The finalists for 22nd National Enterprise Awards, the initiative organised by the Local Enterprise Office, have been announced, with the event to take place at the Mansion House in Dublin on June 2.
The finalists were selected by their Local Enterprise Office as the most exceptional company in their area and represent a wide range of industries all across the country.
This year will also see the introduction of two new awards, the One to Watch Award for up and coming businesses with big future plans and the Green/Sustainability Award for companies with an outstanding commitment to sustainability.
There will also be an Outstanding Achievement Award given to a person or company who has achieved exceptional success in the business world.
Padraic McElwee, chair of the network of Local Enterprise Offices, said: “These awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate and reward some of Ireland’s most outstanding small businesses.
In Association with
"They have endured two of the most challenging economic years and having negotiated that are coming out stronger and looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. We have a fantastic array of finalists from all sectors with some great success stories.
"We look forward to crowning our winners this year and irrespective of who wins all these businesses are in a strong position to grow and succeed in the coming years.”
Previous winners of the National Enterprise Awards include Irish Yoghurts (1998), Obelisk (2000), Simtech Aviation (2008), Digiweb (2004) and Design Pro (2013), Terra NutriTech (2018), Pestle & Mortar (2019) and Bevcraft (2021).
National Enterprise Awards Finalists
The Inkspot – Local Enterprise Office Dublin City
The Inkspot is a market leader in packaging and offset printing.
Viva Green – Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
VivaGreen manufactures a large range of products made from plant-based and biodegradable ingredients and develops products that meet peoples’ needs, while also trying to protect the environment.
BiaBelle Beauty – Local Enterprise Office South Dublin
BiaBelle Beauty is a luxury cosmetic and self-tanning brand, creating high quality products at an affordable price. It was founded by sisters Aoibhinn and Bláthnaid Murphy along with their mother Susan Murphy.
Farmony – Local Enterprise Office Fingal
Farmony is an insight focused vertical farming company that delivers innovative technology, enabling customers to meet consumer demands for fresh, great tasting and pesticide free food, locally and sustainably year round.
Strikebox Innovations – Local Enterprise Office Westmeath
Founded in 2010, and based in Mullingar, Strikebox is a stainless-steel fabrication company. It’s customer base includes many of the world’s largest pharma companies.
Salutem Insights – Local Enterprise Office Laois
The frim provides all types of health economic and outcomes research, such as health technology assessment submissions, burden of illness reports, systematic reviews, and economic models.
Acoustic Interiors – Local Enterprise Office Offaly
Acoustic Interiors provides noise reduction solutions, nationally and internationally, to the residential, commercial, entertainment, educational and medical sectors.
AcornStar – Local Enterprise Office Kildare
AcornStar's vision is to redefine how education is delivered to the next generation, inspiring educational resources and technology, such as Augmented Reality, that connects and engages with learners globally to transform the learning experience.
Aqualicence – Local Enterprise Office Wicklow
Aqualicense is a marine planning company with a focus on Aquaculture and Offshore Renewable Energy industries. practice.
Professional Hair Products – Local Enterprise Office Wexford
Professional Hair Labs is a manufacturer of cosmetic products, best known best for cosmetic bonding adhesives for hair replacement.
FeedAlpha – Local Enterprise Office Carlow
Feedalpha is a data-driven platform that helps customers to build brand presence, promote products and services and engage with customers on social media at scale.
Cushendale Woolen Mills – Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny
The family business crafts textiles of Irish wool, mohair and lambswool, in small batches from fleece to fabric.
RoboApply – Local Enterprise Office Meath
Robo Apply manufactures preprint, and print apply label applicators, to apply labels fully automatically to product, in both the packaging, and pharma industries.
Phytaphix – Local Enterprise Office Louth
Phytaphix is a supplier of functional foods and supplements based on clinical research by founder, Dr Conor Kerley.
Aine’s Chocolates – Local Enterprise Office Cavan
Master Chocolatier Ann Rudden creates premium chocolate products and supplies retail multiples in Ireland and abroad.
Streat School – Local Enterprise Office Monaghan
Streat School provides all the tools required to get their eats to the streets.
Cirtex – Local Enterprise Office Longford
Cirtex manufactures thermal and acoustic insulation, floor underlay, arena fibre and insulator pads for mattresses and furniture cushioning.
Secora Consulting – Local Enterprise Office Donegal
Secora Consulting is focused on assisting clients with cybersecurity requirements.
Tantek 4D – Local Enterprise Office Sligo
The company carries out a range of digital services within the Architectural, Engineering, Construction and Operations sector in Ireland and abroad.
Blakes Always Organic – Local Enterprise Office Leitrim
Blakes Always Organic manufactures and distributes a range of premium organic dairy and coffee products.
Connemara Carpets – Local Enterprise Office Galway
Founded in1970, the business makes hand-crafted rugs.
Cubbie – Local Enterprise Office Mayo
A better way to regulate autistic students and those with sensory needs. Regulation is personalised, predictable and reliable. It is achieved in less than 15 minutes with light supervision.
Studio Meala – Local Enterprise Office Roscommon
Studio Meala works with some of the best animation talent worldwide through a hybrid of local and remote productions
Athena Analytics – Local Enterprise Office Kerry
Athena Analytics provides software to educational institutions that identifies a student's potential.
Torpey – Local Enterprise Office Clare
Torpey is a provider of hurleys and Torpey Bambú is the flagship product.
KDI – Local Enterprise Office Limerick
Kileely Dromkeen Innovation delivers waste management solutions for the commercial sector to help companies achieve waste minimization and meet sustainable reuse and recycling goals.
Premier Fire Products – Local Enterprise Office Tipperary
Premier Fire Products manufactures eco friendly fire lighters.
Smart Routes – Local Enterprise Office Cork City
SmartRoutes is a total delivery management software for anyone from small businesses to large logistics teams. It allows you to plan and optimize your routes while tracking drivers and capturing proof-of-delivery.
RetroKit – Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West
RetroKit’s vision is to be the best in class tool supporting retrofitting in Europe.
Ground Wellbeing – Local Enterprise Office South Cork
Handmade at the kitchen table in lockdown, Ground Wellbeing oils and balms are 100% natural, aromatherapy products blended to relief anxiety, insomnia and menopause.
O’Connell’s Whiskey – Local Enterprise Office Waterford
Independent bottler and bonder of premium small-batch spirits, especially Irish whiskey.
Photo: Ciaran Gorman (left) and Darren Fenton, co-founders of Bevcraft. (Pic: Julien Behal)
