ONE MORE THING: INTERTRADE IRELAND'S annual Seedcorn competition kicked off this week, with the Connaught/Leinster regional final taking place in Athlone.
The prize money on offer in the competition for early-stage firms is not to be sneezed at. The two winners announced this week won an initial €20,000. They then go on to compete at a national level for prize money of €100,000 and €50,000.
The winner in the emerging category was Galway-based Advance Science, which is developing a nutritional product to combat disease in the world’s bee population.
The high-growth category winner was Louth-based Oriel Seasalt, which is working on extracting lucrative minerals and calcium-enriched mineral water for use in the cosmetic industry.
With cosmetic companies always on the lookout for the next big thing in skincare, the Louth boys could be on to a winner. They have already signed a contract with a global cosmetics company.
One person who is missing from the InterTrade Ireland line-up this year is Seán Gallagher. A former winner, and a judge last year, the entrepreneur-turned-presidential hopeful resigned from the board when he entered the presidential race. But maybe he will return next year when he goes back to the day job.
