New Frontiers Showcase Awards at ATU Donegal Sligo
Twelve entrepreneurs who participated in the New Frontiers programme at ATU Donegal Sligo have been showcased at a ceremony on March 1st.
This year as part of the end of programme event, each participant had the opportunity to “pitch” their business with a chance of winning two cash prizes. The winner of the “One to Watch” award sponsored by ATU was Aine McDonagh of Home Factory Systems Ltd. The “Best Pitch” award went to Kathryn Leslie of Docalista which was sponsored by AIB.
Home Factory specialise in provision of an offsite fabricated unit that contains all the mechanical and electrical services systems required to run a modern house.
Docalista is an all-in-one marketing platform designed for clinical entrepreneurs to build a business online and earn extra income from their clinical skills.
The other ten graduates are:
Sia Browne of Tasty Kitchen, Donegal
Tasty Kitchen helps busy household who have little time during the busy evenings by enabling them to have a home cooked meal that is both quick to make but also healthy, fresh and tasty.
Bernadette McTiernan of Baba Dreams Ltd, Leitrim
Baba Dreams specialise in making safe, superior quality, durable and sustainable heirloom type baby products for the most cherished in your family.
Edward Mc Garrigle of Galánta Energy, Donegal
Galánta Energy is currently prototyping a new electric car energy supply service that offers reduced costs through direct customer engagement.
Susan McLaughlin of Love a Little, Donegal
Produces Award Winning Dessert Sauces to retail, the hospitality sector and catering as well as on line sales.
Manuela Caniglia of Come Dine with Manu, Sligo
Premium quality range of fresh pasta, made with fresh vegetable, added minerals and vitamins that gives to the dough vibrant colours together with a healthy nutritional solution for your diet.
Nigel Flanagan of GreenRoutes, Leitrim
A shop to community grocery delivery service through the introduction of Community Collection points (CCP’s) will make last mile deliveries more sustainable, by offering groceries to be delivered in bulk through structured route management.
Andrea Vytaite of BuyorBorrow.ie, Sligo
Irelands first sustainable buy or borrow online platform offering users to sell or rent their goods and clothes online or rent from other users instead of buying new-helping you save money, earn money, reuse and reduce for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Alison Clarke of Fembition, Roscommon
An innovative Fertility and Leadership Coaching offering for forward thinking organisations seeking to retain top female talent. Delivered through a combination of digital learning and live coaching
John Gilchrest, Roscommon
GINI, a new product for the Land Survey Industry.
Áine McDonagh of Home Factory Systems Ltd. Sligo
Component Manufacture and offsite fabrication of Mechanical & Electrical Services pod product for Residential houses.
Eddie Bradley, Donegal
Providing an ESG (Environmental Social Governance) solution for SMEs.
Areas of industry covered by their businesses are Food and Consumer Products, Life Sciences/Bio, Classified Ads, International Traded Services, Fertility and Executive Coaching, Grocery Delivery Service to Rural Areas and Engineering/Electronics.
Next start date – Sep 2023
If you are interested in applying for the next Phase 2 Programme, please register your interest here
The New Frontiers North West programme, funded by Enterprise Ireland and delivered through ATU Letterkenny and Sligo is the National Entrepreneur Development Programme with a support package worth €30,000.
The programme’s primary purpose is to accelerate the development of sustainable new businesses that have strong employment, growth, international potential and contribute to job creation and economic activity in the region.
Speaking at the Awards, Una Parsons, Head of College ATU Sligo said. “Successful completion of the programme helps to establish credibility and build trust with other businesses in the community. We hope that many of you will continue to engage with the services of the ATU, which is an integral part of the enterprise ecosystem here in the North West.” she commented.
Paula Carroll, New Frontiers National Programme Manager also attended the awards described New Frontiers as a truly national programme with significant regional outreach and global export potential. “New Frontiers is a key programme for Enterprise Ireland. The embedding of the programme within the Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology is critical to regional development. Participants of the New Frontiers Programme are playing a significant role in the indigenous business community – driving Ireland’s economy forward.”
Guest speaker at the ceremony was Jenni Timony of FitPink Fitness and former New Frontiers Programme Manager. As a serial entrepreneur she gave insights into the challenges she has faced, how she overcame them and some key learnings such as accessing funding and support.
Applications are now open for Phase 1 of New Frontiers which starts on April 13th. For more information about the programme visit www.newfrontiersnw.ie