Each year, Ireland hosts the National Enterprise Awards to recognise stellar performances in the small business sector. 31 businesses from across the nation made it to the shortlist for this year’s awards. The award categories include best start-up, best export, innovation, one-to-watch, sustainability, with a grand prize for the National Enterprise of the Year. The awards ceremony will take place at the grand Mansion House, Dublin, on the 23rd of May.
We bring to you 16 finalists, and here they are, starting with Dublin City’s locally favourite, Drink Botanicals. They lead the way as a supplier of quality dried garnishes, natural syrups, and cocktail additional ingredients. Successful in international markets, notably the UK and US via Amazon, they have also signed a distribution agreement in UAE. The quality of their products is paramount. More about them at drinkbotanicalsireland.ie.
The Black Stuff from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown specialises in creating natural soaps and deodorants, skillfully crafting only 54 products at a time in their Dublin workshop. What started as a hobby in the founders kitchen has now grown into a business with a team of 10 producing 10,000 soaps weekly. They own a superb reputation with 15,000 five-star reviews, making them one of the top-rated men’s care businesses globally. Check out theblackstuff.com.
Fingal’s PRM Assist is a global frontrunner offering novel services to passengers with reduced mobility within airport vicinity. Their offerings range from PRM Connect, a revolutionary API for smooth accessibility bookings, PRM Assist Portal with detailed data analytics for seamless operations, and a customer-friendly mobile app for assistance requests and airport interaction. Primarily focused on the UK and Ireland, they have now enlarged their market to the Middle East and are planning to penetrate the US, Canada, and further. Visit prmassist.com for more information.
South Dublin boasts Smart Studio that is famed for designing, manufacturing, and installing audio studios used in music, film, post-production, gaming, and animation industries. They’ve introduced a modular technique for quick and easy installation. The studio is known for meeting the highest international studio standards. Visit smartstudioinc.com.
Lastly, Clare brings us One-Use Harm Reduction Products, committed to quality and customer care.
One-Use Harm Reduction Products is in the business of creating goods for global drug addiction services to minimise the spread of infections amongst addicts. These goods reach more than ten countries globally. The website is one-use.com.
Valentia Island Vermouth, crafted in Ireland, is a top-notch, multi-award winning vermouth, supplied to Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury drinking establishments, eateries and five-star hotels throughout Ireland. The company plans to expand into the US market, with confirmed business in DC and New York City. Visit valentiaislandvermouth.ie for more.
In Limerick City, Monarú, a design and production company, stands out. They use digital manufacture combined with traditional craft to produce their bodies of work. They focus on fashioning contemporary plywood furniture and also curate 3D sculptures, props and sets for film and television. Their site is monaru.ie.
Nutshed, known worldwide and the brainchild of Evie and Eliza Ward, takes pride in delivering high-quality craft peanut butters and plant-based delights. Originally a market stall, they are now recognised as pioneering flavoured peanut butters in Ireland and sell in over 600 shops countrywide. Their site is nutshed.ie.
Dreamdev Technologies, a contemporary tech firm, focuses on the application of advanced software engineering practices to optimise businesses. Their leading product, dot-star, assists software engineering teams in excelling with minimal resource demand. For more, visit dreamdev.io.
Dunmasc Genetics, established in 2014 by Laois native Stephen Dowling, offers services and products related to bovine genetics, both locally and worldwide. It leads in training, sales, and services, with plans to expand its overseas market comprising of multiple countries including Spain, Italy, China, and Malaysia. Check out the website dunmascgenetics.ie.
Network and Infrastructure Support (NIS) is a notable Offaly-based company.
NIS, a renowned UK-wide provider of IT commodities and amenities, caters to a broad clientele comprising of small and medium-sized firms, government agencies, and corporate enterprises. By covering all areas of IT, including hardware, software, cloud products, and wifi installation and upgrades, NIS guarantees the finest standard in IT assistance and application services. Visit their website, nis.ie.
Leading the transformation in the energy sector is Watt Footprint, with its sophisticated, unique software, and cutting-edge tech platform. Armed with AI and machine learning for advanced meter data amalgamation, automatic bill reading and interpretation, Watt Footprint gifts businesses the chance to reclaim control over their energy consumption and expenses. They provide an unmatched convenience of a fully equipped remote energy management team at their disposal. They are redefining standards for energy efficiency and cost handling in the corporate world. Visit wattfootprint.com to learn more.
Rebel City Distillery, which was founded in June 2020, holds the title of being the first distillery in Cork in half a century. Situated within a renovated Ford factory that had been idle since 1984, their prize-winning, eco-friendly distillery, and visitor centre encapsulates the spirit of Cork’s naval history. Inspired by this past, their beverages are made with global foresight, proposing a unique and fascinating array widely hailed internationally. Visit them at rebelcitydistillery.com.
Heading over to West Cork, you’ll find the Wildberry Bakery, a gluten-free bakery renown for making delicious cakes using top-quality ingredients and time-tested baking methods. Thanks to their collaboration with food service distributors and Dunnes Stores Simply Better, Wildberry Bakery services extend to all 32 counties. You can find more information at wildberrybakery.com.
The Feed Ducks Initiative is a global environmental project that works together with government bodies to convert duck feeding in public parks into a more sustainable activity. They supply solar-powered, contactless duck food dispensers at no cost to parks, to discourage communities from feeding ducks with harmful items such as bread. Visit feedducks.com for more details.
Finally, Expat Taxes is an Irish tax firm that specialises in making taxes simpler for people relocating to Ireland or leaving the country. With over 15 years of experience as registered tax advisers and chartered accountants, they are proficient in expatriate tax. To find out more about their services, visit expattaxes.ie.