Celebrating Entrepreneurship @ The Rubicon Centre
23rd April 2019
The Rubicon Centre at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) congratulated 12 entrepreneurs on successfully completing the Enterprise Ireland sponsored New Frontiers Programme at a Showcase and Awards ceremony last week.
Speaking at the event, Dr Barry O’Connor, CIT President, said, “Today is a very special day as we celebrate the hard work, commitment and creativity of 12 Munster based entrepreneurs who have dedicated the past 6 months in pursuit of bringing their idea to life and developing it into a growing business. I am delighted to see projects on display from a broad range of sectors including software, food, med-tech, natural cosmetics, life sciences and IOT, representing the thriving spirit of entrepreneurship in this region”.
Programme Manager, Alison Walsh added, “Supported by an expert team of trainers, mentors and advisers coupled with on-going one-to-one support from my colleagues at the Rubicon Centre and Enterprise Ireland, this vibrant cohort of innovators developed their skills, researched and validated their business ideas in a supportive environment whilst raising their entrepreneurial aspirations. Today they have all successfully launched start-up companies which can grow and scale internationally. Several of the companies have secured investment in addition to sales and distribution channels in Ireland and overseas so exciting times ahead for the entrepreneurs”.
“Participants also benefitted from access to expertise across the CIT campus, collaborating with colleagues in the Nimbus Centre, the Health Innovation Hub and Cappa to progress their ideas, in addition to securing student intern placements and support on marketing and media projects with MA students”.
Guest speaker at the event was Peter Coppinger, Founder and CEO of Teamwork and winner of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2018.
Female participants included Marian Kennedy, Post Partum Relief (PPR) who developed a range of well being and hygiene products made specifically for new mothers, Loretta Kennedy, MamaBear Foods who developed a range of healthy, nutritional and tasty family foods, Tara Zulagga Dorgan, Gut.Instinct, a developer of functional health foods, notably a range of bone broths using 100% Irish grass-fed beef and botanicals and Nora Irwin, ARONA, who created travel size solid perfumes made using organic beeswax and essential oils.
Awards were presented to both Daniel Mulchay, Rideshair & Ryan O’Neill, LEGIT FIT at the occasion and were chosen by an independent panel of expert stakeholders from AIB, EY, RDJ Solicitors, The Irish Examiner and Cork Institute of Technology.
Alison Walsh would be delighted to receive expressions of interest from those interested in the upcoming New Frontiers Programme by visiting here>>
Pictured: Marian Kennedy, PPR Healthcare, Loretta Kennedy, Mama Bear Foods, Tara Zuluaga Dorgan, Gut Instinct and Nora Irwin, Arona at the CIT Rubicon Centre New Frontiers Showcase in the CIT Bishopstown Campus. (image: Darragh Kane)
