The JA Company of the Year Competiton Regional Final will take place on the 15th of April. Hosted by Limerick Institute of Technology, ten teams have qualified to compete for the chance to proceed to the national final in Dublin in May and the ultimately the chance to represent Ireland at the European final in Berlin in July.So let’s meet the teams comprising the best student entrepreneurs from Clare, Galway and Limerick!
ACE Devices
Our company is ACE Devices and consists of five very dedicated students from St. Caimin’s Community School Shannon, Co. Clare. Our names are Aoibhe Frazer, Cian Hogan, Cian McInerney, Cormac Kelly and Evan Quigley. We designed and are selling a device which protects cables for handheld devices. Our iPhone 5 and Sony charger protectors are currently selling and iPhone 4 are in the design and testing process. We are selling them for €4 each or two for €7. They are guaranteed to save you money, as your charger will no longer have the risk of fraying at the top. We have been operating since October 2014.
Park it Right
Park it Right is a social enterprise, which was founded in October 2014 by three TY students from Laurel Hill Coláiste, Limerick. In order to address the ongoing problem of drivers parking illegally in disabled parking areas, Ciara Leahy, Ruth Culligan and Katie Donovan developed a system that may deter motorists from parking in disabled spaces even for “just a couple of minutes”.Our goal is to be recognised in Ireland as a company helping to make the lives of disabled people easier and more accessible and to successfully build our company and learn new skills during this year, which will benefit us greatly in the future.
Cinéiteach
Our company is Cinéiteach, founded in October of 2014. We are Niall Coughlan, Liam Maguire, Daniel O’ Brien, Donal Meehan and Jason Kiely from the Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick. We are all 16 years old. We have developed the Kindicator; kinetically powered indicators, brake lights and headlights for bicycles. Our product helps the environment by cutting down energy use from lithium and lithium-ion batteries and will save customers money. Another key feature is that it increases visibility of cyclists when cycling.
Réalta le Chéile
Réalta le Chéile is an innovative, creative and enterprising TY mini–company based in Gairmscoil Mhuire, Athenry, Co. Galway. We picked the name Réalta le Chéile (Stars Together) because in our opinion each student is a star in their own personal way. As a group we set out to produce our unique recipe book and promote and create awareness for autism and to promote inclusion in our community. The idea of this product began back in September of 2014. Our recipe book contains many favourite recipes from different celebrities from around Ireland, England and Europe.
Guide a Key
Guide a Key is a team of students from Desmond College, Newcastle West comprising of Emma Herbert (Managing Director) and fellow directors Eamonn Browne, Eoin Considine, Seamus Hurley and Diarmuid Curtin , transition year students.We have designed and manufactured a device, which aids people with limited dexterity inserting their key into the lock. The device is affixed on to the area around the keyhole; the user then simply slides their key into the top part of the device, which then guides their key into the keyhole. It works with any standard front door lock and comes compete with full instructions. In addition to establishing our own business we have created our own website, Facebook, Snapchat, Linked In and Twitter accounts. The product is selling well as people appreciate the unique selling points; this innovative product has to offer. For more information, type Guide a Key into Facebook!
Medical File Safe Box
My name is Jack Ryan, I am a transition year student in Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick. My product is the Medical File Safe Box. It is designed to securely store a patient’s full health care record at ward level thereby allowing ward staff to work more efficiently, as they will have better access to records, while also freeing up space at the nurses station on the ward.
La Joie
We are Siobhra – Managing Director, Rachel – Marketing and Sales Director, Sophie – Secretary and HR Manager, Saoirse – Production Director and Safety Officer and Mary – Office and Finance Director from St. Caimin’s Community College, Shannon, Co. Clare. La Joie is a fun and informative learning experience for children in preschools to learn the French language and be immersed in the culture. Using puppets, music and interactive games every child gets involved. We have been operating since October 2014 with the future lifespan of the company depending on the future growth of the company. The target market is children in preschool, parents interested in their children learning a new language and preschool teachers.
CO detection
We are CO detection from the Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick. Our company is made up of five members: Eoin O’Shaughnessy, Alex Griffin, Evan Kiely, Kevin Moran and Sean Blackwell. Our product is a Carbon monoxide key ring alarm. It was developed to try and make people more aware of the potentially fatal dangers of high levels of Carbon Monoxide exposure. When Carbon Monoxide is detected the alarm sounds alerting the user that they may be in danger. Our target market is everyone, as Carbon Monoxide doesn’t discriminate!
SmartStudy
SmartStudy Company has designed a website called the AlphaKey that is mobile accessible, like an app, for educational keywords in various subjects across the curriculum. It’s for Junior & Senior level students and teachers if they need it. OurBusiness aims to make study easier and more efficient for students, and to assist providers of education with the AlphaKey. There are nine students involved in the company: Marina Mayor Rocher, Abi McDonagh, Julia Titilincu, Tara Griffin, Jordanna Cassidy, Elaine Moylan, Megan Lee, and Aoife Boyle,Presentation Secondary School, Galway City.
Snap Table
SnapTable was established in October 2014 when we brainstormed innovative ideas. Our product is a key-ring that contains a pull out timetable which snaps back after use. The timetable itself is entirely customisable to each individual customer’s needs but it is clearly a product that will make life easier for every customer. Our main target audience is students as SnapTable acts as an aid to help remind students of the times and locations of all of their classes and is provided in an easily accessible, compact pull-out and snap back format on a key-ring that students can attach to their school bags or pencil cases.
Of course SnapTable is not just for kids! Keeping fit and active is now a huge market so we will be hoping that gyms and outdoor fitness clubs will “snap” up our product. There are many other exciting uses for the SnapTable product which we intend to develop as we establish our production, distribution, sales and marketing channels. Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Co. Galway.