David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards

A Standing Ovation for the winners of 2012 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award!

2012-02-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

And Journalist and Broadcaster, Tom McEnaney wins the 3rd “David Manley Media Award”

A couple whose business and creative output has been described as “the theatrical equivalent of going to bed on Christmas Eve” has won the 2012 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award. Louis Lovett and Muireann Ahern run Theatre Lovett, which offers ‘Theatre as Adventure’ for children and the young-at-heart!’

Louis and Muireann win €10,000 in cash and over €100,000 worth of mentoring and consultancy services from a variety of blue chip companies - aiming to bring them up another step on the ladder to business success. They are the ninth winners of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards.

The couple has ambitious plans to expand their actor training programme throughout Ireland and internationally in the specialty that is children’s theatre. Lovett says, “It is critical that actors are upskilled to ensure that children and young audiences get the very best and more speciﬁcally, for the ‘Holy Grail’ of catering to young and old in the one audience.”

Explaining their work, Louis says, “We love music, physical theatre, clowning, absurd comedy and poignant tragedy and believe that children and young audiences respond to and recognise the best when it is shared with them, without patronising, stereotyping or belittling our audience’s experience and innocence.” Muireann adds, “We have the same palette when it comes to work for children – we don’t buy into the pigtails and rosy cheeks brigade. Sharing a Theatre Lovett production empowers children and their adults to embrace life, with all its light and shadow. We will show you the dark colours of the rainbow – and you and your child will Lovett!” http://www.theatrelovett.com/

Their show, “The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly” (which was co-produced with The Ark) has an international touring programme in the pipeline (including a Broadway invitation in 2013). They also have two shows in production for this year.

The 2012 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards were presented at a ceremony today (Thursday 2nd February) in Mason Hayes & Curran (one of the Awards’ sponsors), Barrow Street, Dublin by Dr. Chris Horn and ‘Dragon’. Norah Casey, CEO and Owner, Harmonia Publishing. Dr. Horn chaired the panel of judges for the Awards.

The aim of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards is to nurture and recognise the enterprising spirit in Business, the Arts and in Social/community. It has become the premier award in Ireland for emerging enterprises. The two runners-up this year were Lisa Domican, GraceApp (winner of the Emerging Social Entrepreneur category) and George Howlett and Philip Gillen, Safefood360 (winner of the Emerging Business Entrepreneur category.) They each receive €1,000 in cash and mentoring. (Details of Lisa’s and of George and Philip’s enterprises are below.)

Norah Casey commented, “These Awards celebrate Ireland’s entrepreneurial spirit at a time when we need passionate visionaries. These extraordinary individuals bring an extra dimension to their fields of expertise which sets them apart from their peers. These emerging entrepreneurs shine a beacon of light for the next generation. I am immensely encouraged about our future when I see such courageous trail blazers who are prepared to innovate and push back the boundaries wherever they work.”

Dr. Chris Horn said, “The judges were looking for passionate and invigorating entrepreneurs who impressed and excited us - people with the same qualities that made David Manley such an iconic person. We certainly found that energy in Louis and Muireann! All the finalists were special but they captivated the audience that was the judging panel!”

Gerard Tannam, chair, David Manley Awards committee, comments, “Our heartiest congratulations to Louis and Muireann, as well as to our other finalists Lisa Domican, George Howlett and Philip Gillen. Our Awards are all about making a significant difference to the business of the winner, using our skills and expertise to help bring them to the next level of success. We’re very excited about the prospect of working with Theatre Lovett and expect it to be an inspirational and very enjoyable year for all. We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together!”

David Manley Media Award
The third David Manley Media Award’ was presented today and was awarded to journalist and broadcaster, Tom McEnaney. Tom was commended on his “dedication and commitment to regular coverage of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs.” The judges for this Award were Dr. Chris Horn, Dr. Thomas Cooney, Director - Institute for Minority Entrepreneurship at DIT and Nicola Byrne, founder and managing director of 11890. The David Manley Media Award is run with the support of Kantar Media and Client Services Director, Samantha Rowntree presented Tom with his Award. (See biog details for Tom below.)

Awards & Prize Package
The David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards was established in 2003. Nine entrepreneurs in total were shortlisted this year and all will receive mentoring, courtesy of Enterprise Ireland.

The €100,000 in mentoring is provided by leading experts in finance, law, accountancy, management consultancy, payroll & accounts software, corporate and brand identity and public relations. Membership of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce is also included.
http://www.davidmanleyawards.ie/

Theatre Lovett Fly the Flag for Irish Theatre Abroad

2012-01-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

2012 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards finalist, Theatre Lovett, has been chosen for the prestigious IPAY - International Performing Arts for Youth - in Texas, USA.

Actor Louis Lovett stated that “To have an Irish show shoulder to shoulder with the most prestigious theatre companies for young audiences has a great feeling of flying the flag for Ireland.”

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/one-man-irish-play-chosen-for-trade-fair-536015.html#ixzz1jdaxdvpA

David Manley Awards 2012: Social Finalists

2011-11-25T02:51:00.000-08:00

The 3 shortlisted social organisations for the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards are:

· Lisa Domican, Grace App Communication
· Emma Murphy, The Turning Institute
· Jamie Regan, Hand on Heart Enterprises

Lisa Domican, Grace App
Lisa Domican, originally from Australia but now living in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, created the Grace App - a picture exchange communication app - with her daughter Grace, a little girl with autism. The app helps people with communication difficulties, including autism, acquired brain injury and stroke, to communicate their needs independently.

Pictures selected on the Grace App on the iPhone or iPad form a sentence that can be shared with other people. This encourages independent social interaction and the development of speech, supporting the inclusion and independence of people with special needs. The app has been available to buy since 2010 and has approx. 14,500 downloads to date.

Lisa and the Grace App have been recognized and won some awards:

In October this year, Lisa was recognised as one of “One Hundred Women by One World Action” as one of the Unseen Powerful Women who change the world in the area of business and entrepreneurs;

In September of this year, Lisa won the Women Mean Business Big Idea Award 2011 For Grace App Communications;

She was a Finalist in Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Social Impact Awards and Winner of the Elevator Program for 2011 for Grace App Communications;

In December 2010, the Grace App won UNESCO, World Mobile Summit Award e-Learning and Education www.wsa-mobile.org/news;

In October 2010, Grace App won Best Mobile App (With Vinny Coyne's Eirtext) at Irish Web Awards 2010.

Lisa is continuing to develop further technology and training for Grace App. http://www.graceapp.com/

Emma Murphy, The Turning Institute
Emma Murphy is a counsellor/psychotherapist specialising in eating disorders. She set up and launched the Turning Institute, an online resource for women and men struggling with eating disorders, as a first step towards recovery that can be worked through in complete confidence.

The nature of eating disorders means that it is extremely hard for clients to take the first step towards asking for help, so the Turning Institute’s programmes bring their expertise to the client, in the safety of their own home, with the added support of a Virtual Group, who work through the same issues and behaviours that a client is struggling with now.

The Turning Institute is set up as an ecommerce business that designs, produces and sells innovative online, self-help programmes and is based at Emma’s Wellness Centre in Sandyford, Dublin.

After 4 years in the Middle East, Emma worked in banking and small business development before returning to college at age 30 to retrain in psychology. 13 years on, Emma feels that all her work experience has come together in the development of her online program for Eating Disorders. http://www.turninginstitute.com/

Jamie Regan, Hand on Heart Enterprises
Hand on Heart Enterprises is a young and innovative organisation set up in 2009 which aims to create employment for people with disabilities through innovative businesses and enterprises using a Social Enterprise Model. Using this model, they are developing self-sustaining enterprises that create jobs for people with various disabilities in truly inclusive work settings.

Their innovative approach of developing teams of people with different disabilities means that they focus on people’s abilities, rather than their disabilities. They simply design work environments that are safe and truly inclusive from the start for everyone.

