JustTip announced as overall winner of Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards 2024

• JustTip wins the 2024 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards 
• Ten finalists in this year’s competition with innovative products and solutions which address a broad spectrum of global challenges

Friday 7^th June: Fintech firm JustTip has been announced as the overall winner of the 2024 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards at a ceremony in University College Cork.

Ciara Walsh and James Fahy, students from Technological University Dublin and University of Galway, were this afternoon named as the Student Entrepreneurs of the Year and presented with their prize by Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland. 

JustTip is a tipping platform that provides a cashless tipping solution which allows customers to tip employees directly.  The fintech solution is separate to the business which utilises it, and streamlines the process.  With end-to-end transaction reports, it also provides complete transparency for employees and customers.  

JustTip was one of ten finalists at the 2024 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards, which was open to third-level students from across Ireland who have developed innovative products and solutions to address a broad spectrum of global challenges across a range of sectors, including renewable energy, sustainability, health, hospitality and animal safety.

As the overall winner, JustTip receives €10,000 as part of the Enterprise Ireland student prize, and they will also receive mentoring from Enterprise Ireland to develop their products and explore new market opportunities.

This is the 43rd year of Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards, which are co-sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices. The awards are open to all third-level institutions across the country.

Other awards presented at the ceremony included:

• The Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to University of Limerick Students Rachel O’Dell, Muirne McCarthy, Mary Carey and Ella Murphy for their innovation PILOT by Precision Path Medical 

• The Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was received by Dublin City University student Seamus Cummins for his product Aero Beam

• The Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 went to Dublin City University students Aisling Wood, Sadhbh Wood, Jack Tiernan, Muhammad Memon and Eibhe Kehoe and their company Bean Around

• The Enterprise Ireland Academic Award, recognising the contribution of a third-level project supervisor, was awarded to Gloria Rull from Technological University Dublin

The other six finalists that made the Student Entrepreneur Awards final today were also awarded with a prize of €1,500 each from the Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund.

In addition to the prize money, the winners will also benefit from comprehensive business advice and mentoring supports from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office, Intellectual Property consultancy and protection from Cruickshank and business plan development from Grant Thornton.

Speaking at the awards ceremony at University College Cork, Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland, said:   “The high calibre of applications in today’s final highlights the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit within Ireland’s third-level institutes nationwide. The innovative solutions these young entrepreneurs have developed are impressive, and I am encouraged by their pioneering spirit and determination to develop products and services with a positive impact on our society. 

“Enterprise Ireland believes that Irish businesses are key drivers in the Irish economy, and are economic cornerstones in communities around the country. We are proud to play a role in a vibrant start-up ecosystem which provides supports, insights and expertise to ambitious entrepreneurs, at all stages of their business journey. I would like to congratulate all of the finalists and look forward to seeing the success of the entrepreneurs here today, the next generation of business leaders, and wish them every success as they continue on their journey.”

Also speaking at the event, Richard Murphy, Manager, LEO Support, Policy & Co-ordination Unit, Enterprise Ireland said: “For over 40 years, The Student Entrepreneur Awards has provided third-level students with an important opportunity to explore the feasibility of their business concepts and to receive guidance from experienced mentors to turn their business idea into reality. Developing the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs is a priority for us at Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices, and this competition marks a significant milestone for students who are pursuing their entrepreneurial ambitions with the guidance and support of their academic institutions.”

ENDS

For more information, contact:

Enterprise Ireland Press Office – press@enterprise-ireland.com

Notes to Editor

Finalists profiles:

• Aero Beam - Seamus Cummins - Dublin City University

Scientific studies show that contamination can decrease wind turbine efficiency by up to 40%. Aero Beam's innovative approach to wind turbine cleaning uses calibrated lasers mounted on a drone to remove contaminants effectively, leaving behind a clean, undamaged blade surface. Drones can perform these tasks quicker and safer than existing methods.

• Bean Around - Aisling Wood, Sadhbh Wood, Jack Tiernan, Muhammad Memon, Eibhe Kehoe - Dublin City University 

A student-led circular economy enterprise founded by sisters Sadhbh and Aisling Wood, Bean Around repurposes used coffee grounds into exfoliating bars and other products to challenge the prevailing throw-away business model and reduce environmental impact, and demonstrating that sustainability and the circular economy can be part of our everyday lives.

