Channel Mechanics has been named the overall winner at the SCCUL Entrepreneurship Awards 2012 at a special ceremony in the Ardilaun Hotel this morning.
The business, run by Kenneth Fox, was chosen for the top prize from the seven category winners and will receive a prize package of €10,000 in cash, a specially commissioned ceramic trophy and a promotional package worth €2,500 with the Galway Independent.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny was in attendance for the illustrious business awards, which have grown significantly since first being launched in 2010, and said he was delighted to present the prize to such a “dynamic young company”.
“Companies like Channel Mechanics display the energy, tenacity and ability to think and act with global ambition. I commend the SCCUL Entrepreneurship Awards for providing a platform to celebrate the achievements of our indigenous companies which generate sales, exports, and employment and will be at the heart of our economic recovery.”
The winners were chosen through a vigorous evaluation process led by SCCUL Awards Chairman Declan Dooley and a panel including Barry Egan, Director, West Region Enterprise Ireland; Jim Murren, former IDA Regional Manager IDA Galway and Hannah Kiely CEO, HC Financial Advisors Ltd. Dragon’s Den tycoon Gavin Duffy’s also came on board this year as a guest judge to help in the adjudication process.
The competition is an initiative of SCCUL Enterprises Ltd, aided by Ballybane Enterprise Centre, St. Columba’s Credit Union and Galway City Council and aims to encourage local entrepreneurship by identifying high potential entrepreneurs and helping them accelerate their plans.
Congratulating all the award winners on their success, Jim Naughton, Chairman of the Board of SCCUL Enterprises said the awards were a “really important opportunity” to encourage entrepreneurship, which is “critical to business growth and creating employment in our local area”.
“As a community based company set up in association with St. Columba’s Credit Union, we want to support local community enterprise and encourage our local entrepreneurs,” he said.
“These awards are a good news story. One hundred and thirty two local businesses entered the SCCUL Entrepreneurship Awards and today, thirty local businesses have had their entrepreneurial achievements recognised through these awards.”
This year’s winners in full are:
Overall Winner: Channel Mechanics (Kenneth Fox)
Category Winners: Mr Waffle (Retail), Gallery Café (Consumer Services), Stocktaking.ie (Professional Services), Printed Blinds Factory (Emerging Businesses), Stuff 4 Cakes (Online), iDonate (Social) and Channel Mechanics (Export).
All will receive a €1,000 cash prize, a specially designed ceramic trophy from local ceramics artist Sinead O’Toole and a full page business profile worth €1,250 in the Galway Independent
Runners-Up: Belladonna Bridal (Retail), Pressed4Time (Consumer Services), GIRT Mobile (Professional Services), JW Design Ltd (Emerging), eMedia Interactive Ltd (Online), COPE Galway Community Catering (Social) and Channel Mechanics (Export).
All will receive a cash prize of €500, plus a promotional package worth €500 in the Galway Independent.
Ones to Watch: All4Baby and Green Earth Organics (Retail), Van Shelving (Consumer Services), Proof Graphic Design, Pear Electronic Centre Ltd/Electronic Partner and Prevos Solutions (Professional Services), Element Software, Full Health Medical Ltd, Ireland’s Raw Kitchen, 37 Degrees and Barry Kinsella (Emerging), Mocks.ie, Irene Graham and English Bubble Ltd (Online), ACT for Meningitis (Social) and Ex Ordo Ltd (Export).