Ventures include an Inclusion Bar and Vendability Enterprise which services vending machines. Hand on Heart is based at the Ballymun-Whitehall Enterprise Centre, Ballymun. http://www.handonheart.ie/

David Manley Awards 2012: Business Finalists

2011-11-24T02:49:00.000-08:00

The 3 shortlisted business organisations for the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards are:
· Daniel Bradfield, AIrDryer Ltd
· George Howlett & Philip Gillen, Safefood 360
· Sandra Maguire, EduBills.ie

Daniel Bradfield
Daniel Bradfield of AirDryer Systems Limited is short-listed in the Business category for ‘Marilyn’ – an appliance for the home which promises ‘clothes drying made easy’. ‘Marilyn’ reduces the costs of laundry drying by over 90% and reduces drying time by up to 75%. Multiples in the UK and Ireland are so impressed with their own test results, they have advised AirDryer of significant orders on the way for 2012.

“People are looking for a reason not to use their tumble dryers,” says Daniel, “from both an environmental and a cost perspective.” ‘Marilyn’ is a light weight, easy to store away appliance which sits under any indoor airer. Using just 25 watts of electricity it dries clothes indoors in as little as five hours, requires no additional heating and does not cause any condensation. Its running costs per annum are just €13 as against the average €250 yearly running cost of a tumble dryer in the average home.

AirDryer was set up in 2009 and is based at The Rubicon Centre, CIT Campus,
Bishopstown, Cork. Daniel, who is from Ballincollig, spent the last three years developing and refining ‘Marilyn’. An Engineer by trade, he has over twenty years’ experience in the design of domestic and industrial air handling products. He has also worked in manufacturing in Europe, the USA and Asia.

AirDryer Systems already has a strong order book of direct sales to end users, most of which came to their stand at the National Ploughing Championships in Athy. With the first shipment of Marilyn units being delivered in December and a second shipment landing in January 2012, Daniel is confident about 2012 and beyond. http://www.airdryersystem.com/

George Howlett & Philip Gillen, Safefood 360
Launched in April of this year by George Howlett and Philip Gillen, Safefood 360 is the first ever global online food safety management software solution. It enables food processing plants to set up, record, manage and report on all aspects of their food safety system necessary to meet legal and commercial compliance requirements.

In the US alone, 76 million people become ill from bad food with 300,000 of those requiring hospital care and resulting in 5,000 fatalities. Safefood 360 has already generated huge interest worldwide and is currently being trialled by over 250 food plants in 52 countries on 5 continents. In their first year, they have raised €750,000 in financial backing.

George Howlett from Blanchardstown has 23 years’ experience with companies such as Coca Cola, Largo Foods and Batchelors. He also ran his own consultancy specialising in food industry development. Philip Gillen from Malahide began his entrepreneurial life when as a child he sold freshly caught mackerel around Dunmore East’s caravan parks during his summer holidays! An IT specialist, he worked with Butlers Chocolates and in 2005 set up his own software and project management company. George and Philip began collaborating on the Safefood 360 concept in 2009 and both now work fulltime in the company – George is CEO and Philip is COO. http://www.safefood360.com/

Sandra Maguire, EduBills.ie
Sandra Maguire, from Cabinteely, Co. Dublin, came up with the idea for EduBills.ie while working as a Secretary in her son’s primary school. Having spent many hours opening envelopes from parents, which contained cash and cheques for things as diverse as Personal Accident Insurance, Speech & Drama, Computer and PE classes, inmilk, school trips, registration fees and so on - and then having to issue receipts, refunds of overpayments and return unsigned cheques - she knew there had to be a better way!
Sandra realized that the answer was to have an online payment and ordering system which parents could use from the comfort of their own homes or offices. Schools could upload the items parents needed to pay for, including schoolbooks, tracksuits and uniforms – and so, EduBills started trading in June 2011 following extensive research with schools, parents and suppliers, conducted in collaboration with Dublin City University. By the end of August this year, orders to the value of over €45,000 had been put through the system. EduBills.ie is based at Docklands Innovation Park, East Wall Road, Dublin. http://www.edubills.ie/

David Manley Awards 2012: Arts Finalists

2011-11-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

The 3 shortlisted arts organisations for the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards are:

• Agata Stoinska, Blow Photo Magazine
• Louis Lovett & Muireann Ahern, Theatre Lovett
• Olive O’Brien, Silver Angel Publishing

Agata Stoinska, Blow Photo Magazine
Agata Stoinska established BLOW Photo Magazine - Ireland’s first A3 photography magazine – in July 2010. It is aimed at photographers of all disciplines and offers a platform for both emerging and established Irish and international photographer to have their work published.

Even though BLOW is only 18 months on the market it is being distributed internationally and it's present in galleries and bookshops in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Stockholm, Seoul, Singapore, just to mention a few. BLOW has also established closed partnerships with the biggest Irish festivals: PhotoIreland Festival, Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and recently with the Dublin Fringe Festival.

During the two weeks of the Absolut Fringe, a team of 15 photographers documented all shows of the festival for BLOW. The best images were used in six special on-line festival editions of BLOW magazine. The main goal was to show the spirit of the Festival through photography.
Agata changed profession from an architect to become a Fashion Photographer and set up her own photography studio – D-light Studios. Agata won the 2009 Rising Star award in the Dublin City Enterprise Network for Women and in 2010 she became the winner of the Most Improved Business.

Louis Lovett & Muireann Ahern, Theatre Lovett
Louis Lovett, from Douglas, and his wife, Muireann Ahern are shortlisted in the Arts category. They set up Theatre Lovett was set up in 2009 which offers ‘theatre as adventure.”

“Whether you are a child, an adult who remembers what it is like to be a child, or anyone curious and open minded who wishes to engage with theatre that can amuse, involve and sometimes scare then Theatre Lovett is for you,” they observe.

Lovett’s one-man show The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly (The Ark and Theatre Lovett) thrilled audiences last year at The Ark, The Peacock Theatre, Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival and at The Imaginate Festival, Edinburgh and has much international touring in the pipeline (including a Broadway invitation in 2013).

Theatre Lovett was the original commissioner of “B for Baby” by Carmel Winters produced by The Abbey Theatre that won ‘Best New Play’ in the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2010 and Louis Lovett was nominated for Best Actor in the same Awards. ‘B for Baby’ was also short-listed for the Stewart Parker Awards 2010.

According to the dynamic pair, “We love music, physical theatre, clowning, absurd comedy and poignant tragedy and believe that children and young audiences respond to and recognise the best when it is shared with them, without patronising, stereotyping or belittling our audience’s experience and innocence.” www.theatrelovett.com

Olive O’Brien, Silver Angel Publishing
Olive O’Brien, who lives and works in Rochestown, is shortlisted in the Arts Category. She set up Silver Angel Publishing company in 2009 to publish eco-friendly books. Having practised as a solicitor, in 2006, Olive returned to university to complete a Masters in Journalism at DCU. She then worked as an intern at The Sunday Business Post and as a features writer at Mid-Day newspaper in Bangalore, India.

In 2008, Olive set out on a round the world trip and on her return to Ireland later that year, she wrote her first book, “ Perry the Playful Polar Bear ” which was released in 2009. She also published two further books, “ Perry the Polar Bear Goes Green ” and “ Eco Zico ” which are printed on 100% recycled and FSC certified paper. “Eco Zico” is also available as an ebook and as an app for the iPad.

‘InTouch’ magazine, the publication of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), said in its November 2010 issue, “[Eco Zico] simplifies the recycling process making it interesting and easy for children to understand.” Olive intends releasing further titles in 2012, which are suitable for older children.
www.silverangelpublishing.com

RendezVu add speech to ExamSpeak Beta

2011-08-16T01:50:00.000-07:00

RendezVu is delighted to announce the full release of ExamSpeak. ExamSpeak prepares students for their English speaking exam.

This product is an online English course for students sitting the KET Test. You can enter our test room and introduce yourself to the examiners. Meet the other test taker. Answer the examiner's questions then get feedback on your performance. This spoken English course allows you to learn English online and improve your test score.

Learners can now enrol in one of our ESOL courses and practise for their oral English or improve their English pronunciation.

Inspiration

2011-07-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Check out the Newmarket Partnership Newsletter for excellent coverage of the Summer Fun with the David Manley Awards event http://newmarketpartnership.newsweaver.ie/newsletter/1t4am7jd8te

Want to save money on travel, but can't afford a bike?

