Northern Ireland finalists for the StartUp Awards National Series revealed

The winners will be revealed in June

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Sion BarryMedia Wales Business Editor

04:00, 30 MAR 2022

Finalists for the Northern Ireland StartUp Awards

The Northern Ireland finalists for a new ��Ƶ-wide awards initiative championing the best in start-ups and entrepreneurial activity can been revealed.

The has been launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the ��Ƶ which has accelerated since the pandemic began. In 2020, when most of the world was shutting down, more than 400,000 startups were set up in Britain, with similar increases seen in other European countries.

This marked boost in nascent entrepreneurship is mirrored by a huge 2,500 applications which have been received in response to the Startup Awards National Series’ first ever call for entries.

The Northern Ireland startups that made the shortlist are a true snapshot of the future economy, with a collective turnover of over £3m and employing 146 people between them.

One finalist said: “Northern Ireland has proved to be a key start-up hub over the last ten years.

“It's where lots of start-up enterprises have begun and grown over the years. It's a place that is cost-effective to establish and run a business, and over time it’s proved to be entrepreneurial and innovative in its approach.”

The cohort of finalists announced today will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. This includes Northern Ireland-based Roisin Molloy, CEO & founder of Trimedika, Dave Linton, CEO of Madlug, and Audrey Osbourse, investor in TechStart Ventures.

Supported nationally by BT, EY, Dell & Intel, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals across the ��Ƶ who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.

Co-founded by the team behind the , the new series follows the success of the Wales StartUp Awards, after organisers recognised the exceptional potential in the startup scene across the other British regions.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, the creator of the StartUp Awards National Series, said: “New firms are important for generating economic prosperity, employment opportunities and innovation. Since 2016, the Wales StartUp Awards have celebrated this amazing annual contribution to our economy by entrepreneurs and the impact they have on communities across the nation.

“Given the sheer volume of phenomenal startups we’ve heard from since then, as well as the huge post-pandemic shift in people’s desires to take their career in a new direction and set up a business against the odds, we felt it was the right time to take the programme nationwide. We’ve been blown away by the standard of entries from Northern Ireland in this first year and truly look forward to crowning the winners.”

The Northern Ireland final will take place at The Limelight in Belfast on 31st May 2022.

This year’s StartUp Awards National Series finalists from Northern Ireland are: