While in the south-east of Ireland today to announce new jobs at EirGen Pharma in Waterford and Danone in Wexford, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, TD, announced the 14 winners of Enterprise Ireland’s €200,000 pilot Competitive Feasibility Fund.
The aim of the fund, which was launched earlier this year as part of the Government’s South East Employment Action Plan, is to stimulate start-up activity and spawn jobs in the south-east region of Ireland.
Via the fund, the 14 start-ups will now get funding of up to €25,000 to take their ideas to the next level.
The funding is to go to:
- Kilkenny start-up Instant Opinion, set up by Aidan Kenny, that’s aiming to give customers a way to provide real-time feedback to service providers.
- A Waterford start-up set up by Clare Hughes and Louise Grubb that is pioneering a medical device to treat colic in infants.
- Geniu & A-Ray Ireland, a joint venture set up by Patrick O’Brien and John Ryan in Waterford to manufacture next-generation LED lighting systems.
- Fergal Conway and Jim Doyle who are providing managed service software to companies from their Kilkenny base.
- Wexford-based Brooklyn Technologies, a mobile device company that’s pioneering mobile payments for vending machines, such as street parking machines.
- Kilkenny company Pulmeze, which is pioneering new treatments for respiratory diseases.
- Easy Wind Energy, a Waterford start-up that developing vertical wind turbines.
- Ciaran Geoghegan, who is working on an R&D laboratory to provide molecular ad biomarker testing to hospitals in Europe.
- The Packaging Hub, a Waterford-based packaging provider for the food and drink industry.
- Sunrise Innovations, which is pioneering waste management software for the North American marketplace.
- Wexford-based David Scrivens, who is examining the cost of converting waste liquid yeast into dried brewer’s yeast.
- Tipperary-based Wood Energy Solutions t/a Suirvale Developments, a manufacturer of biomass boilers.
- Waterford-based Tim Counihan, who is currently examining the feasibility of setting up a sea salt manufacturing business in Dunmore East.
- Meadowfresh Foods, a Waterford-based start-up. Led by John Geary, the company is exploring the feasibility of setting up a potato starch manufacturing plant.
Enterprise Ireland will now be working closely with the entrepreneurs to help them develop the potential of their start-up ideas.
“The 14 ideas are based in an impressive variety of high-value, innovative sectors and the ideas are developing well in the workshops and mentoring we are conducting with the promoters,” said Enterprise Ireland’s regional manager Enda McDonnell.
Business-planning image via Shutterstock