2011-07-01T04:35:00.000-07:00

The Irish Independent dispensed some invaluable advice to would-be cyclists today (30th June), including letting people know the best place in Dublin to get an affordable bike. Why, Rothar (www.rothar.ie) of course!

Check out the full article here http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/surviving-the-recession/smart-consumer-get-out-of-the-rat-race-and-get-your-own-wheels-of-fortune-2809602.html

National Bike Week

2011-06-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

"Handing over a bank note is enough to make a bicycle belong to me, but my entire life is needed to realise this possession" ... check out David Manley Awards winner Rothar in the Irish Times ... http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0620/1224299223291.html

Summer Fun with the David Manley Awards

2011-05-18T03:29:00.000-07:00

250,000 people will flock to see them this Summer. We are giving you the unique chance to see them up close and personal in the intimate surrounds of the Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin at 7:30pm on Wednesday 15th June.

The David Manley Awards, in conjunction with previous winners Emergent Events, invites you to witness the 4 greatest street theatre acts in the world hosted by current Street Performance World Champion, Jack Wise.
The Performers that will be astounding us on the night include:

Jack Wise (http://www.jack.ie)
Space Cowboy (http://www.thespacecowboy.com.au)
Lindsay Benner (http://www.lindsaybenner.com)
Funny Bones (http://www.funnybones.jp/index_en.html)

Tickets cost €50, with all proceeds going to the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards, to ensure we continue to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in Ireland's Arts, Business and Social spheres.

To register for this event, or for more information, just click on the link below.
http://www.eventelephant.com/ee/bookings/tickets/index.htm?siteurl=davidmanleyawards2011

Hope to see you there!

Anne Bedos of Rothar on Capital D

2011-04-29T07:40:00.001-07:00

RTE's Capital D paid a visit to Rothar, winner of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards 2011, to find out how Anne Bedos has combined a love of bicycles, care for the environment and a drive to improve society to deliver a fantastic business. Check it out here (Anne's piece starts at 7 mins 00secs)

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1097266

Win More Customers: Raising A Brand Programme (April - May 2011)

2011-04-04T02:17:00.001-07:00

Would you like more customers for your business?

Business-owners who've completed the popular Islandbridge programme tell us that after Raising A Brand, they're winning more customers than ever before.

The next 8 Week Programme runs on Tuesday afternoons from April 12th to May 31st at Dublin's Hampton Hotel and is strictly limited to twelve places.

Call Gerard now at 01 - 495 3330, or visit www.BrandDevelopment.ie to learn more about how Raising A Brand can help you grow your business.

More coverage of Rothar's win

2011-02-10T05:47:00.001-08:00

http://www.business-startup.ie/entrepreneurship/social-entrepreneur-wins-2011-david-manley-emerging-entrepreneur-award.html

John Kennedy's Best Phone Apps for Business

2011-02-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

What are the best phone aps for business at the moment? See DM Media Award winner, John Kennedy’s suggestions, which include evernote, dropbox, adobe ideas etc, on www.todayfm.com – click on ‘Weekend Shows’ and then Sunday Business Show page.

Cycling or recycling? Founder's award for bike business

2011-01-21T09:33:00.001-08:00

ANNE BEDOS, the founder of Dublin not-for-profit bicycle busines Rothar, has won the 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2011/0121/1224288008265.html

“On your Rothar!”- Social Entrepreneur wins 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award

2011-01-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

Entrepreneur, Anne Bedos, who founded Rothar – a bike shop with a social focus – has won the 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award. Rothar is a not-for-profit organisation that recycles discarded bikes and provides training and job opportunities to people from disadvantaged communities. Operating from Phibsboro, Dublin, this community-based bike shop sells refurbished bicycles, accessories and second hand parts and offers classes on bicycle repairs. Ms. Bedos wins €10,000 in cash and over €100,000 worth of mentoring and consultancy services from a variety of blue chip companies.

Originally from France, Anne Bedos moved to Ireland in 2004. She founded Rothar in 2008 after working in the charity and community development sector for more than 10 years. To date, Rothar has salvaged over 250 bikes, diverting 4 tonnes of waste from landfill. It works closely with youth groups to train at-risk youth in bicycle mechanics as well as building skills in basic business concepts. With a steady revenue stream from the sale of refurbished bicycles, Rothar is financially self-sustainable. A political scientist specialising in social inclusion and gender equality, Anne is also an enthusiastic cyclist - and Rothar combines all these passions!

The 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards were presented at a ceremony today (Thursday 20th January) in Mason Hayes+Curran, Barrow Street, Dublin by Dr. Chris Horn and Ms. Damini Kumar, European Ambassador for Creativity & Innovation. Businessman, Alfie Kane chaired the panel of judges for the Awards.
For more on Rothar, please visit: www.rothar.ie

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David Manley Media Award

The second David Manley Media Award was presented today and was awarded to John Kennedy of Silicon Republic. John was commended on his dedication and commitment to regular coverage of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. The judges for this Award were Dr. Thomas Cooney, Director - Institute for Minority Entrepreneurship at DIT and Nicola Byrne, founder and managing director of 11890 and the judging was overseen by Dr. Chris Horn.

The David Manley Media Award is run with the support of Kantar Media and Managing Director, Dan Halliwell presented John with his Award.

2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards to be presented on 20th January!

2011-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Best of luck to our 3 finalists tomorrow at the presentation of the 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards – the 3 are:

Anne Bedos www.rothar.ie – Emerging Social Entrepreneur
Angel Luis Gonzalez www.PhotoIreland.org – Emerging Arts Entrepreneur
Dr. Emmeline Hill www.equinome.com – Emerging Business Entrepreneur

Check back here early afternoon, 20th January to find out who the overall winner is!

3 finalists for 2011 David Manley Awards announced

2011-01-17T05:14:00.000-08:00

Dr.Emmeline Hill who discovered a gene in thoroughbred horses which identifies sprinting ability and stamina, Angel Luis Gonzalez who staged Ireland’s first ever photographic festival and Anne Bedos who founded a bike shop with recycles bikes and provides training and jobs are the three finalists in our 2011 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards, the winner of which will be announced this Thursday,20th January.
http://www.bizstartup.ie/news/item/17471-david-manley-emerging/

4 Year Plan - Pro-Business Initiatives

2010-11-25T07:19:00.001-08:00

The 4 year Plan - what's pro-business in it - read Newmarket Partnership's take on it - http://newmarketpartnership.newsweaver.ie/newsletter/dbx34e44oni. Newmarket is a sponsor of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards.

10 things to do before the Budget

2010-11-11T01:31:00.001-08:00

10 things to do before the Budget - tips from one of the DMA Award sponsors - Newmarket Partnership http://newmarketpartnership.newsweaver.ie/newsletter/1q3x218oded

9th & final shortlisted entrepreneur - Anne Bedos, Rothar

2010-11-10T01:49:00.000-08:00

Anne Bedos founded Rothar – a bike shop with a social focus - in 2008 after working in the charity and community development sector for more than 10 years. Rothar is a not-for-profit organisation that recycles discarded bikes and provides training and job opportunities to people from disadvantaged communities. Operating from Phibsboro, Dublin, this community-based bike shop sells refurbished bicycles, accessories and second hand parts and offers classes on bicycle repairs.

Originally from France, Anne moved to Ireland in 2004. A political scientist specialising in social inclusion and gender equality, she is also an enthusiastic cyclist - and Rothar combines all these passions!

Since May 2008, Rothar has salvaged over 250 bikes, diverting 4 tonnes of waste from landfill. Rothar works closely with youth groups to train at-risk youth in bicycle mechanics as well as building skills in basic business concepts. With a steady revenue stream from the sale of refurbished bicycles, Rothar is financially self-sustainable. www.rothar.ie

8th shortlisted entrepreneur - Victoria MacKechnie, Kids in the Kitchen

2010-11-09T07:12:00.001-08:00

Here is some info on our penultimate shortlisted entrepreneur - Victoria MacKechnie:

One in four Irish children, between the ages of 5 and 17, is overweight or obese but teaching children how to cook healthy meals has been shown to impact greatly on their diets. In 2008, Victoria Mackechnie set up Kids in the Kitchen to teach children how to cook healthy meals for themselves. Kids in the Kitchen is about giving kids a skill for life.

