Minister Peter Burke announced the winners, with business recognized across a range of categories, including Innovation, Export, Sustainability, and Start-Up.
DreamDev Technologies, a software company from Kildare who have developed a new AI augmented platform helping companies to significantly increase their product’s time to market, have been named Overall Winner at this year’s National Enterprise Awards. DreamDev Technologies, established by Eoin Barry and Douglas Augiar, are the third Kildare winner of the National Enterprise of the Year Award in the last six years following on from Terra NutriTech in 2018 and Pestle & Mortar in 2019.
The Awards, which are an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate the best small businesses in Ireland, were held at the Round Room in the Mansion House in Dublin in what is their 24th year. Peter Burke, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced this year’s winners in front of representatives from the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities and small businesses from across the country at the event.
DreamDev was set up in 2019 with the aim of utilising online tools and software to enable faster digitalisation for companies. Their flagship product, ‘the dot-star enterprise’ software platform enables software engineering teams to create their own bespoke software programmes which deliver results with significantly reduced resourcing requirements.
Announcing the award winners at the Mansion House and after earlier launching the new Local Enterprise Office Policy Statement, Minister Burke said; “The National Enterprise Awards are the highlight of the small business and enterprise calendar. Year on year the diversity of businesses and the standard of companies that are coming through the process is getting stronger. We should not be surprised given the innovation and endurance that businesses have shown in recent years. We have some outstanding winners but the finalists on the whole have been excellent, and this is very much the start of their journey.
“The new Local Enterprise Office Policy Statement I announced today sets out the vital role that LEOs have in fostering entrepreneurship and helping small businesses thrive every day across the country. The Policy Statement charts a clear roadmap of how LEOs will align their work with the priorities of the White Paper on Enterprise and ensure that their high-calibre offering continues into the future. I pay tribute to the great work of the current and former staff of the LEOs who, over the last 10 years, have helped and guided small businesses in Ireland which are at the heart of every town, village and community and are vital to our economy.”
John Magee, Chair of the network of Local Enterprise Offices, said; “The National Enterprise Awards are the standard bearer for the very best of small businesses in Ireland. You can see from previous winners that this is the first step on a bigger journey and it opens many doors for them nationally and internationally. Across the Finalists and winners you see a great diversity of businesses covering a range of sectors. The entrepreneurship eco-system is extremely healthy and these businesses are a testament to that.
“These entrepreneurs are inspired to create businesses and employement in their own areas and to establish businesses that can not only compete here but globally. It’s a honour to be able to work with these businesses on a day-to-day basis and we look forward to seeing what all the finalists do in the coming years.”
There were several other category winners announced on the night.
Innovation Award
The winner of the Innovation Award was Cytidel. The cybersecurity company, supported by Local Enteprise Office Mayo, has created software that helps cybersecurity teams to identify and prioritise the top cyber threats to a company.
Best Export Award
The winner of the Best Export Award was Eskimo Software. The company, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Carlow, have created a CRM and lead generation software package specifically for car dealerships to improve efficiency and sales.
Best Start Up Award
The winner of the Best Start-Up Award was The Black Stuff. The mens care business, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, are creating over 10,000 handmade soaps a week and have utilised social media to create one of the fastest growing mens care brands in the country.
Green / Sustainability Award
The winner of the Green/Sustainability Award was Living Green. The sustainable living company, supportered by Local Enterprise Office Donegal, create a range of products from organic compost and worm cast to wheatgrass and forzen shots.
One To Watch Award
The winner of the One to Watch Award was Drink Botanicals. The drinks company, supported by Local Enterprise Office Dublin City, have created a suite of products such as natural based syrups, cocktail ancilliaries and dried garnishes that are being sold directly into over 200 bars, resturants and off licences.
This year’s winners share a €50,000 investment fund and eight regional winners were also announced on the night.
Those winners are –
PRM Assist in the Dublin Region (backed by LEO Fingal)
Nutshed in the South West Region (backed by LEO Tipperary)
Watt Footprint in the Mid East Region (backed by LEO Westmeath)
Expat Taxes in the South Region (backed by LEO Waterford)
Brady’s Coffee in the South East Region (backed by LEO Wicklow)
Sleater Solutions in the North West Region (backed by LEO Sligo)
Zoma in the North East Region (backed by LEO Louth)
Grá Chocolates in the West Region (backed by LEO Galway)
Also honoured on the night were Bevcraft who won the Outstanding Achievement Award. An example of a company who began with their Local Enterprise Office and then accessed support from Enterprise Ireland to grow their business globally.
Established by friends Ciarán Gorman and Darren Fenton who wanted to create an international business with significant employment in their hometown of Mullingar. Their independent canning business and their mobile canning function allowed any small brewer to can and brand their drinks on site. They now have 8 locations across Europe, servicing 20 countries and handling over 100million cans per year.
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), Bevcraft (2021) and Aqualicence in 2022.
Last year’s winners were Advanced Cosmetics, supported by Local Enterprise Office Mayo. The Ballina based company were set up Noreen Hackett in 2018, before launching to market in 2022. As one of the only “concept to shelves” cosmetics companies in Europe they have achieved significant success, securing contracts with some of the biggest brand names in the cosmetics industry.
The National Enterprise Awards also celebrated 10 years since the inception of the Local Enterprise Offices in 2014 with several former winners attending on the evening.
The National Enterprise Awards are one of several initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.
Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 70,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie
