The emerging firms shortlisted for the Cork Chamber Company of the Year Awards

In the first of a four-part series looking at the finalists for the Cork Company of the Year Awards 2025, we profile the contenders in the Emerging category

Peigín Crowley, founder of Ground Wellbeing

Ground eyes growth with new products launching this year

Ground Wellbeing is a spa brand offering a holistic approach to self-care and was founded during the height of the covid pandemic by Peigín Crowley.

Peigín Crowley, founder of Ground Wellbeing

Specialising in self-care rituals, aromatherapy, and advanced massage, Ground aims to help relieve sleep, anxiety, and burnout, as well as encourage female health through menopause and pregnancy.

Since its founding in 2020, Ground has grown partnerships with several leading spas around the world through its products, supportive training, and wellness initiatives.

“We focus on inclusive wellness, catering to individuals with insomnia, menopausal symptoms, gut health concerns, burnout, pregnancy needs, cancer care, and children with anxiety and sleep issues,” said Ms Crowley.

Ground employs seven full-time staff, with the company kicking off 2025 as a finalist in the emerging category of Cork Chamber’s Cork Company of the Year awards.

“Ground was born at a kitchen table deep in lockdown,” said Ms Crowley.

“I can be sure to say that our greatest achievement externally lies in the partnerships we have built globally.”

Since hiring its first recruit in 2022, Ground started to grow with the help of award-winning therapist Rachel O’Malley who specialises in treatment design as well as training and technical accreditation.

Ground’s head of operations Aidan O’Mahony was next to join the company, in late 2023, followed by Fiona MacKessy as the company’s head of business.

Since then, the company has partnered with several global hotel brands, including Rosewood, Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, Kempinski, Bulgari, and Six Senses.

Handmade at its workshop on Model Farm Rd in Cork, Ground’s products are crafted from therapy-grade essential oils and are incorporated into at-home rituals, promoting relaxation, balance, and overall well-being.

The Cork-based company also offers unique accredited training programmes to equip its partners to deliver empathetic care, with specialised courses in sensory workshops for children, cancer care, lymphatic drainage, and menopause support.

Looking forward, Ms Crowley says the company will launch its new Biome skincare range in the new year, which has been designed specifically for the skin’s flora landscape.

“We are committed to scaling our business by growing partnerships with renowned spas and wellness centres.”

In addition, Ms Crowley said the company plans to increase its product offerings to complement its growing range of wellness solutions, particularly in the areas of gut health, vagus nerve, and skin biome.

“Our ambition is to become a global leader in wellness by continuing to provide inclusive, purpose-driven care that addresses real-life issues such as stress, sleep, menopause, and cancer care.”

Kwayga plans to be top global platform for supermarket suppliers

The co-founders of Kwayga, Martin Fitzgerald and Mike McGrath. combined their experience in financial management, e-commerce. and supply chain management to create an AI-driven, supplier-sourcing software tailored for European supermarket and food service buying teams.

Martin Fitzgerald and Mike McGrath, co-founders of Kwayga. Picture. John Allen

Kwayga is one of the finalists of this year’s Cork Chamber Company of the Year Awards, in the emerging category.

Founded in 2022, the company employs ten full-time staff members, up from just four in 2021, and is headquartered in the Marina Commercial Park in Cork City.

Supported by an extensive AI-managed database, Kwayga’s platform enables buyers to efficiently filter and shortlist suppliers, cutting sourcing times by up to 40% and saving an average of 10% in costs.

Since its establishment, the Cork company has grown its partnerships significantly, now boasting more than 100,000 suppliers across 60 countries.

Backed by Enterprise Ireland since 2022, Kwayga successfully secured €1m in a funding round in 2023 through Redesdale Food Fund.

“This supports our mission to streamline sourcing processes using game-changing technology and AI,” said Mr McGrath, the company’s CEO.

Kwyaga says it is already working on its next Series A funding round to further fuel the emerging company’s expansion and innovation.

With experience in procurement-focused companies, supply chain management and e-commerce, Mr McGrath teamed up with Mr Fitzgerald, whose background lies in financial management and business strategy, combining their strengths to form Kwayga.

Supporting Kwayga’s technical backbone is Mark O’Shea, head of engineering, whose expertise in cloud technologies, software development and system architecture ensures Kwayga’s platform remains robust and capable of meeting the needs of its buyers and suppliers.

“With strong financial backing, recognition for industry innovation, and an experienced leadership team, Kwayga continues to position itself as a leader in sourcing of AI-driven solutions for the food and drink supply chain industry,” Mr McGrath added.

Looking forward, Kwayga has ambitious expansion plans and aims to be the leading business-to-business supplier sourcing AI engine for European food and beverage buyers in the next three years.

Looking even further into the future, the company’s chief executive notes: “By year five, our goal is to be the top global platform for suppliers of retail products and ingredients, particularly those seeking European goods.”

“Within 10 years, Kwayga envisions being the premier B2B sourcing engine worldwide for all buyers and suppliers in the food and beverage sector as well as many other related industries,” Mr McGrath added.

Wiistream eyes the US with Emmy winner set to join growing team

Wiistream, a provider of customisable streaming platforms designed for sports organisations, is the third company to be nominated in the emerging category of this year’s Cork Chamber Company of the Year awards.

Pa Magee, co-owner of Wiistream. The company is one of three finalists in the emerging category of this year's Cork Chamber Company of the Year awards

The company, which was set up in 2020, allows clients to monetise their content through ads, sponsorships, and e-commerce, and engage fans through live and on-demand streaming.

Wiistream offers modern technology combined with seamless end-to-end service, helping clients to boost revenue and grow their customer base.

The company has streamed more than 1,000 games, including 20 world cups, reaching 159 countries, says finance director Fionn Herlihy, who co-owns the Mitchelstown-based company along with its chief executive Pa Magee and chairman Mike Price.

“What sets us apart is our end-to-end service offering, from platform design to content production, with full data ownership and control for our clients,” said Mr Herlihy.

“Wiistream’s innovation lies in delivering tailored solutions that boost revenue and fan engagement, while offering seamless integration with existing systems and delivering a premium viewing experience,” he said.

Backed by Enterprise Ireland, Wiistream bootstrapped until June 2023 and is now completing a $750,000 (€720,000) raise at a $5m (€4.8m) valuation.

The company is also hiring Mike Foss, a 20-year veteran of cable sports channel ESPN and five-time Emmy Award winner.

Selected as one of 13 from over 1,000 applicants, Wiistream was the only international company in the 2023 Techstars Sports Accelerator powered by Indy.

“Our revenue is on track to grow 300% year-on-year, following our success in the Techstars Sports Accelerator in 2023.

“Wiistream’s business ambitions are driven by our vision to revolutionise sports broadcasting, empowering organisations to fully control and monetise their content through our customisable white-label streaming platforms,” said Mr Herlihy.

Looking forward, Wiistream has set its sights on an international audience, with ambitious expansion plans targeting North America and its tier-1 sports organisations.

“Our vision is to be valued between $50m to $100m in the next three to five years.

“Key stakeholders in Indianapolis, such as the Colts, Pacers, and IndyCar, place us at the centre of the US sports landscape, ready to disrupt the industry.”

Adding to the company’s expansion plans, Mr Herlihy said: “Our ambition is clear: to become the global leader in sports streaming and content management.

“This growth strategy, supported by strategic partnerships, innovative technology, and a proven ability to generate results, makes Wiistream the top contender for Emerging Cork Company of the Year 2025.”