24 companies shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year

Twenty-four companies have been shortlisted across three categories for the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. These companies, and the entrepreneurs behind them, will be profiled in The Irish Times every Monday for six weeks, starting today.

The finalists were selected by a judging panel chaired by 2006 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, CPL Resources chief executive Anne Heraty.

Representing the full spectrum of industries, the 24 finalists employ more than 5,000 people and generate annual revenues of €1.5 billion. EMERGING FINALISTS Dave O'Flanagan of Boxever; Catherine O'Neill of Amelio Group; Darragh Richardson of Agile Networks; Ben Harris of Drop; Alan Coleman of Brite:Bill; Morgan Browne of IIS Group; Brian Thornes of X-Bolt Orthopaedics; and Donald Fitzmaurice and Padraig McBride of Brandtone. INDUSTRY FINALISTS Michael O'Dwyer of TyreCheck; Paul Young, Nora Twomey and Tomm Moore of Cartoon Saloon; Terry Knox of CD Group; Jack Dobson of Dunbia; Eoin Goulding of Integrity Solutions; Sean Brett of Steeltech Sheds; Michael Hoyne of Merlyn Industries; and Kenneth Greene of Greene Farm Foods. INTERNATIONAL FINALISTS Frank Madden of Crest Solutions; Graham Stubbs of Diona; Denise Tormey of PlanNet21; Sean O'Sullivan of SOSVentures; Alan Clarke of StatSports; Alyson Hogg of Vita Liberata; Ross Kelly & Conor Crowley of Vizor; and Patrick and John Collison of Stripe.

The shortlisted entrepreneurs will vie for the title of EY Entrepreneur of the Year at the Awards Gala in October 2015. In addition to the overall winner, a winner will be selected per each of the three categories.