Here are just some of the many success stories from the small and medium sized enterprise category.

Bitcoin exchange company Bitcove last night won the Bank of Ireland/ Ignite Business of the Year award 2015 beating off competition from 10 other promising start-ups.

HiberGene Diagnostics is planning to revolutionise testing for meningitis, writes Trish Dromey.

Seven companies spent last night pitching for investment from leading venture capitalists and angel investors at Cork’s County Hall.

Funding on the up at CIT’s Rubicon

FeedHenry, the Waterford-based mobile software company that was recently acquired in a multi-million euro deal, made a loss of more than €1m last year.

Irish venture capital firm Kernel Capital is to invest €400,000 in Certification Europe, continuing the strong growth in venture funds secured by Irish companies to date this year.

Irish start-up firm Tapastreet hopes to use the World Cup in Brazil to showcase its technology, which captures geo-tagged photographs taken by fans and facilitates their use online, writes Trish Dromey.

The prospects are good for a start-up firm that has the technology to provide the media with instant access to brand images.

Cork-headquartered investment firm Kernel Capital has continued its expansion and its relationship with Bank of Ireland through the launch of a £25m (€29m) venture capital fund; aimed at investing in SMEs north of the border over the next five years.

A tech company that is taking the guesswork out of farming has received an investment of €1m from Kernel Capital, Bank of Ireland and Glanbia.

The introduction of the single European payment area (Sepa) is bringing significant changes to the banking sector and creating opportunities for Cork-based data analytics company Nomos Software.

More than 150 jobs are to be created in two separate investments.

More than 150 jobs are to be created in two separate investments.

An Irish software company Zinc has secured €650,000 in funding and become the first European company to partner with PCH International as part of its accelerator programme.

Audio player firm In Hand Guides has secured a €400,000 investment from Kernel Capital via the Bank of Ireland seed and early stage equity fund, and Enterprise Ireland.

China-based founder and chief executive of PCH International, Liam Casey, will be among the speakers at the Cork Chamber of Commerce 2012 business conference.

Irish-based fraud management firm Xintec has secured €900,000 in funding from Kernel Capital through the Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund.

Wavebreak Media will use €400,000 raised in venture capital to hire 10 people.

Two former Motorola employees have received €500,000 in venture capital funding for their specialist software company, Nomos.

Waterford company Zolk C was the first to enter the market with an electronic hand-held tourist guide, bringing heritage sites to life and is now turning its attentions to the lucrative North American tourism market, writes Trish Dromey.

A TRINITY College medical devices spin-out company has secured €800,000 in funding.

MEDICAL start-up company neoSurgical has secured €1.6 million syndicated investment led by Kernel Capital.

A LIGHTING firm has secured an €800,000 investment for international expansion.

A CORK-based medical start-up firm has secured a €1.1 million investment for future development.

AN energy firm based in Kilkenny is to get an €800,000 investment to fund its expansion.

A DUBLIN start-up company has received a near €1 million investment boost that will help it expand and create jobs.

FUNDS to invest in Irish companies in 2011 are at their highest level in 30 years.

VENTURE capital firm Kernel Capital has launched a €10 million fund which, it said, is Ireland’s first to focus exclusively on the indigenous medical technology sector.

START-UP businesses have until January 26, to apply for entry to Endeavour, the funding programme run by entrepreneur Jerry Kennelly, Kernel Capital and Kerry Group.

AN Irish wireless tracking firm has secured a €2 million investment to help with its expansion. The investment was made by Cork-based venture capital firm Kernel Capital into Dublin based semiconductor DecaWave.

A THREE-year-old Co Limerick start-up firm has been acquired by a US company in a €10 million deal.

A DUBLIN software company will create jobs after securing funding of €1.8 million.

KERNEL Capital has invested €750,000 in the Irish-owned BioAtlantis group.

STATE bodies, private investors and a Cork-based venture capital firm are in line for a share of a €33 million windfall following the sale of a Limerick firm to a US multinational.

VENTURE capital firm, Kernel Capital is leading a €2 million investment in a Limerick-based semiconductor firm.

DUBLIN-based telecommunication equipment supplier Intune Networks has secured €22 million in funding from a diverse range of backers including financier Dermot Desmond, Enterprise Ireland and venture capital firm Kernel Capital.

Financier Dermot Desmond and venture firm Kernel Capital are among investors to have pumped €22m into Dublin-based telecoms equipment supplier Intune Networks, it was announced today.