According to Victoria, ‘It’s the tactile, creative process involved in cooking that appeals so much to children’. Less than two years later, Victoria now works with 11 primary schools in Dublin and has taught over 350 children how to cook. She hopes to continue rolling these courses out to specifically target children in DEIS primary schools throughout Ireland.

Victoria was a finalist in the Young Entrepreneurs Competition at the age of 15 and lives in Ringsend, Dublin. www.kidsinthekitchen.ie

7th shortlisted entrepreneur - Myles McCorry, Bike Pure

2010-11-08T01:58:00.000-08:00

Myles McCorry - having raced bicycles for 25 years and fed up with the sport’s doping scandals, Myles McCorry set up BikePure with ex professional Andy Layhe to tackle the endemic use of drugs in cycling. BikePure tackles the root causes of doping and utilizes the organisation's eclectic membership, to propose improvements to the testing procedures and restore trust to the sport.

What started two years ago in a spare bedroom in Omeath, Co. Louth has grown to an organisation with the backing of over 40,000 members in 89 countries. BikePure has 44 volunteer ambassadors coordinating the members around the world and over 600 professional cyclists and triathletes use the BikePure brand to tell the world they ride clean. The organisation earns income from branded clothing and cycling equipment, with any additional funds reinvested back into developing the social mission. In just over two years, BikePure has become a worldwide brand, associated with anti-doping and athlete protection.

Myles says, “We aim to extend the BikePure model to tackle endemic drug in five other key sports which are plagued by endemic drug use. PlayPure aims to stand as a beacon of sportsmanship and restore honor and respect to sportsmen and women, globally.”
www.BikePure.org

event for female entrepreneurs

2010-11-08T01:56:00.001-08:00

As part of the EU programme for female entrepreneurship, Dublin Chamber is hosting an event this Friday 5th November to encourage women who want to set up their own business http://www.een-ireland.ie/eei/assets/documents/uploaded/events/PowerfulStrategiesForWomeninBusinessPR.pdf.

our 6th shortlisted entrepreneur - Ed Hendrick, Sonru

2010-11-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Ed Hendrick
While participating in the South East Enterprise Platform Programme in Waterford Institute of Technology in 2007, Ed Hendrick spotted an opportunity to save people time and money during the interview process. He founded Sonru – a company which enables corporates to transform their first round screening process using secure online video technology.

Originally from Rathfardon, Clonroche, Co. Wexford, Ed worked in the motor industry in retail and wholesale sales before setting up Sonru. Clients include
eircom, Allianz Worldwide Care, Dell Perot Systems and PaddyPower.com with Sonru facilitating interviews across all continents from the Americas to Asia. In April of this year, Sonru signed a strategic partnership agreement with Denis O’Brien’s SaonGroup.com and is currently rolling out its product offering across IrishJobs.ie, Jobs.ie, NIJobs.com, MyJobGroup.co.uk and Candidate Manager.

In 2010 alone Sonru has won six major awards including: Innovation Award IIA Net Visionary Awards 2010; Innovate100 Pitch Slam Dublin 2010 and
Bank of Ireland Bright Ideas Challenge Grand Final 2010 (€110K prize).

Ed’s vision for the future is that all first round screening interviews in the world will be conducted using its video interview platform. Sonru operates out of Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. www.sonru.com

5th shortlisted entrepreneur - Dr. Emmeline Hill

2010-11-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Our 5th shortlisted entrepreneur - Dr. Emmeline Hill
Traditionally Thoroughbred horses have been selected using only a mix of visual assessment combined with historical bloodline data to infer their likely genetic composition. However, research led by Dr Emmeline Hill at UCD in 2009 resulted in the world’s first successful identification of a performance-related gene in Thoroughbred horses. This gene was found to predict sprinting ability and stamina potential, which can immediately identify a Thoroughbred as a potential sprinter, middle-distance or long-distance horse. Following this breakthrough, Equinome was co-founded by Dr Hill and Jim Bolger, the well known Irish horse breeder and trainer, and the Equinome Speed Gene Test was commercially launched last January.

The company has already secured major clients in Australia, France, Ireland, UK and USA and with new products scheduled for 2011 and 2012, Equinome’s vision is to become the global industry standard for the provision of genetic information to the Thoroughbred horse industry. Other members of Equinome’s team are Donal Ryan, Managing Director and Professor David MacHugh, Scientific Director.
www.equinome.com

Mary Kelly of FeePay, our 4th entrepreneur

2010-11-03T10:53:00.001-07:00

Our 4th shortlisted entrepreneur and the first featured in the Business category -
Mary Kelly is the Founder and Managing Director of FeePay, which operates out of the Synergy Centre, Tallaght. As membership secretary of Shankill Tennis Club, Mary researched the costs and logistics of setting up a credit card payment system but found it too expensive and too complex a process for the Club. So she decided to set up an affordable and accessible system which would enable clubs and small businesses to accept debit and credit card payments.

FeePay was established in 2008 and offers six different web-based solutions all under the FeePay brand – Enrol, Cart, Console, Invoice, Integration and Mobile. 60 organisations nationwide are using one or more FeePay applications – including Leinster Rugby and Munster Rugby who use the enrolment system for taking bookings for summer camps, schools using the shopping cart to accept payment for schoolbooks, schools using FeePay for enrolment into adult education classes and several businesses using the console application to process telephone orders. Currently employing 4 (1 full-time and 3 part-time), Mary’s business plan predicts staffing levels to reach 35 full time staff by 2014. Mary credits the advice given by mentors at the Synergy Centre, Institute of Technology Tallaght, for helping FeePay to achieve its growth to date. www.feepay.ie

3rd shortlisted DMA 2010 entrepreneur

2010-11-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Our 3rd shortlisted entrepreneur - Angel Luis Gonzalez developed Ireland's first international festival of photography. The PhotoIreland Festival successfully engaged with more than 60 organisations to develop 35 exhibitions in 35 venues showcasing the work of more than 250 photographers. It attracted 45,000 visitors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3u3vYMWT1o

Introducing Helium - our second shortlisted entrepreneur

2010-11-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

Helene Hugel is the second of our 9 shortlisted entrepreneurs: She established Helium in 2009 to develop arts experiences which have the power to transform a child’s experience of hospitalisation. www.helium.ie

Formerly a puppeteer and children’s theatre-maker, Helene has a qualification in hospital play. She also worked as a clown doctor for five years with Northern Ireland Clown Doctors.

An estimated 200,000 children 0-18 are treated in hospital in Ireland each year and they can feel isolated, helpless and unhappy. Children with chronic illnesses necessitating multiple hospital attendances, difficult procedures and having low energy levels are twice as likely to suffer from low self-esteem and have mental health issues as adults, than healthy children.

There are currently 25 hospitals in Ireland with paediatric wards accounting for 990 inpatient beds. Helium aims to bring its arts programmes to all of these and also into Northern Ireland. Already Helium has helped 450 children, 220 family members, 21 artists and 40 healthcare workers.

Originally from upstate New York, Helene lives and works in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

An introduction to Dnote - arts entrepreneur

2010-11-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

Over the next few days, we're giving an insight into each of our 9 shortlisted entrepreneurs - first up - Peter FitzGerald & Margaret Corcoran of Dnote. Peter and Margaret saw a need for a high quality information system for Culture in Ireland and so began sending Dnotes in August 2009 – an e-notification of all things cultural that were happening in Dublin. The aim of Dnotes is to encourage the general public and tourists to engage more with our art and cultural institutions, to go and view art in private galleries and in public art spaces.

Peter edits Circa Art magazine and Margaret is an artist, represented by the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin. They are developing a website and app for Dnotes and want to extend the service nationwide. They also plan to include sport, music and theatre shortly. Peter and Margaret who are married (to each other) are from Dundrum, Dublin.
http://www.dnote.info

2009 winner feature on Bloomberg

2010-11-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well done to 2009 DMA winners, RendezVu who featured on Bloomberg as part of a piece on how "Ireland may be the EU's Comeback Kid"

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/64099210/

6 beastly habits to avoid in online conversations!

