Mental health care provider and sustainable fashion company take top prizes at student entrepreneur awards

Other finalists included an educational project focusing on water preservation and a hub that connects job seekers and companies using gamified assessments

Pictured are Ailis Crowley of FASH Forward and winner of Best Pitch Award & Best Plan Award with Danny McEnery of PrimaHealth and winner of Best Business Award. Photo Joleen Cronin

A mental health care provider for adolescents and a sustainable fashion business took home the top prizes at University College Cork's (UCC) Ignite Awards and Showcase on Wednesday night.

Founded by Bandon native, Ailis Crowley, FASH forward won Local Enterprise Office/Ignite Best Business Plan Award, with Ms Crowley also winning the Ignite Best Pitch Award. 

The Bank of Ireland/Ignite Best Business Award went to PrimaHealth, a mental health care provider for teenagers aged 12-19 years, founded by Danny McEnery from Watergrasshill.

Based in UCC, Ignite is open to anyone who has graduated from a third level institution in recent years and has the ambition to work on an idea that has the potential for economic, environmental or social impact.

Other finalists on the night included WiseWater, an educational project focusing on water preservation designed for primary and post-primary students, founded by Elaine Moynihan & Katie McShane as well as TalentCen, a hub that connects job seekers and companies using gamified assessments, established by Jerome Pan.

"Our finalists have created exciting new businesses that will improve the lives of so many people," said Ignite director, Eamon Curtin. "We wish them all the very best of luck as they continue on their entrepreneurial journey."

The Ignite programme is funded by University College Cork, Bank of Ireland, the three Local Enterprise Offices of Cork City, South Cork and North & West Cork, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.

The awards were determined by an adjudication panel of Aileen Broderick, Manager at Bank of Ireland; Helen Murphy of Local Enterprise Office Cork City and Pat Lynch, Entrepreneur and Investor.