The NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards competition has now entered its final stage as six finalists battle it out for a €20,000 investment fund to turn their ideas into reality. Now in its third year, the competition seeks to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among the students of NUI Galway in both social and business enterprise.
Each of the six finalists, all NUI Galway students, received investment capital of €500 to develop their initial social or business ideas further. A series of workshops hosted by members of the business community and university staff and students helped the finalists to develop their ideas ahead of the final judging session in March. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted in the University’s College Bar on Saturday 13th of April with guest speaker Pádraig Ó’Céidigh.
Paul Curley, President of NUI Galway Students’ Union, said:
“We have been overwhelmed by the number and standard of entries to the NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards again this year. The entrants are testament to the exceptional initiative and creativity of students in social and business enterprise. At a time when real innovation and flair is needed, students are leading the way in creating the big ideas that will help fuel our recovery. The Students’ Union is delighted with the support that the Awards have received from the local business community and the university.”
The final six projects are:
1. Dametro
First year Business Information Systems student Paul Mulhern from Longford has developed Dametro which is an E-Commerce website selling jewellery.
2. GaelicLinks
Tim Groome is working on GaelicLinks, a networking-database website for all professionals involved in the world of Gaelic Games. Tim is a final year Corporate Law student from Carbury in County Kildare.
3. Scair.ie
Brian Grant from Moycullen, Co. Galway has come up with a way to aid his studies for the Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas (secondary teaching through Gaeilge). Scair.ie is a website where Irish teachers can share their teaching resources, lesson plans and look up links to other helpful Irish websites.
4. Back in My Day
Originally from Prague Jana Hokszova is now living in Galway and studying Corporate Law. Together with Ella Miniter, a second year Arts student from Barna, Co. Galway, she has developed a social project which encourages young enthusiastic people to interact with older experienced people in a mutually beneficial relationship gathering their stories for “Back in My Day”.
5. StudySmart
Niamh Duffy is from Dublin and is studying the MSc in Clinical Research. Her project Studysmart is a study software application for secondary school students which acts as a time management and motivational tool, to enable them to study in a more efficient and scientific way and improve their grades.
6. Sing-Bang Music Workshops
Sing-Bang Music Workshops aim to provide inclusive, supportive and fun music workshops for older adults. Jenny Groarke from Salthill in Galway is in her first year of her PhD in Psychology, and developed the workshops whilst studying the impact of music listening on the psychological and physiological functioning of younger and older adults.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony dinner on Saturday 13th of April in the College Bar, NUI Galway.
