FenuHealth founders named among top ‘teen CEOs’ in Ireland and UK

The teenage founders of Irish equine feed business FenuHealth have been named among the top young entrepreneurs in Ireland and the UK.

Kate (18) and Annie (16) Madden from Meath, who established the business in 2015, were named among the top five in a “20 under 20” list of entrepreneurs by a panel whose judges included Deliveroo chief executive and co-founder Will Shu.

The sisters are now in chance to pitch for a £10,000 investment in their business from TransferWise co-founder Taavet Hinrikus in Estonia.

All the ranked winners will also receive bespoke mentoring, borderless business accounts and £1 million worth of fee-free international payments.

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The horse-mad entrepreneurs, who last year received an Irish Times Innovation Award for their business, converted a BT Young Scientist Exhibition project into a full-blown business that is exporting to 12 countries worldwide.

FenuHealth provides a range of supplements to help stomach and digestion problems in horses and camels. Its customers include five royal families.

Head of the judging panel, Phoebe Hugh, the 28-year-old chief executive and founder of insurance start-up Brolly, said: "Kate and Annie have created an extraordinary international business. These young sisters are hugely inspirational and have aggressive plans for expansion - I look forward to seeing how they progress."

Among the other entrepreneurs chosen for TransferWise’s “20 under 20” ranking are teen entrepreneurs who have set up businesses that span everything from boot cleaning and fitness marketing, to anti-bullying.

Arminder Dhillon (17), the founder of Boot Buddy and the youngest person ever to receive backing on the UK version of Dragon's Den also makes the list, as does Rose Dyson (18) of Pura Cosmetics, which produces ethical lip balms, Akshay Ruparelia (19) of online estate agent Doorsteps, and Callum Griffiths (19), director of Clydach Farm, a company that manufactures healthy dry pet food.