Annie Madden, co-founder of FenuHealth and a graduate of UCC, has been named Enterprise Ireland’s 2022 student entrepreneur of the year. FenuHealth, based in Co Meath, produces powdered supplements that are added to feed to help prevent and resolve stomach problems in horses and ponies. The awards are open to all third-level institutions across the country.
FenuHealth has a range of nine products and exports to 15 countries as well as counting five royal families among its customers. FenuHealth was one of ten finalists at the awards and the team received €10,000 as part of the Enterprise Ireland student prize. The Madden sisters will also receive mentoring from Enterprise Ireland to help develop their business.
It is the 41st year of the awards, which are co-sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices. The Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award went to Claire Finnegan of Rollagen. Representing St. Angela’s College, Sligo, she received a prize fund of €5,000 for her sports recovery and injury prevention food product.
The Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 went to Recapture One, the cloud-based multimedia company specializing in the development of personalised bereavement memorials developed by South East Technological University student Alannah Pardy.
The Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 went to NutrixBix, by Goodness Oats, which developed artisnal, oat-based cookies designed for nursing mothers. The company was founded by Rachel McDonnell of St. Angela’s College, Sligo. Ronan McArt and Roisin Lydon, lecturers at St. Angela’s College, Sligo, won the academic award.
Annie Madden, FenuHealth is pictured with Trade Promotion minister Robert Troy
