JustTip Founders Named Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneurs of the Year
10th June 2024
Fintech firm JustTip has been announced as the overall winner of the 2024 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards at a ceremony in University College Cork (UCC).
Co-Founders Ciara Walsh and James Fahy, students from Technological University Dublin and University of Galway, were presented with their prize by Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland at UCC last Friday.
JustTip is a tipping platform that provides a cashless tipping solution which allows customers to tip employees directly.
The fintech solution is separate to the business which utilises it and streamlines the process. With end-to-end transaction reports, it also provides complete transparency for employees and customers.
JustTip was one of ten finalists at the 2024 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards, which was open to third-level students from across Ireland who have developed innovative products and solutions to address a broad spectrum of global challenges across a range of sectors, including renewable energy, sustainability, health, hospitality and animal safety.
As the overall winner, JustTip receives €10,000 as part of the Enterprise Ireland student prize, and they will also receive mentoring from Enterprise Ireland to develop their products and explore new market opportunities.
This is the 43rd year of Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards, which are co-sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices. The awards are open to all third-level institutions across the country.
Other awards presented at the ceremony included:
•The Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to University of Limerick Students Rachel O’Dell, Muirne McCarthy, Mary Carey and Ella Murphy for their innovation PILOT by Precision Path Medical
•The Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was received by Dublin City University student Seamus Cummins for his product Aero Beam
•The Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 went to Dublin City University students Aisling Wood, Sadhbh Wood, Jack Tiernan, Muhammad Memon and Eibhe Kehoe and their company Bean Around
•The Enterprise Ireland Academic Award, recognising the contribution of a third-level project supervisor, was awarded to Gloria Rull from Technological University Dublin
The other six finalists that made the Student Entrepreneur Awards final were also awarded with a prize of €1,500 each from the Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund.
In addition to the prize money, the winners will also benefit from comprehensive business advice and mentoring supports from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office, Intellectual Property consultancy and protection from Cruickshank and business plan development from Grant Thornton.
Speaking at the awards ceremony at UCC, Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland, acknowledged the high calibre of applications and vibrant entrepreneurial spirit within Ireland’s third-level institutes nationwide and said:
“The innovative solutions these young entrepreneurs have developed are impressive, and I am encouraged by their pioneering spirit and determination to develop products and services with a positive impact on our society.”
For over four decades, the Student Entrepreneur Awards has provided third-level students with an important opportunity to explore the feasibility of their business concepts. Richard Murphy, Manager, LEO Support, Policy & Co-ordination Unit, Enterprise Ireland who also spoke at the event said:
“Developing the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs is a priority for us at Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices, and this competition marks a significant milestone for students who are pursuing their entrepreneurial ambitions with the guidance and support of their academic institutions.”
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Pictured: Co-Founders of JustTip and winners of this year’s Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards are Ciara Walsh and James Fahy. (Image: Coalesce).
