Sinéad Crowther of Soothing Solutions announced as HPSU 'Founder of the Year 2023' at Enterprise Ireland awards

Sinéad Crowther, Founder and CEO of Soothing Solutions, was named the Enterprise Ireland High-Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Founder of the Year for 2023 at an awards event at the Gibson Hotel, Dublin, last night.

Founded in 2017, Louth-based healthcare firm Soothing Solutions manufactures a range of honey jelly pops called Tonstix aimed at providing a children's alternative to lozenges.

Crowther had previously worked as a pharmaceutical technician and had noticed a gap in the market for products to help children suffering from sore throats and coughs. It was early in the journey on Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme in Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) when Sinéad met her co-founder, Denise Lauaki.

Tonstix products are now stocked in more than 1,400 pharmacies across Ireland, and recently launched on Amazon UK.
The Enterprise Ireland Founder of the Year Awards acknowledge and celebrate the commitment that entrepreneurs and start-ups have made to build world-class companies of the future. There were 11 nominees for the 2023 award, all of whom were voted for by their peers who have been taking part in Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Founders Forum over the last 24 months.

Other finalists included: Brendan Staunton of Amara Therapeutics, Brian Kenneally of Bundledocs, David Duffy of The Corporate Governance Institute, Patrick McDermott of DigiTally, Jonathan Bouchier-Hayes of Endowave, Darren Sexton of GuardYoo, Kate Scott of Holotoyz, Liam Dunne of Klearcom, Evelyn Kelly of Orphan Drug Consulting, and Eamonn Costello of Patientmpower.

Enterprise Ireland and Select Strategies created the HPSU Founders Forum to give founders a platform where they can address issues, share challenges and seek support from each other and from founders who are further along in their entrepreneurial journey. Since its inception, more than 300 founders have participated in the HPSU Founders Forum from a range of sectors including software, medical devices, food, engineering and construction.

The 2023 Founder of the Year was decided by a judging panel which included Joe Healy, Divisional Manager of Client Services at Enterprise Ireland; Helen Ryan, former CEO of Creganna Medical and James Ives, CEO and founder, XOCEAN.

Previous award winners include Mervyn O’Callaghan of CameraMatics, Brian Shields of Neurent Medical, John Ghent of Sytorus and Tony McEnroe of Sirius XT.

Gavan Walsh, founder and former CEO of iCabbi, also joined the event to discuss the key lessons from the company’s journey, disrupting an entire industry to become a global leader in just a few years.

Joe Healy, Divisional Manager of Client Services at Enterprise Ireland said:

“Start-ups are a driving force of economic growth, new talent and innovation. Now in its fifth year, the Founder of the Year Awards promote Ireland’s ecosystem of entrepreneurs who have displayed the potential and commitment to building their businesses and realising their global ambition.

“On behalf of Enterprise Ireland, I wish to congratulate Sinéad Crowther on winning this year’s Founder of the Year Award. Sinéad is an excellent example of a founder with a clear pathway to scaling globally and the potential to become a world leader in her field. I would also like to congratulate the ten other nominees, all of whom were shortlisted by their peers. Each of today’s nominees have achieved so much within their own fields of work. Their success is an inspiration for the next generation of founders coming up behind them who have the determination and resilience required to get their enterprises up and running.”

Short-listed nominees

Brendan Staunton, Amara Therapeutics
Revolutionizing the treatment of Overactive Bladder (OAB) in women, aiming to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of OAB treatment while minimizing side effects.
Bi-line: Accessible Affordable Effective Care!

Brian Kenneally, Bundledocs
Streamlining electronic document production for legal professionals globally, serving top law firms and government departments.
Bi-line: Helping people easily create electronic bundles, briefs or binders from anywhere!

David Duffy, The Corporate Governance Institute
Offering online programs in Corporate Governance and ESG, aiming to become the leading global certification body for directors and offering cutting-edge professional education.
Bi-line: Educating the next generation of corporate leadership to be a force for good!

Patrick McDermott, DigiTally
Helping Food Service businesses digitize and revolutionize inventory control and food waste tracking, delivering substantial reductions in food waste, increased margins, time savings, and environmental benefits.
Bi-line: Less waste, more margin, more time and a healthier planet!

Jonathan Bouchier-Hayes, Endowave
Pioneering a minimally invasive microwave ablation treatment for lung cancer, addressing a pressing need in the fight against the leading cause of global cancer deaths.
Bi-line: Advanced Microwave Ablation Therapy System!

Darren Sexton, GuardYoo
A cybersecurity solution provider with an innovative 'inside-out' cyber risk assessment platform, automating log data analysis and reducing assessment time, resources, and costs by up to 90%.
Bi-line: Offering an easy and affordable way to assess cybersecurity risks!

Kate Scott, Holotoyz
Revolutionizing playtime by merging augmented reality with traditional toys, offering an interactive range for ages 3-10, earning accolades and partnering with Nickelodeon to redefine digital and physical play.
Bi-line: Kids Toys that come to life!

Liam Dunne, Klearcom
Helping multinational call centres prevent customer churn through AI-based solutions that ensure improved call performance and revenue generation for enterprise customers.
Bi-line: Customer Call Path Testing!

Evelyn Kelly, Orphan Drug Consulting
Assisting emerging pharmaceutical and biotech companies to successfully enter new markets, collaborating with 25 industry experts and over 30 pharmaceutical companies worldwide, resulting in over 100 successful country launches.
Bi-line: End-to-end management support to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies!

Eamonn Costello, Patientmpower
A patient-centred platform combining home monitoring, spirometer quality control, and personalized alerts to enhance the quality of life of individuals with respiratory conditions.
Bi-line: Digitally enabled patient-centred care!

Sinead Crowther, Soothing Solutions
Developer of award-winning natural products like Tonstix Honey Jelly Pops to support parents and caregivers during children's sore throats and coughs.
Bi-line: Medicinal-free products to promote comfort to young children!