• Curo- Andrew Meehan - Maynooth University

Curo is an innovative cast system, which addresses the issue of muscle loss during recovery by incorporating Electro Muscle Stimulant (EMS) pads within traditional casts. With a pocket-sized remote, patients can easily manage their treatment cycle, maintaining their daily activities without interruption.  An accompanying app allows patients to monitor their progress, providing them daily improvements compared to a non-stimulated recovery. Patients will be advised a regimen of 20 minutes of EMS stimulation, three times a day. This consistent engagement helps retain muscle mass throughout the treatment period can help reduce muscle loss by up to 20%.

• Glute Guard - Liam O'Brien, Stephen Rochford, Michael Howe, Thomas Ryan, Peter O’Donoghue - University of Limerick

Pressure ulcers can cause wheelchair users extreme discomfort, and the Glute Guard is a cutting-edge wheelchair cushion designed to enhance comfort and prevent pressure sores. This innovative cushion uses a novel sustainable composite gel comprised of piezoelectric crystal technology to dynamically monitor the pressure distribution across the cushion surface, indicating areas of elevated pressure. The massage feature uses AI technology to provide an optimal periodic massage to relieve areas of elevated pressure under the user.

• Íon - Jack Doyle - Technological University Dublin 

Water testing is crucial for identifying contaminants and disinfecting well water. The product and service that Íon (ee-on) provides is for private well owners with the problem of E. Coli contamination. Traditional methods of water testing can be time-consuming and require specialised equipment and expertise, Íon offers a device that pairs with an app which allows homeowners to take full control of their testing and bypasses the need for 3rd party help that is like bringing the lab to the home. With its simple steps, homeowners can improve their drinking water safety and enhance their commitment to testing. 

• JustTip - Ciara Walsh, James Fahy - Technological University Dublin, University of Galway

JustTip is a cashless tipping solution that allows customers to tip employees directly without the need for cash. JustTip provides a seamless, robust and scalable digital payments tipping platform, separate to your business, with end-to-end transaction reports and complete transparency for employees and customers.

• LPG – Lumbar Puncture Guide - Daniel Nolan, Cian O’ Callaghan - Munster Technological University

LPG is a medical device which locates the ideal entry point for a lumbar puncture without the use of radiation imaging.  A lumbar puncture is a procedure where a needle is inserted into the spinal canal to test for conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. LPG employs sensing technology to reveal the topography of the spine and calculate the ideal entry point for different patients. This will prevent repeat procedures, avoid exposing patients to radiation imaging and free up radiology departments.

• PILOT by Precision Path Medical - Rachel O’Dell, Muirne McCarthy, Mary Carey, Ella Murphy - University of Limerick

Precision Path Medical presents Pilot, a handheld medical device for enteral feeding, providing directional capabilities to allow for efficient placement on the physician’s very first attempt. Enteral feeding becomes a necessary procedure for patient's when they cannot meet their nutritional needs themselves. Globally there are 6.3 million ICU patient admissions annually with approximately 50% requiring enteral feeding. Pilot will empower physicians by enabling directional capability of nasointestinal feeding tubes. 

• SpineSure - Jane Cowhey, Sean Og O’Keeffe, Cormac O’Mahony, Sean Bateman, Adam Sullivan, Eoin Murphy - Munster Technological University

SpineSure is a revolutionary device designed to detect scoliosis non-invasively. It can be operated by personnel with minimal medical training, making it ideal for carrying out a screening programme, but can also be adapted for use as a scoliosis monitoring device, reducing the need for X-Rays and MRIs. By reducing the complexity and cost of screening, SpineSure aims to identify scoliosis earlier, allowing for more conservative treatment options for patients. 

• The Calf Catcher - Yvonne Leahy - South East Technological University (Waterford)

'The Calf Catcher' is an innovative product that has been developed to address the challenges of managing and nurturing calves safely and efficiently. This uniquely designed product features a gate-hung mechanism that securely restrains calves, simplifying tasks such as dehorning, tagging, injecting, and feeding. Calf handling typically is a two-person job, but this unique design reduces the labour requirements to one. 'The Calf Catcher' is cost-effective and by reducing labour requirements and enhancing safety measures during calf handling, it not only improves animal health and welfare but also prioritises the safety of farmers. This product emerges as an economical option for effective calf management, offering efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced well-being for both animals and caregivers.