2010-10-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

6 beastly habits to avoid in online conversations - this and other spooky nuggets of info from DMA sponsor, Islandbridge! http://tinyurl.com/2w7xzvb

Social Entrepreneur - Victoria MacKechnie

2010-10-28T04:38:00.000-07:00

See Victoria MacKechnie of Kids in the Kitchen,one of our shortlisted Social Entrepreneurs - on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPUqZaUC1OI

DMA Arts Entrepreneur Shortlist 2010

2010-10-20T05:53:00.001-07:00

Congrats also to the shortlisted entrepreneurs for our Arts Entrepreneur category:

Peter FitzGerald & Margaret Corcoran, Dnotes www.dnote.info - for their e-cultural guide to Dublin

Helene Hugel, Helium www.helium.ie - use arts experiences to transform kids' experience in hospital

Angel Luis Gonzalez, PhotoIreland Festival www.PhotoIreland.org - developed Ireland's first photographic festival

The winner of this category will be announced in Mid November - overall winner to be announced Jan 2011

Social Entrepreneurs shortlist - DMA 2010!

2010-10-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the 3 shortlisted entrepreneurs in the Social category!!

Myles McCorry, BikePure www.BikePure.org

Victoria MacKechnie, Kids in the Kitchen www.kidsinthekitchen.ie

Anne Bedos, Rothar, see Rothar page on www.facebook.com

2010 DMA Business Entrepreneur shortlist

2010-10-17T03:25:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the 3 shortlisted entrepreneurs in the Business Category of this year's DMA! Dr. Emmeline Hill, Ed Hendrick and Mary Kelly.
Dr. Hill identified a performance-related gene for thoroughbred horses - see www.equinome.com. Ed Hendrick spotted an opportunity to save companies time and money with e-recruitment - www.sonru.com while Mary Kelly discovered a need for an affordable and accessible credit card payment process - www.FeePay.ie. Winner of this category will be decided in mid November.

Final part - Cormac's African Diary

2010-09-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

Final part of Camara's Cormac Lynch's visits to their African hubs http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/605660e98c/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

Cormac's African Diary - 6 of 7

2010-09-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Cormac Lynch's penultimate diary from his trip to visit Camara's African hubs http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/7989240d6a/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

Cormac's African Diary - Part 5 of 7

2010-09-09T03:34:00.001-07:00

Apologies for gap with this but DMA blogger was on (a well-deserved!!!) holiday! Part 5 of 7 from Cormac Lynch of Camara's African Diary http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/dbf3bcfaa5/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

Camara's African Diary: Kenya

2010-08-30T00:35:00.000-07:00

Camara's Cormac Lynch reports on the highs and lows of his trip to Camara's Kenyan hubs http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/e55553bbc6/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

Cormac's African Diary - Part 3

2010-08-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

Part 3 of Cormac's diary - he really brings Tanzania to life http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/c47185ba68/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

Cormac's African Diary - Part 2

2010-08-25T01:41:00.001-07:00

Second part of Camara's Cormac Lynch' African diary, where he visits various schools etc in Tanzania http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/9ef9c82658/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09. Camara won the 2008 DMA Awards.

Cormac's African Diary

2010-08-24T01:38:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest diary from 2008 winner of the David Manley Awards, Cormac Lynch of the charity, Camara, as he visits the African hubs to see how Camara's work is developing. He writes really well. http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/373918/3c92c164ed/1469527483/2ff8ba5b09

How to raise your brand and command your market

2010-08-17T04:07:00.000-07:00

DMA sponsor, Islandbridge is running a series of branding courses starting in September with a choice of venues & times: Naas, Tue Afternoons, and Dublin 4, Wednesday Afternoons or Evenings.

During this lively and highly-productive 8 Week Course you will learn how to raise a brand and command your market by becoming the natural choice of your customers...

"Gave me really powerful insights and clear direction...I'd highly recommend this course." Robert Bruton, Quest Merchandise

http://events.linkedin.com/Raising-Brand-8-Week-Course/pub/388075

Raising A Brand (8 Week Course)
September - November
€1,000 (includes 8 Group Sessions & 1 Individual Consulting Session)

Ireland needs an army of mentors - Alfie Kane

2010-07-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Alfie Kane is the chairman of the panel of judges for the David Manley Awards. To mark the launch of this year's Awards today (20th July) he says, "There’s no shortage of the entrepreneurial spirit in Ireland - but the harsh reality is that the vast majority fail. So - rather than focus on the intellectual question of ‘how to create entrepreneurs’ - let’s focus on reducing the failure rate of today’s start up companies.”

“What’s been proven to reduce failure rates for start-ups? Mentoring - the gift of time. If we had a national support structure and if every start-up was allocated a mentor, failure rates would drop dramatically. Ireland has an army of successful people who are able and willing to pass on their skills and the government needs to harness this expertise into a structured national support system. The mentor doesn’t have to be an entrepreneur – there is a wealth of managerial talent in both private and public companies. The banks and the public service departments, for example, could get mid-level management to each donate, say, a day every fortnight to mentor start-ups. This is not a new theory - we have talked about it so often – now let’s just do it,” he says. Further info on this year's awards - www.davidmanleyawards.ie

€5k Innovation Voucher

2010-04-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

Could you do with 5K funding to work with NCI?
Innovation Voucher Initiative from Enterprise Ireland is open again.The aim of this Initiative is allow small companies to develop business ideas and opportunities and to forge links with third level providers.

See the NCI blog http://nellatnci.wordpress.com for more details..

But hurry.. this call closes in 10 days and number of vouchers available are limited to 200..

Meet the Mentors - Dublin Chamber of Commerce

2010-04-01T04:57:00.000-07:00

Dublin Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of businesses, both large and small, in Ireland's capital. As the premier networking organisation in the city, the Chamber offers significant opportunities to promote your business and network with other members.

The Chamber provides a range of business services, including business briefings, visa and export documentation, international business opportunities and discounts for members on a range of business services.

Boosting your business could be a lot easier than you think, with a little help from Dublin Chamber of Commerce. If your business priorities include networking, access and profile then the Dublin Chamber is for you! All staff are members under your company membership so everyone benefits. Contact us on 6447200 or email Donal@dublinchamber.ie.

Meet the Mentors - Business & Finance

2010-03-31T01:50:00.000-07:00

Business & Finance is an international Irish media network. Established in 1964, it has led the way in providing thought-provoking commentary and in-depth analysis on all aspects of enterprise. The brand portfolio includes Business & Finance magazine, The Top 1000 Companies in Ireland and the Who’s Who in Irish Business, real-time business news and information online, data on Ireland’s Top 1000 Companies and a world-class range of business events. Business & Finance magazine is Ireland’s leading business publication, with a high ABC1 readership.”

We are delighted to work with Garrett and Paul to raise awareness for the RendezVu brand and provide the opportunity to reach high-profile business professionals. Available to RendezVu is an advertising solution that can be tailored to suit their needs and Business & Finance will be available to advise on the best use of this package to gain maximum exposure.
Businessandfinancetoday.com

NovaUCD Entrepreneurs Live - Podcast

2010-03-04T03:23:00.001-08:00

Podcast of yesterdays NovaUCD Entrepreneurs Live Seminar by Howard Beggs, Helix Health now available http://snipurl.com/uib9o

Meet the Mentors - Image Now

2010-03-03T01:27:00.000-08:00

Image Now is a creative company with a strategic design consultancy and film production business.Design is central to our organisation. Through our long established consultancy, we collaborate with clients to design uniquely effective identities and communications. We create identities that express strategic intent.
We bring strategy to life in brand communications.

The team has extensive experience in graphic design for print and online, brand creation, environmental design, arts and cultural events including exhibitions, advertising, strategic positioning, research, media communications
and workshop facilitation. Image Now’s film division offers a wide range of services including storyboards, editing, titles, visual effects, animation and 3D modeling.

The Image Now team looks forward to collaborating with Garrett and Paul to develop RendezVu's visual identity and bring its brand strategy to life. www.imagenow.ie

Meet the Mentors - Enterprise Ireland

2010-02-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

For many years, the Enterprise Ireland Mentor Network has been providing Irish companies (across all sectors) with tailored advice and support, helping to accelerate growth, survive in difficult times and build management capability. Our Mentors are successful senior executives who volunteer to advise companies based on their own business experience. Our Mentors are active and enthusiastic entrepreneurs who’ve sold their businesses or active owner/ managers willing to give something back. Our Mentors don’t offer a passive chat over coffee – they are people who are committed to making a real contribution in our client companies, bringing about change, removing barriers to growth and enabling success.

