Local company on "countdown" to National Enterprise Awards Final

10/05/2017

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Local company on “countdown” to National Enterprise Awards Final

Minister Mitchell O’ Connor announces names of all National Enterprise Award finalists, including the Local Enterprise Office South Dublin nominee

Acutrace from the Nangor Road, Dublin 12 in South Dublin County, has been officially announced by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D. as a finalist in this year’s National Enterprise Awards.

Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices, the 2017 National Enterprise Awards celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s top small businesses and micro-enterprises from all parts of Ireland in a showcase of enterprise, innovation and ambition at Dublin’s Mansion House on May 25th.

Announcing the finalists, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “Last week, we saw that Ireland’s unemployment rate has dropped to a new low of 6.2%. This is hugely encouraging, and it is due to the hard work and dedication of enterprise heroes such as these local businesses who are quite rightly taking their place in the spotlight at the National Enterprise Awards on May 25th.”

The Minister added: “These innovative businesses are led by people who are serious about their ambition, who are taking real risks and making real sacrifices to achieve success, and they are making a huge contribution to their local communities and to the economy at large. It is very important that we mark their achievements. I wish all of the finalists the very best of luck in the Final on the 25th May.”

The South Dublin finalist, Acutrace, was set up in 2015 and have developed software and hardware solutions for energy measurement and lighting control systems in Commercial and Industrial buildings. The company will be represented at the National Enterprise Awards on May 25th by founders Aidan McDonnell and John Lynch.

The other finalists this year are drawn from diverse business sectors, such as skin-care, ice-cream making, language courses and mobile game development. The announcement of finalists was made at the Mansion House by Minister Mitchell O’ Connor, accompanied by Sheelagh Daly and Oisín Geoghegan representing the Local Enterprise Offices, Brendan Flood of Enterprise Ireland and last year’s Overall Winner, Mark Clendennen of Applied Concepts in Offaly.

Local Enterprise Office South Dublin will be represented in the Mansion House by Colm Ward, Head of Enterprise for South Dublin. He said: “Small business and micro-enterprises, including Acutrace, are making an outstanding contribution to our local economy. Last year, nearly 3,700 new jobs were created by over 6,800 micro-enterprises supported by LEOs all over the country. These entrepreneurs are continuously looking to grow by developing new products and services and investing in export markets. The National Enterprise Awards help torecognise the contribution that small businesses and micro-enterprises make to our communities every day.”

Last year’s winner, Applied Concepts in Birr, manufacture and export blast machines used in construction and renovation projects in countries such as Spain, Denmark and Chile.

Previous winners nationally have also included Irish Yoghurts, Innovate, Grouse Recording Studios, Simtech Aviation, MyBio and Design Pro.

The winners of this year’s National Enterprise Awards will be announced at the Mansion House in Dublin on Thursday, May 25th. Twelve awards will be presented including eight regional awards. The overall winner will receive €10,000 to invest in their business.

Competition updates and results will be available through www.localenterprise.ie and by following #NEAwards on social media.

The Local Enterprise Offices are co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.

ENDS

Image 1 - Brendan Flood on behalf of Enterprise Ireland, Sheelagh Daly Head of LEO Wicklow, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, last year's winner - Mark Clendennen of Applied Concepts in Offaly, and Oisin Geoghegan Head of LEO Fingal.

Image 2 - Awards county Final, with Aidan McDonnell, John Lynch and Mayor Guss O’Connell.

For all media enquiries, please contact your Local Enterprise Office

Notes to the Editor:

The 2017 National Enterprise Awards, co-ordinated by the Local Enterprises, will take place on May 25th at the Mansion House in Dublin (evening event). Social Media: #NEAwards.

NATIONAL FINALISTS IN 2017 (supported by their Local Enterprise Office)

LEO Area & Company Website

Carlow McNally Denture Clinic www.mcnallydentureclinic.ie

Cavan Moran’s Megajam Ltd www.moranshomestore.com

Clare Core Optimisation Ltd www.coreoptimisation.com

Cork (City) Rebel Chilli www.rebelchilli.com

Cork (North & West) Enibas Jewellery www.enibas.com

Cork (South) Polar IceTech www.polaricetech.ie

Donegal Sharon McDaid – Silver Birch Gallery & Studio www.sharonmcdaid.com

Dublin (City) Pink Kong Studios www.pinkkongstudios.ie

Dublin (DLR) Moontour www.moontour.ie

Dublin (Fingal) Hope Beer www.hopebeer.ie

Dublin (South) Acutrace www.acutrace.com

Galway (City) 9th Impact www.9thimpact.com

Galway (County) IMS Marketing www.imsmarketing.ie

Kerry Irish Host Family Ltd www.irishhostfamily.ie

Kildare Broghies Ireland www.broghiesireland.com

Kilkenny Greensbridge Engineering Ltd www.greensbridge.ie

Laois Infrastruct AMS Limited www.infrastruct.ie

Leitrim Jinny’s Bakery www.jinnysbakery.com

Limerick Student Programmes Ireland Ltd www.spil.ie

Longford Purpledecks Ltd. www.purpledecks.com

Louth Aphix Software Ltd www.aphixsoftware.com

Mayo Monaghan Bros Bar Furniture Manufacturers Ltd www.barfurniture.net

Meath Hexafly www.hexafly.co

Monaghan RAMfit Ltd www.ramfit.com

Offaly Dezynamite www.dezynamite.com

Roscommon PJ Fallon & Son www.pjfallon.ie

Sligo Studyclix www.studyclix.ie

Tipperary MediSkin www.mediskin.ie

Waterford Pip and Pear Chilled Baby Food www.pipandpear.ie

Westmeath Lift Hire Ireland www.lifthireireland.com

Wexford Scup Gelato www.scupgelato.com

Wicklow Goldfish.ie www.goldfish.ie

Award Categories and Prize Fund – National Enterprise Awards 2017

Overall Winner, National Enterprise Awards 2017 (Cash Prize for business: €10,000)
Best Export Business(Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
Best Start Up Business (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

Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)As part of a range of reforms carried out by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) in recent years, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) were established to provide a ‘first-stop shop’ system of enterprise supports to start-ups and small businesses across the country. Located in the Local Authorities, the LEOs are operated on a partnership basis by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities and their parent Departments, DJEI and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The LEOs provide funding for projects primarily in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector which over time have the potential to develop into strong export entities. There are three main categories of grant under which direct financial assistance is provided – Priming, Feasibility and Business Expansion. The LEOs also provide training and mentoring support to entrepreneurs and businesses to assist business development and performance. Details on all the supports available for small businesses and micro-enterprises through all LEOs are available at www.localenterprise.ie.

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