Courses
New Frontiers Showcase Awards at ATU
Ten founders who participated in Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme at ATU Donegal and Sligo were showcased at a ceremony in Sligo on 20 March.
Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme is delivered through ATU Donegal and Sligo and is the National Entrepreneur Development Programme with a support package worth €40,000. The programme’s primary purpose is to accelerate the development of sustainable new businesses that have strong international growth potential and contribute to job creation and economic activity in the region.
This year as part of the end of programme event, each participant had the opportunity to “pitch” their business with a chance of winning three cash prizes.
The “Most Investable Start-Up Award” sponsored by PGIM went to Chris Cornwall of Arlo. Arlo, headquartered in Donegal, delivers real‑time medical notes, referral letters, and patient summaries, all of which sync instantly with current patient management software. Co‑founded by Chris Cornwall in early 2025, the company has achieved impressive early sales and is gearing up for major expansion, with upcoming investment boosting its growth trajectory.
The winner of the “One to Watch Award” sponsored by ATU was Shania Taite of Saorla. Saorla’s first product is LullaMED – a paediatric seating solution for 0–9-month-old babies, designed to support a calmer, safer, and more efficient treatment experience for clinicians, infants, and parents.
The “Best Pitch Award” sponsored by AIB went to Connor Feehily of Qora EPOS. Co‑founded in 2025 by the Manorhamilton native, Qora EPOS introduces a new standard in supplier order automation for the retail sector. The platform leverages advanced AI‑powered email parsing and intelligent inventory gap matching to streamline order management from end to end, eliminating the need for manual data entry and significantly reducing costly errors. By transforming traditionally time‑consuming administrative tasks into seamless automated workflows, Qora EPOS enables retailers to reclaim valuable staff time, improve accuracy, and maintain consistently optimal stock levels.
The other seven graduates are:
- Donal McLynn, Trinity Drinks, Sligo – delivering a range of functional beverages infused with nature’s most powerful superfoods to aid in hydration, replenishment and nutrition.
- Eoghan Matthews, CeolConnect, Roscommon – a booking platform for venues to discover, connect and manage live musician bookings at the touch of a button.
- Hannah Kelly, insigli, Donegal – insigli helps marketing agencies who spend days pulling together data and reports from disconnected marketing tools have client ready, performance reports with ROI attribution and recommendations in line with their goals and targets in minutes.
- Jennie Carr, Isle Skincare, Donegal – a natural skincare brand developing innovative body care products using high-quality, Irish-made ingredients, starting with a targeted tallow-based balm.
- Joanna Frivet, LegalMoov, Leitrim – a digital legal platform for client booking and onboarding for lawyers.
- Mamta Bhardwaj, Insight Pulse, Sligo – an AI-powered analytics tool that helps SMEs understand and improve their marketing performance through clear and actionable insights, no marketing expertise needed.
- Swas Sahu, Stock Trading Studio, Kildare – a cloud platform providing financial and economic data with built-in research and analysis tools for finance professionals, researchers, and analysts.
Speaking at the ceremony, Brendan Jennings, Chief Officer Research, Innovation & Engagement, ATU said:
Embedding Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme within ATU plays a vital role in supporting balanced regional development. Participants are making a meaningful contribution to the indigenous business community and helping to drive the region’s economic growth.
Many of you have already benefited from engaging with the wider ATU community throughout your time on the programme—drawing on the expertise, insights, and support of academic staff and students as you progressed through your development phase.
We hope you will continue to stay connected with the university and make use of its services long after you have completed the programme, helping to strengthen and accelerate the growth of your businesses.”
Ciara Concannon, Enterprise Ireland’s National New Frontiers Programme Manager also attended the awards and described New Frontiers as “a truly national programme whose success is rooted in its regional delivery model, ensuring support is delivered where it’s needed most.”
Guest speaker at the ceremony was New Frontiers alumnus Kieran Supple, CEO and founder of Reap Interactive Ltd trading as BovinePlus. Kieran participated in the New Frontiers programme in 2021. BovinePlus leverages cutting‑edge AI and image‑analysis technology to deliver real‑time livestock tracking for the agri‑tech sector. Kieran shared valuable insights into the challenges the company has navigated and highlighted key learnings on accessing funding and managing the early stages of a start‑up. Reap Interactive continues to gain strong market traction, supported by significant private investment.
Applications are now open for Phase 1 of New Frontiers which starts on April 14th. For more information about the programme visit www.newfrontiersnw.ie
Photo captions:
Photo 1:L to R Connor Feehily, Chris Cornwall, Shania Taite, Swastik Sahu, Mamta Bhardwaj, Eoghan Matthews, Jennie Carr, Donal McLynn, Hannah Kelly, Joanna Frivet.
Photo 2: L to R: Most Investable Start up award winner Chris Cornwall, pictured with sponsors Laura Foy and Emma Gordon, PGIM.
Photo 3: L to R: One to Watch award winner Shania Taite, pictured with sponsors Dr. Brendan Jennings and EveAnne McCarron, ATU.
Photo 4: L to R: Best Pitch award winner, Connor Feehily, pictured with sponsors Pauric Lavin and Paul Robinson, AIB.
For media enquiries, contact:
Geraldine Beirne
New Frontiers North West Programme Manager
Tel: 085 7482123 / 071 930 5115