Our mentors are delighted to work with the David Manley Award winners, where they will play a valuable role in listening, challenging, advising, and helping the award winners focus on the key issues and find solutions to those issues. Through our programme they will benefit from the skills and experience of senior business people who’ve been down a similar road and have encountered the same kind of issues and problems. www.enterprise-ireland.com/mentor

Meet the Mentors - Newmarket Consulting

2010-02-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Newmarket Consulting was founded by David Manley in 1979, whose ethos of integrity, imagination and enterprise still underpins Newmarket Consulting's approach.
We are a management consultancy who believes that client relationships work best when their advisors share their passion and the interest they have in their field. Our passions are education, the creative sector, art and culture, health and social care and tourism.

We work with motivated people who see the evolution of their organisation as an exciting journey and embrace the adventures along the way. We work in collaboration with our clients to:

• Map current and future business opportunities and challenges
• Research and analyse issues and solutions en route
• Develop a structured plan to navigate the organisation in line with recommended solutions
• Provide support and assistance on the journey to ensure maximum return on resources invested
• Monitor progress to ensure organisation objectives are on track

We look forward to meeting with RendezVu, and are proud to have a chance to help them achieve their huge potential. We will outline to RendezVu the areas in which we work, covering Information, Interpretation, Insights, Imagination and Implementation, in that our consultancy offering spans research, analysis, planning and report writing and working with clients during implementation. Our work will be helped by the fact that senior consultant Mitchell used to teach English in South Korea and Canada! www.newmarketconsulting.ie

Meet the Mentors - Islandbridge

2010-02-24T03:28:00.001-08:00

At Islandbridge we believe that success in business always comes down to the ability to influence choice. More and more, people are choosing on the basis of brand. We work with clients across all sectors to build brands that help make them the natural choice of their customers.

Like the Award judges, we think Garrett and Paul have developed a remarkable resource for language students everywhere and we're really looking forward to working closely with them in 2010 to help them find a place to stand so that they can move the world.

In practical terms, that means we'll position and profile the brand in a way that makes sense to their customers, then outline what they need to do and say in order to win them over and keep them coming back for more.
www.islandbridge.com

Meet the Mentors - Thesaurus Software

2010-02-23T04:50:00.000-08:00

Thesaurus Software Ltd was established in 1992 by former employee of David Manley, Paul Byrne fca mmii. At Thesaurus Software we have a passion for making the financial and administrative aspects of business management
simpler, less time-consuming and more accurate. With years of experience and dedication to this ideal, we have created a range of IT software solutions which are in use by over 55,000 businesses in Ireland and the UK today.

The company is best known for excellence in customer support which accompanies each payroll and accounts software product. This level of support will be extended to RendezVu as well as all additional 8 shortlisted finalists with free licensed payroll and accounts software for the next three years. Thesaurus will be on hand to guide each company through the implementation and effective use of the payroll and accounts software making each business self sufficient in meeting their legal obligations to employees and Revenue.

www.thesaurus.ie

Meet the Mentors - Karan Thompson Consulting

2010-02-22T10:10:00.001-08:00

Karan Thompson Consulting (KTCL) works with SMEs and micro enterprises across the arts, culture, business and creative industries sectors. We specialise in innovation coaching and ideas generation processes as utilised in the Stanford Research Institute, California, helping businesses commercialise their creativity.

We are looking forward to working with Garrett and Paul during 2010 to develop ideas, innovation processes and solutions to bring RendezVu to additional markets.
Key services provided by KTCL include: strategic planning, mentoring, partnership and business development, innovation process, ideas generation and positioning innovative solutions, consultation programmes, seminar design and marketing and public relations campaigns.

Meet the Mentors - gbc Public Relations

2010-02-22T04:51:00.000-08:00

gbc Public Relations has a proven track record in delivering strategic, creative solutions for organisations and brands. We are results-driven and our philosophy is to 'always go that extra mile to ensure clients' delight.'

We are excited to be working with RendezVu this year and look forward to helping them achieve their business objectives! We will be drafting their PR Strategy and a Tactical Public Relations Programme and ensure it is implemented.

Services offered by gbc include Reputation Management, Strategic Planning, Pro-Active Media Relations, Marketing Communications, Event Management, Sponsorship, Product Launches, Campaign Evaluation and Press Desk.

www.gbc-pr.com

Meet the Mentors - Pigsback.com

2010-02-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

Pigsback.com are another sponsor meeting Paul and Garrett of RendezVu next Wednesday, 24th February. Here are some details from pigsback:

Pigsback.com was the brainchild of Irish entrepreneur Michael Dwyer, who launched the company in Ireland in 2000. Within five years, the company had launched in the UK and now has over 1 million active members across the markets with over 300,000 currently active in Ireland. Pigsback.com is known for its great offers and rewards from brands including: O2, Guinness, Jameson, a|wear and L’Oreal.

Our members are typically:
20 – 45 years of age,70% female,45% are interested in education and training
52% are interested in computers and the internet and 67% are interested in travel

Pigsback.com members can take advantage of exclusive offers from leading brands and can also be rewarded with its online currency PiggyPoints.

We plan to offer RendezVu the benefit of a 6 week competition on Pigsback.com and main sponsorship of our Travel & Weekender newsletter which is sent to 110,000 members who are interested in travel. They can expect to achieve the following results;

80,000 members exposed
15,000 interactions
7,000 competition entries

Meet the Mentors

2010-02-19T05:52:00.000-08:00

On 24th Feb, Paul and Garrett from RendezVu will find out how much advice they are getting as part of their prize of €100,000 worth of free mentoring! Over the next few blogs, we want to introduce the sponsors who are supplying that advice:

First up - Mason Hayes+Curran:

Mason Hayes+Curran solicitors is dedicated to providing a full range of legal services to emerging businesses and technology companies. We advise on business structure and formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, financing, investment, employment and shareholder matters. We understand the particular needs and concerns of emerging businesses and their requirement for clear and prompt legal advice. An MH+C partner will team with RendezVu to assist in every way that a dedicated in-house legal counsel would. That partner will be there to support RendezVu every step of the way, helping to develop its business and ensuring that all the legal bases of the challenges ahead are covered.

RendezVu arranged with Mentors!

2010-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

The DMA 2009 winners - Paul and Garret of RendezVu - will face an information overload on 24th February when they find out exactly what they will be getting from their mentors during 2010! Their prize was €100k in mentoring and 10k in cash - so that's a lot of advice coming down the track! On the 24th, each of the DMA mentors aka sponsors of the Award will do a short presentation to the guys outling what they can do for them over the next ten months or so. Participating companies include Newmarket Consulting, KTCL (Karan Thompson Consulting), Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Deloitte, Image Now, Newmarket Partnership, Islandbridge, Mason, Hayes & Curran, gbc Public Relations, Pigsback.com and Business & Finance magazine!

2010-01-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

Aspiring rural entrepreneurs? RTE's "Higher Ground" TV programme wants to hear from you! Info from www.smallbusinesscan.ie

Last summer saw the introduction of RTE One's rural entrepreneurial
series "Higher Ground". The innovative series selected eight aspiring
rural entrepreneurs from across Ireland and helped them to bring their
business ideas into reality with the help of mentors Paul Mc Carthy, Teagasc
and Peter Young, Farmers Journal.

If you have - or know someone with - a business idea, drive and
determination that could benefit from guidance and a helping hand,
then why not apply. Contact Good Company Productions on 057-9323847 or
email higherground@goodcompany.ie for more information.

RendezVu in today's Irish Times

2010-01-22T03:31:00.000-08:00

Paul and Garrett of RendezVu, our Award winners in today's Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0122/1224262842159.html

2009 DMA Winner announced today!

2010-01-21T06:37:00.000-08:00

Many congratulations to Paul Groarke and Garrett Hussey of Rendez Vu who today were presented as the overall winners of the 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards! They developed a 'gaming approach' to help students learn foreign languages - see www.rendezvu.co.uk They have won €10,000 in cash and €100,000 worth of mentoring and consultancy advice! The Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan and Dr. Chris Horn presented them with their Award at a reception in the RHA Gallery earlier today. Well done guys!

