Fionnuala Comer and Anthony Voisine, two final year business students in GMIT Castlebar, have won first prize in the annual GMIT Student Innovation Awards 2013 for their start-up business concept ‘Lollicakes’, an innovative healthy confectionery for all types of occasions.
Ms Comer from Swinford and Mr Voisine from Castlebar were among six finalists to compete in the Dragon’s Den style finals in the GMIT Castlebar Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC ). The judges included John Magee (Mayo County Enterprise Board ), Gillian Slattery (Enterprise Ireland ), Peter Glynn (AIB ), and Alan Mee (Shell Ireland ).
The competition gives students at GMIT Castlebar campus a unique opportunity to test their creative business ideas and win prize money worth €1,000 (first prize ) sponsored by Shell, and business mentoring support worth €500 from the GMIT Castlebar Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC ).
The second prize was awarded to Tojo Lazzari, a fourth year student on the Bachelor of Arts (Honours ) in outdoor education, for his business start-up concept, a sports rehabilitation and performance coaching centre for people with physical disabilities. Mr Lazzari, from Castlebar, won €300 sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, and business mentoring support from the Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC ).
Third prize was awarded to Ronan Kenny from Castlebar, Seamus Higgins from Westport, Daniel Burke from Balla, and Kevin Burke from Castlebar, all final year students on the Bachelor of Business degree, for their app that provides up-to-date local GAA scores. They won €200 sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, and business mentoring support from the Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC ).
The other finalists were Leona Heneghan, Teresa Gilroy, Martina Ruane, Marion Staunton for ‘My Wee Wee Friend’, a product to toilet train boys which also acts as a sanitiser; Maureen Hopkins for ‘First Wives Club’, a website with a social element to assist and advise women experiencing abusive relationships, and Vaida Jukneviciute for ‘Saffix Tape’, a clear reflective tape for cars to make them more visible at night time or bad weather.
Helena Deane, manager of the Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC ) at GMIT Castlebar, is delighted with the interest in this year’s awards. “Over 30 students entered the awards with six going through to compete in the final. The awards give students the chance to explore ideas they have and see if they are commercially viable.”
