Business

Business accelerator Entreprenurial Spark host awards for new Belfast business

Paul Goodchild founder of Fernleaf Systems was named Entrepreneur of the Moment. Also pictured is Lynsey Cunningham, Ulster Bank
Paul Goodchild founder of Fernleaf Systems was named Entrepreneur of the Moment. Also pictured is Lynsey Cunningham, Ulster Bank Paul Goodchild founder of Fernleaf Systems was named Entrepreneur of the Moment. Also pictured is Lynsey Cunningham, Ulster Bank

ENTREPRENEURIAL Spark, the world’s largest free business accelerator for early stage and growing ventures, celebrated a successful first six months of operation in Northern Ireland with its 'Entrepreneuring Awards' at the Hatchery in Belfast last night.

The programme, in partnership with Ulster Bank, has provided significant opportunities to almost 80 early stage and scale-up businesses since its arrival in February of this year.

Ranging from new business development with major retailers such as Ocado and Avoca, through to jobs created at over ten of the businesses, operating in sectors as diverse as technology, beauty and food & drink, the programme has provided tangible benefits to new business creators, and those looking to scale up their existing enterprises.

A total of £30,000 in prizes were distributed at the awards to businesses in categories rewarding their business acumen, professional development and collaboration with others taking part in the programme.

The main award of the evening, Entrepreneur of the Moment, was awarded to Paul Goodchild, founder of Fearnleaf Systems, alongside a cash prize of £10,000 to help grow his business. Fernleaf Systems provides a plugin to manage large numbers of Wordpress websites from one central location.

“Winning the Entrepreneur of the Moment award is such a great feeling, and gives me the motivation to push on and build my business. I'll be able to use the money I've received today to market my business more widely and take it to the next level," he said.

“The Entrepreneurial Spark Hatchery is such a wonderful experience - it has really accelerated my business, and it has been great to work so closely with like-minded people in a collaborative environment.”

Entrepreneurial Spark co-founder Lucy-Rose Walker congratulated all those involved.

“Since opening our hatchery in Belfast we have seen our chiclets embrace the mindsets and behaviours of an entrepreneurial leader, working hard to become credible, backable and investable," she said.

"The Entrepreneuring Awards give them the chance to celebrate their #GoDo journey and everything they have achieved to date, while allowing them to make plans on how to accelerate their business growth in their remaining time within the programme and beyond."

The next intake for the Belfast Entrepreneurial Spark Hatchery will be announced in August, featuring new and scale-up businesses from the fields including medical technology, entertainment and sport.