Also many congrats to RTE's John Murray who won the inaugural David Manley Media Award for his dedication and commitement to covering entrepreneurship on his programme, "The Business."

2010-01-17T08:17:00.000-08:00

Just 4 days to go before the winner of the 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards is announced by the Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan and Chris Horn. Best of luck to the 3 finalists - The PPD, RendezVU and ThisIsPopBaby!

Nearly Decision Time!

2010-01-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Only just over a week to go before the 2009 Winners of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards are announced! Dr. Chris Horn will do the honours on Thursday 21st January at a reception in Dublin. Battling it out are the 3 finalists:

PPD - Psychological Centre - winner of the Social Entrepreneur category www.theppd.eu;

RendezVu - winner of the Business Entrepreneur category www.rendezvu.co.uk

ThisIsPopBaby - winner of the Arts Entrepreneur category www.ThisIsPopBaby.com

Best of luck to all!

Spreading the Light of Camara

2010-01-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

It wasn’t easy getting there, as I had to suffer the worry of waiting for my passport to make the trip to Dublin and back to London without me as we waited for our Kenyan Airways connection in Heathrow, but it was well worth the anxiety. The warm breeze that met us on exiting Nairobi airport whisked away all memories of the pandemonium that I had unwittingly started in London by leaving my passport on the plane, and it was good to finally be in Kenya.

Myself and my travelling companions, Barbara Dooley from UCD and Barbara O’Callaghan from State Street, were the very fortunate beneficiaries of a decision by Irish charity Camara to send some of those that were involved in fundraising activities during the year to Kenya, to witness some of the fruit borne by their fundraising efforts. And I’m pleased to report that what I saw in Kenya exceeded my expectations and gave me great hope in the future of Africa, and the significant role Camara has to play in facilitating that future.

I had been aware of the work of Camara since they won the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards in 2008. The decision made by Cormac Lynch in 2005 to send a couple of Irish computers, destined for the skip, to Africa for use in education has inspired the development of a social enterprise that in early 2009 saw Camara ship their 10,000th computer to Africa. What greeted us in Africa however was not just an organisation putting recycled Irish computers to good use, but an organisation providing a key to unlocking a bright new future for Kenya.

Kenya is a stable nation, relative to some of its east African coast neighbours, but it still bears the hallmarks that blight many African countries, widespread poverty and crippling corruption. What really defined it for me though was not the extent of its problems, but the relentlessness of its positivity and ambition. Our week-long jaunt brought us to the coastal cities of Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu and introduced us to some of the most joyous and passionate people on Earth.

We began in Mombasa, visiting the hub that Camara have established there. Not only do Camara clean and refurbish computers in Ireland, but they have also established a number of hubs in the countries they provide to in Africa; Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Lesotho. The hub in Mombasa relies, as does the entire Camara organisation, on volunteers and the quality of volunteers that the work of Camara attracts was a real eye-opener.

Hugely motivated and passionate about what Camara is striving to achieve, the task of uploading the Linux operating system, and installing educational software (including information on HIV Awareness and Gender Equality and Camara’s very own version of Wikipedia) falls to some of Mombasa’s best and brightest. We were each assigned a teacher, to run us through the procedures carried out once the computers arrive in their containers from Ireland, to ready them for installation in schools. My teacher, a 19-year-old girl who had never even touched a computer as recently as 5 months ago, delighted in the task teaching me about the Ubuntu operating system, while explaining to me the opportunity her involvement with Camara offers her. As well as the practical experience she gets, she also undertakes the teaching programme Camara provides for its volunteers. She tells me that it will be of huge benefit to her, as she wants to become a computer teacher. And she’s well able for it. After her in-depth tutorial, I manage to upload an operating system and all of the required educational software by myself, and I record the tracking number Camara assigns to each computer to see where it will eventually be sent. Delighted by what I had learned, I bade farewell to Pilli my teacher, wondering whether I should give her my postal address or e-mail address for keeping in touch. “Neither”, she replied, “I’ll Facebook you instead”.

Having visited the nerve centre of Camara in Mombasa, we were transported up the coast to Malindi, with our guide (and dedicated Camara volunteer) Chiku and our driver (and dedicated Camara volunteer) Joshua. In Malindi, we met up with a local student teacher, and Camara volunteer, Mujahadid. Speaking with Mujahadid was a treat, he was keenly intelligent and had great knowledge to impart on the state of current affairs in Kenya. At the end of our tour of Malindi he asked us if we would visit a school that he was involved with, which had also benefited from the receipt of Camara computers. “Involved with” didn’t quite explain the situation. As we arrived at the school Mujahadid was met with deferential greetings of “Hello Mr. President” by the kids playing outside and the school’s caretakers. He explained that the school was established by an English woman a couple of years ago, and the man she had initially hired to run it had grossly mismanaged all of the funds she had supplied for running of the school. Mujahadid had been recommended to her, and now he finds himself in the situation of running a school while studying to be a teacher at the local University.

He informed me that he is treated with mild distrust in his community, as he maintains meticulous records of his use of school funds and never profits himself. He told us the story of how, the week before our visit, he had gone down to Malindi port to collect a container that had arrived from England with toys for the school. Port security, however, wouldn’t release the container without receiving a hefty kickback first. Mujahadid had to ask his fellow University students to pool together their money in order to have it released. He explained to me how corruption was endemic in Kenya, and needed to be erased for the country to progress. I asked him how the cycle of corruption could be broken. He stated, “education is the key” before adding, “that’s why Camara is the key”.

Final part to follow in the next few days…

In today's Irish Times

2009-12-08T03:52:00.000-08:00

Two healthcare groups shortlisted for the 2009 DMA - the Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young Support Group and the PPD Psychological Centre - are featured in today's Irish Times health supplement

http://short.ie/ug02hs

Social Entrepreneurs - Shortlist

2009-11-25T06:42:00.001-08:00

Shortlist for Emerging Social Entrepreneur (www.davidmanleyawards.ie):

Attendance at 3rd level education from disadvantaged areas is low, despite it being free. John Lawlor & Claire Conneely set up The Bridge to College (B2C) and developed an innovative programme to address this, using a mix of team-based workshops and technology-mediated learning.

2 people under the age of 35 die each week in Ireland from Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Mary Desmond Vasseghi and other bereaved parents established the 'Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young Support Group' in February 2006. It supports affected families and is advocating for the compulsory screening of all athletes.

In 2006, Krystian Fikert, a Polish psychologist, set up The Psychological Centre in Dublin (PPD) to address the psychological needs of Polish immigrants in Ireland. In 2007, they expanded to include all immigrant groups and last year, it was extended as a service to all.

Arts Entrepreneurs - Shortlist

2009-11-24T02:25:00.000-08:00

3 Arts entrepreneurs on DMA shortlist - further info www.davidmanleyawards.ie

Galway company, Arcana, founded by former Saw Doctor, Johnny Donnelly, had a brilliant 2009 - including providing Irish-themed entertainment for Tourism Ireland at every port worldwide during Volvo Ocean Race.

Bray-based Serendipity provide interactive theatre and entertainment for old people in residential care whose access to artistic and cultural experiences can be limited. Founded by German-born Hedda Kaphengst.

THISISPOPBABY bring new audiences to theatre by redefining the very notion of what theatre can be. They blur the distinctions between art and performance and between actor and audience.

Shortlist for Emerging Business Entrepreneur 09

2009-11-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

3 entrepreneurs short-listed for the Business Category in 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards:

Drs. Peter Briggs & Maurice Coyle for HeyStaks - a social web search platform that makes it easier for people to find and share relevant content on the Web:

Paul Groarke & Garrett Hussey for RendezVu - which takes a different approach to language learning by using virtual technology and a 'gaming' approach;

Kevin O'Shaughnessy for the XIT Travel Experience - a new concept in travel planning which fits the way people actually travel.

