and entrepreneurship in the County. This year, there were two separate Enterprise Competitions, one for existing businesses and another new competition for entrepreneurs aged 18-30.

Mark Clendennen from Applied Concepts Limited was announced Overall Winner in the 2015 Offaly County Enterprise Awards. Meanwhile, Maria Byrne of Arderin Distillery Limited, T/a Mor Gin, was named Offaly’s Best Young Entrepreneur.

Prior to the announcement of the awards, those present heard firstly from Matt McCormac of Cúl Heroes, Tullamore, on the journey from business idea through to the successful launch of their new official GAA/GPA trading card. The key note address was by well known “Dragon” and serial entrepreneur Gavin Duffy who spoke about the economic recovery and its impact at local level. 

Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise took the opportunity to congratulate all the businesses present, and to acknowledge the contribution they make to the County. She thanked the three judges – Denis Duggan, Enterprise Ireland; Peter O’Sullivan of Byrne Casey & Associates and Evelyn Reddin, Local Enterprise Office in Laois.

The Enterprise Awards are open to businesses that have applied and received Grant aid from the Local Enterprise Office. The 12 finalists were:

Applied Concepts Limited, Kinnitty

Ballyshiel Artisan Foods, Ferbane

Sean & Orla Clancy, Clanwood Organic Farm, Cloghan

Hazel Greene & Cyril Stanley, Bramber Studio

Hello Camera, Birr

Kearney Fabrication Limited, Edenderry

The Marshmallow Factory, Clareen

Karl Mulligan, T/a FanZapp, Tullamore

Polar Ice Limited, Portarlington

Tag Media Limited, T/a Dezynamite, Tullamore

Twisted Pixels, Ballycumber

Welding Quality Management Services, Tullamore

There were 7 prizes, 3 category winners, 3 merit awards as well as the overall winner of the Offaly Enterprise Awards. The winner will go forward to represent the County at the National Enterprise Awards.

Overall Winner: Applied Concepts Limited

Export Award: Kearney Fabrications Limited

Best New Business Award: The Marshmallow Factory

Female Entrepreneurship Award: Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice Ltd

Merit Award: Karl Mulligan, T/a FanZapp

Merit Award: Welding Quality Management Services Limited

Merit Award: Tag Media, T/a Dezynamite

Maria Byrne of Arderin Distillery Limited, T/A Mór Gin, was named Offaly’s Best Young Entrepreneur, and has won an investment of €20,000 as part of the €2 million Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition.

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is an integral part of the Action Plan for Jobs and is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through the Local Enterprise Offices.

Awards were made for Offaly’s Best Start-up, Best New Idea, and Best Established business, as well as an overall award for the Best Young Entrepreneur in the county, and the winners and investments won were as follows:

Best New Idea: David Payne “Plynth” €10,000

Best Business Start Up: Maria Byrne, “Arderin Distillery Ltd” €20,000

Best Established Business: Keith Lambe “Keith Lambe Diesel Services” €20,000

The three businesses will now go through to regional finals where they will compete for the right to go through to the national finals and ultimately compete for the award of being named Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur at a ceremony in Dublin.

Speaking at the awards, Head of LEO Offaly, Orla Martin, said: “The level of new talent emerging in County Offaly offers great hope and encouragement for the future of the county. The Local Enterprise Office looks forward to working with these inspirational entrepreneurs for many years to come”.

The Local Enterprise Office is co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union.

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Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition

7 Offaly Finalists are as follows:

Best Business Idea

Kenneth O’Regan

“The Grow Dome Company”

An intensive all-year-round sustainable food production tool, an arts and music exhibition space, a community meeting and education area, and an iconic piece of art in its own right – all at the same time. 

David Payne

“Plynth”

Charging platform for phones, tablets and personal devices - charging solutions into home and office objects so charging can be a lot more available and much less obvious. Wireless charging in its initial formats will be a lamp, headphone stand and Smart watch charger.

 

Best Business Start Up

Maria Byrne

Arderin Distillery Ltd

Set up in 2015 Arderin Distillery is a craft spirit production company specializing in the distillation of gin, vodka and whiskey. Batch gin distilled with unique flavored botanicals which aims to entice new consumers to the product as it is subtle and refined.

 

Darren Kearney

“Quarrytrader.ie

Established in 2015, Quarrytrader.ie provides a market place for second hand plant and equipment in the quarry, concrete, mining and agriculture industries. Business owners and procurement officers can use Quarrytrader.ie to buy and sell equipment at their own price and on their own terms.

 

Colin O’Rourke

“www.loadfinder.ie”

Established in 2014, www.loadfinder.ie is a web-based service for the advertisement of goods to be transported throughout Ireland and Overseas. Load Providers (Customers) who have goods/products to be transported are connected with Haulage Contractors (Hauliers) who are searching for loads to carry.

 

Best Established Business

Jason Daniels

“Hurricane Martial Arts and Fitness”

Hurricane Martial Arts is based in Edenderry and offers martial arts, fitness classes and gym membership. Classes for both children and adults are offered. Plans to open an apparel store offering a unique clothing line not yet available in Ireland or UK are underway.

 

Keith Lambe, “Keith Lambe Diesel Services”

Set up in 2012, Keith Lambe Diesel Services has grown to become the number 1 diesel repair centre provider in the Midlands and beyond. The business is based in Roscore, just off the N52 at Blueball, Tullamore.

 

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is run by the new Local Enterprise Offices, and the winners at county level will be eligible for an investment in their business of up to €20,000, while the winners at national level can receive an additional investment of up to €50,000. Investments in winning businesses will be determined according to business prospects and investment needs.

Mentoring, marketing and other supports will also be available to participating businesses at various stages of the competition.

The competition is open to individuals aged 30 and under and will be judged under three distinct categories:

  • best new idea
  • best start-up business
  • best established business with new add-on

The first stage is a county-based competition (run by the 31 LEOs) leading to the naming of the Best Young Entrepreneur in each county. This stage will include boot camps and mentoring programmes. This will be followed by regional finals and ultimately national finals with one business-person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur before the end of the year.