FoodCloud wins chance to pitch business to Richard Branson

FoodCloud, the Irish not-for-profit social enterprise that has developed a platform that helps businesses redistribute surplus food to charities, has made it to the final of Virgin Media's Voom 2016 competition.

The start-up is one of six businesses chosen from across Ireland and Britain to pitch to a panel that includes Virgin founder Richard Branson in a competition to find the most innovative company. Voom has a £1 million prize fund.

More than 3,000 entries have been received for Voom 2016 and over half a million votes cast.

Founded by Trinity graduates Iseult Ward and Aoibheann O'Brien, FoodCloud has secured numerous investments and last year secured a deal that ensured Tesco's 146 stores would redistribute the company's surplus food to charities across Ireland.

FoodCloud has redistributed 2.9 million meals equivalent to charities across Ireland and the UK since it was established in 2013.

The cofounders were crowned as Ireland’s top social entrepreneurs in 2014 and Ms Ward has also featured in Time Magazine as a young global entrepreneur of the future.

The Voom 2016 finale takes place in London on June 28th.

“We are delighted to have made it this far in the competition and can’t wait to pitch FoodCloud to Richard Branson,” said Ms Ward.

We’ve worked extremely hard to get here and it’s been such an incredible experience so far, we’re excited for the finale and the future opportunities this will bring,” she added.