Further info: www.davidmanleyawards.ie

Shortlist for 09 Awards

2009-11-20T04:16:00.000-08:00

Many congrats to the 9 entrepreneurs shortlisted for the 2009 DMA - overall winner will be announced on 21st January! Short-listed are:

Arts Category:
Arcana - Johnny Donnelly - www.arcana.ie
Serendipity - Hedda Kaphengst - www.theatregroup.ie
THISISPOPBABY - Jennifer Jennings & Phillip McMahon - www.ThisIsPopBaby.com

Business Category:
HeyStaks - Drs. Peter Briggs & Maurice Coyle - www.heystaks.com
RendezVu - Paul Groarke & Garrett Hussey - www.rendezvu.co.uk
XIT - Kevin O'Shaughnessy - www.xitbeta.com

Social Category:
The Bridge to College (B2C) - John Lawlor & Claire Conneely - www.suas.ie/b2c/html
Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young Support Group - Mary Desmond Vasseghi - www.scdyoung.ie
PPD - Psychological Centre in Dublin - Krystian Fikert - www.theppd.eu

2009-07-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Camara, winners of the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards in 2008, have been carrying out a lot of work on location in Africa recently. Cormac and his team's Blog makes for very interesting reading. Please see the extracts below:

Who lays the bricks? July 29, 2009 (by Eoghan)

Awasa, Ethiopia

I arrived tenser than usual. I think its better to assume the worst than hope for the best. Team morale is fluctuating like the power here. Although Ethiopia produces more power hydro-electrically than it consumes each year, it has been exporting increasingly more to its neighbours. Citizens in Southern Ethiopia have similar names for their politicians and political system as you may hear on the Luas about ours. The rivers are being diverted to the hydro-dams to increase the volume of throughput, yet the extra electrical units are not for local consumption. The result is dry river beds, rolling black outs based on an incomprehensible system of on/off/off/on/maybe/2nd weekend in the month off/ etc and a headache for teaching teachers using computers.

The team runs generators during the off hours and plan their curriculum’s around the on slots. The ratio of volunteers to teachers doesn’t favour the quantities of eager teachers here in Awasa who have signed up. The ICDL and networking team could stay indefinitely. They are split between two colleges, Debub and Zion Technical.

The team is split to take advantage of a good Perkins Diesel generator in Zion College and through fallout of the non-existent delegation in Debub.

The Debub College Principal has been absent with a broken leg, donkey related we were later told. Without him, it was extremely difficult to organise the required electrics for the room. It seems as though every organisation here has an architect of sorts. The head hauncho who arrives on-site and the masses perk up to look busy. If anybody has worked on a building site, the person holding the tube of drawings, immaculately clean hard hat and wellies from the boot of the S320 is top dog and if he/she barks, you better know what your doing.

It seems organisations here are like building sites in their approach to business employment. No deviation can be made to the regular day-to-day operations without that change communicated to and agreed upon by the architect. Unlike at home though, the architects here don’t leave many plans and there is nobody to lay the bricks for them in their absence. If they ain’t here, nothing new can be implemented and the employees follow only what they know. No site manager steps in and starts calling the shots. I can imagine a hotel manager asking for sandwiches to be made, falling ill and coming back after a month to find that only 5 were made as they ran out of butter. We have experienced this trend in hotels, colleges and even in our own hub.

The volunteers will train in both colleges until the end of this week before departing to the capital, Addis Ababa. All agree that the end of the month has crept up on them. Its reassuring for the cynics to hear that some of the team will stay on after the program has run its course to travel north of Addis and others are to explore Uganda, Kenya and South Africa. It is true that Africa gets into your blood. I can only say from experience that Murphy had to be an African and his laws drafted here. Its terribly frustrating and sometimes you can lose sight of the bigger picture as the issues of electrics and governance can temporarily blind you.

Heres some feedback that was collected, it has been written here exactly as it was received.

What was good?

Help me see parts of computer i only know by name
Like practical
Teachers know their material
Understand developed countries
Interesting because trainers work together
Qualifies trainers involves current technology
Surprising!, now i know secret of computes
Advanced from last year, keep it up.
Happy that we learn, even in no light
Learning a bit more Linux
Great course to update knowledge & fix issues on our own labs when we return to work

What needs to be improved?

Longer courses
We want OS on CD
Windows languageCourse outline for town
One topic in lab rather than two
Best if tutors are from the same profession as students
Time is short
Local professionals in the class
More practical
We would like to learn about more network and databases

How will you use training received?

For future career and i will teach others
I will use my computer training in all aspects – to improve myself &others in society
Replicate the course
Going to use it in my school
The course is better than expected, i will apply it in my school
Helps me teach my students
Start new enterprise
Direct relation to my profession

Adama Power Problems: July 13th and 14th (by Hester)
Francisco and I head down to meet the rest of the team in Adama. This is their second week there and they seem to have settled in nicely. There have been a lot of problems with electricity, one day on and one day off in different parts of the city. Since this was known before hand, they had all brought laptops, extra batteries, and a generator (which they ferry between classes).

They have managed to allow for four to five classes to be taught at any time. I am very impressed by their ingenuity and ability to overcome what could have potentially been a nightmare. The two team coordinators, Mike and Karen, are clearly doing a fantastic job and have obviously worked very hard to smooth over any difficulties in organising the training and the logistics at the guest house. They work well with their buddy, Gelana, and the other staff in the hub, who seem to respect, love and fear them at the same time. As a result of this, the team is relaxed and is able to get on with their job of teaching. I receive feedback from them saying, “Mike and Karen are doing an excellent job, except they could do with translators in the class as the language barrier is a problem and that the food takes too long to arrive in the guest house where they are staying.”

The Hub – In week one and two there are classes in Multi-media, Networking, and PC Maintenance. There are around 20 students in each class. In the Hamara Nursing school, they are teaching ICDL beginner and advance courses. In total, they should have around 80 students graduating at the end of the week (already 80 graduated last week). It’s a little too early to introduce Moodle to the teachers, but Ana has been showing Feiyssa’s daughter, Howie, how it works. The hub looks great, clean and freshly painted. There is a mural of Cormac on the wall, which everyone finds very amusing. Eyob showed me the room where thy have been storing the computers, which they have not been able to move onto schools due to either low specs or technical problems. The PC Maintenance students have been working on these in their class and have managed to fix between 10 and 15 so far. After speaking with Ben, who is running the class, he says the main problem is that they have been plugged in without surge protectors.

In their first week, the local TV station came to the hub and filmed the volunteers and students. They were on the evening news for a couple of minutes and there is a longer programme of 20 minutes out later this week.

Friday and Saturday July 10/11th – Kigali/Addis/Rome/London/Dublin (by Cormac)

Going Home

Met briefly with Eddy in the morning to say good bye and pass on my old Camara T shirts (I’m sure they’ll be fine once he’s given them a good wash). Then, before departing for the airport, I went to meet my Rwandan friend but there was little compromise in his heart. Anyway not much I could do about it now – pass it onto to Trisha and Frank to deal with (thanks guys).

Off to the airport for the long journey home - 5 airports in 26 hours – with feelings that contrasted sharply with those of December 2008 when I visited last.

“…………. I can say that after three weeks on the road I can not imagine a better or more satisfying experience than traveling around Africa and watching Camara take root. To see each of the Hubs established (or re-established), to see each of their different personalities taking shape, to meet the staff, volunteers, partners, schools and donors that have all played their part, and to learn something new and different every day – its just the best job in the world!” (Cormac’s Diary - Saturday December 6th 2008)

Africa is not for the faint of heart. It is not for those seeking short term victories or easy solutions. It is not for those looking for a pat on the back from an adoring public or for those who are afraid to fail, again and again. It is hard work, it is frustrating and it sometimes wants to make you cry. But the ordinary people are wonderfully warm, generous and full of life. Their smiles are infectious and their sense of gratitude immense. They deserve so much better than what their leaders give them and I will be back again older and wiser but no less committed to their struggle.

Launch of 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards

2009-05-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

The 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards will be launched on Wednesday May 27th.

Defying the current economic climate, the Awards have also teamed up with 3 new sponsors, who will greatly enhance the vital support that the Awards provide to emerging entrepreneurs in Ireland.

Our new sponsors are Enterprise Ireland's Mentoring Network, Mason Hayes+Curran and Thesaurus Software. We look forward to working with all of our partners over the coming years to nurture Ireland's entrepreneurial spirit across the arts, business and social spheres.