Tipperary Cancer Drug Innovator Is Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur For 2019

A 34 year old Chartered Accountant was named Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) for 2019 at awards ceremony in Dublin.

Sharon Cunningham, co-founder of Shorla Pharma, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, took home the top award at today’s event after also winning her national category Best Start-Up Business and securing a total investment fund of €40,000

l/r: Ita Horan Acting Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, Minster for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D, Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma – Irelands Best Young Enterpreneur 2019, Cathaoirleach for Tipperary Michael Murphy

The programme, which is run by the network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in local authorities nationwide, funded by the Government of Ireland and supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland, attracted over 1,600 applicants in 2019 with an investment fund of €2million. Already through the programme, 186 entrants have secured investments of between €3,000 and €15,000 each.

Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma – Irelands Best Young Entrepreneur 2019

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D., made the announcement in front of 360 guests at the IBYE National Final, held at Google’s European Headquarters in Dublin on Sunday 15 September.

Sharon Cunningham, started Shorla Pharma with her former EirGen colleague Orlaith Ryan based out of Tipperary. A qualified chartered account, Cunningham founded Shorla in 2018 after identifying a significant issue in the pharmaceutical industry. The company focuses on improving existing treatments for children’s and women’s cancers making them more user friendly. Their first product is the redevelopment of a children’s cancer drug from a difficult to swallow capsule, into an oral solution.

l/r: Mary Ryan Senior Enterprise Development Officer Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, Joe MacGrath Chief Executive Tipperary County Council, Cathaoirleach for Tipperary Michael Murphy, Orlaith Ryan Shorla Pharma, Sharon Cunningham, Shorla Pharma, Irelands Best Young Entrepreneur 2019, Cathal Bourke, Bourke Sports IBYE Finalist in the Established Business Category, Pat Slattery Director of Services Tipperary County Council, Madeline Ryan LEO Tipperary
Photo taken at Google HQ Dublin

The other IBYE National Final category winners were Martin O’Reilly of Output Sports (Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown) who won the Best Business Idea category and Sean McGarry of Showergem (Local Enterprise Office Mayo) who won the Best Established Business category.

The runners-up in each of the categories were Elizabeth McGloughlin of Tympany Medical (Local Enterprise Office Galway) in the Best Business Idea category, Brendan Maloney of Skillko (Local Enterprise Office Mayo) in the Best Start-Up Business category and Devan Hughes of Buymie (Local Enterprise Office Dublin City) in the Best Established Business category. The winner of the Google Best Online Promotion of Business Award was Devan Hughes of Buymie.

Tipperary was well represented in the National IBYE Final with Cathal Bourke, Bourke Sports, Borrisoleigh in the Established Business Category. Cathal was selected in the final three in his category to pitch to the judges and an audience of 360 guests.

Minster for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D., said; “Irish entrepreneurs are among the very best in the world. That’s because we have huge talent in every region and community in Ireland. Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is about celebrating that talent. The €2 million investment by Government in the competition has ensured that 185 entrepreneurs have not only received investment, but also mentoring, advice and peer-to-peer learning.

“This year’s winners and wider group of finalists are the cream of the crop. They are our future business leaders, and I am delighted that we are celebrating and supporting them through the competition. They are also central to the success of Future Jobs Ireland, our whole-of-Government plan to prepare our businesses and workers for the future.”

Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen T.D., said;

“These entrepreneurs represent the very best of talent that exists within Ireland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Many of today’s finalists have developed businesses that are already well known. The others, no doubt, will be the stars of the future. Getting to today’s final is validation for all of finalists that they are following the right path. For our winners, we congratulate them. Today is a day to celebrate with their family and friends, but from tomorrow onwards, they can apply the valuable experience that participation in IBYE has given them to bring their businesses to even greater heights. They can be assured that my Department will be there to support them every step of the way on their entrepreneurial journey.”

Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council: “IBYE provides a valuable opportunity to recognise the innovation, determination and commitment of our young entrepreneurs. Having two Regional Finalists from Tipperary shows that entrepreneurship is alive and well in the County. My heartiest congratulations to Sharon Cunningham and Cathal Bourke.

Ita Horan, Acting Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Tipperary said: “As our winners clearly demonstrate, youth entrepreneurship is thriving here in Tipperary. IBYE is about discovering local potential and nurturing that talent through financial supports, mentoring, training and networking opportunities. In 2019, Local Enterprise Office Tipperary supported 14 young entrepreneurs through the IBYE competition and over 39 young entrepreneurs in total, for 2019. We want to build on that success by supporting Tipperary’s young entrepreneurs today and into the future.”

Mark Christal, Manager, Regions and Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland, said; “Every year the quality of Finalists in IBYE is outstanding and this year is no different with entrepreneurs from every region across the country represented. Their ideas and businesses continue to improve and their ideas are not limited by being Irish. Their ideas are international, our entrepreneurs have global ambition engrained in their psyche and they are not limited by borders. The IBYE programme is an excellent way for these entrepreneurs to hone their skills, tighten their ideas and improve their businesses and they are now in a better place to push forward, to look to new international markets and the Local Enterprise Offices together with Enterprise Ireland will help them get there.”

The judging panel for this year’s Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur was co-chaired by Paddy Flynn, Director of Trust and Safety, Google and Brian Crowley, Founder of TTM Group. The other members of the panel were Thomas Murray, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Eoghan Hanrahan, Enterprise Ireland, Louise Ward, LEO Roscommon and Sarah Doyle, CEO of Kinesense, while broadcaster Claire Byrne was the Awards host.

The winners of the 2018 Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur awards were former Connacht rugby player Conor O’Loughlin of Glofox who won the Best-Established Business and the overall IBYE Award for 2018. Alan Hickey of Vromo (formerly WeBringg) in Fingal, Dublin was the Best Start Up Business winner, while Brendan Boland of Loci Orthopaedics in Galway won the Best Business Idea for 2018. For more information on the competition go to www.IBYE.ie and for additional information on Local Enterprise Office supports and programmes go to www.LocalEnterprise.ie

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur 2019 – Facts & Figures

• The programme provides a €2million investment fund with targeted business development supports

• 3 categories; Best Business Idea (Pre-Trading), Best Start-Up Business (up to 18 months) and Best Established Business (Over 18 months)

• The programme is run by the network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the country and supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland

• Over 1,600 entrants applied to be Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur for 2019

• Over 400 places were provided at Business Bootcamps for entrants

• 186 local winners and runners-up sharing investments between €3,000 and €15,000

• 8 regional finals were hosted across the country

• An investment fund of €100,000 was provided for the National Winners and Runners-Up

OVERALL WINNER – IRELAND’S BEST YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR 2019

SHARON CUNNINGHAM (SHORLA PHARMA) – LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE TIPPERARY

Category Winners

Best Business Idea

• Winner – Martin O’Reilly (Output Sports), Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

• Runner-Up – Elizabeth McGloughlin (Tympany Medical), Local Enterprise Office Galway

Best Start-Up Business

• Winner – Sharon Cunningham (Shorla Pharma), Local Enterprise Office Tipperary

• Runner-Up – Brendan Maloney (Skillko), Local Enterprise Office Mayo

Best Established Business

• Winner – Sean McGarry (Showergem), Local Enterprise Office Mayo

• Runner-Up – Devan Hughes (Buymie), Local Enterprise Office Dublin City