From left: Eimear McCrann, Tom Keogh, Aine Kilkenny and Roger Wallace. Image: Naoise Culhane
There are 24 tech founders from across the island in the running to become EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023.
EY Ireland has revealed the 24 finalists for its latest Entrepreneur of the Year award today (13 April).
The shortlisted business leaders from across the island span a range of sectors from technology and manufacturing to healthcare and engineering. Collectively, EY estimates this group generates annual revenues of more than €700m and employs in excess of 5,000 people.
Selected across the three categories of emerging, established and international, the shortlisted entrepreneurs include Sam Moffett of Moffett Automated Storage, Denis Collins of ActionZero, Chris Kelly of EasyGo, Sheena Bailey and Louella Morton of TestReach, Brian Fahey of MyComplianceOffice and Andrew Woods of Catagen.
The full list of winners, which includes three founders from Northern Ireland, can be found on the programme page here.
Roger Wallace, partner lead for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, said that the professional services group received a record number of nominations this year, including the highest ever number of women entrepreneurs.
“Our finalists come from diverse backgrounds and communities across Ireland north and south, showcasing the depth of entrepreneurial spirit and talent running through the island,” Wallace said.
“The [Entrepreneur of the Year] alumni group welcome and foster a spirit of innovation like no other, collectively impacting the ambition and culture of our island.”
The shortlist has been curated from a pool of more than 150 nominations by an independent panel of previous winners.
Since its inception, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year network in Ireland has grown to include more than 600 alumni – around 75pc of whom conduct business with each other, according to EY.
Together, the community generates revenues of €25bn and employs more than 250,000 people across the island of Ireland.
“The process of selecting 24 finalists posed a very real challenge to our judging panel,” added Anne Heraty, founder of CPL Resources and EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2006.
“It highlighted in a very big way that the spirit of entrepreneurship in Ireland is very much alive and thriving and gives much hope for optimism for the future of our island.”
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