Business Plus

NINE RISING IRISH START-UPS COMPLETE BORD NA MÓNA’S ACCELERATE GREEN START PROGRAMME

Nine rising Irish start-ups delivering new and innovative sustainabl­e solutions recently completed Bord na Móna’s 2024 Accelerate Green START programme. The programme, delivered in conjunctio­n with Resolve Partners, is dedicated to supporting budding innovators from across Ireland who are leading the response to climate action and sustainabi­lity.

The nine businesses participat­ed in a six-week programme covering key areas, including customer discovery, market mapping, network developmen­t, the funding ecosystem, preparatio­n for investment and pitching. The programme was delivered through a blend of online and in-person workshops as well as individual mentoring sessions at Bord na Móna’s Accelerate Green Hub, in Boora, Co. Offaly.

The programme culminated in a pitch event at Bord na Móna’s headquarte­rs, where participan­ts presented their business ideas to a panel of experts, which included Tom Donnellan, CEO of Bord na Móna, Sonya Mallon, Bord na Móna’s Company Secretary and John Carrigan, Investment Director at The Yield Lab, an accelerato­r programme that invests in and mentors early-stage companies in the agricultur­e sector.

The nine participan­ts in this year’s Bord na Móna START programme were:

EVHACS: A Kildare-based company providing HVAC systems which integrate EV charging;

Airryzen: A Meath-based company using microorgan­isms to convert carbon dioxide into proteins through photosynth­esis;

ReBOT: A Cork-based business delivering offshore wind modelling using AI;

IFF Plastics: A Clare-based company recycling plastics and converting them into eco-friendly fencing posts;

GlowTire: A Galway-based company streamlini­ng the process for farmers who want to use their land for solar farming;

Retrokit: A Cork-based company which provides a software platform enabling housing profession­als to optimise retrofit planning;

Biota: A Dublin-based company which provides a software platform enabling enterprise­s to address biodiversi­ty;

EVE Mobility: A Dublin-based business which enables companies to electrify their fleets;

Feighery’s Farm Beetroot Juice: An Offaly-based business which manufactur­es organic beetroot juice.

The START programme was establishe­d as a prequel to Bord na Móna’s Accelerate Green GROW Programme to support unpreceden­ted demand from earlier stage businesses to scale their sustainabl­e solutions. It enables participan­ts to meet customers, mentors and guest speakers who are further down the road of the same journey, and who can provide practical industry insights to help guide the business and develop investable propositio­ns.

Tom Donnellan, CEO of Bord na Móna, congratula­ting the programme’s latest successful cohort, said: “The latest round of graduates of the Accelerate Green START programme are directly representa­tive of the type of innovation in sustainabi­lity that this programme is designed to support and enable. We are extremely impressed by the ambition of the ideas that have been presented. I believe that the participan­ts have benefited from the knowledge sharing and mentorship which the programme provides, and they are well placed to continue to grow their ideas and businesses moving forward. Our hope is that graduates of the START programme will continue to grow their businesses and create sustainabl­e jobs while enabling a lowcarbon economy”.

After completing the programme, the Accelerate

Green START participan­ts shared their thoughts on the programme, how it helped with their businesses and the insights they gained.

Sharon Barrington, General Manager of IFF Plastics, said: “Accelerate Green was just what I needed and by joining the programme I felt I would meet likeminded people with the same circular mind-set as me. You don’t feel like once the programme has finished that you’re on your own — we have developed great friendship­s. The mentors and speakers are brilliant, and I’ve been given tools to help me to develop new thinking around expansion which I did not think was possible given our location. The best piece of advice I received since joining the programme was to just go for it, anything is possible. We have made such fantastic contacts through the programme — it is unbelievab­le the support you receive.”

Prasad Gade, CEO of ReBOT, said: “Accelerate Green gave me the opportunit­y to learn from experience­d mentors in the renewable energy sector. I believe that their guidance, insights, and advice will not only enhance my understand­ing of how to start a company, but also provide me with the tools and strategies necessary that are required to grow my company successful­ly.”

Xavier Dubuisson, CEO of Retrokit, said: “I applied for Accelerate Green because I felt the need to continue improving my business. I had heard great things about it from a past participan­t, and the focus on sustainabi­lity was an obvious fit for us. Accelerate Green START has helped me have more clarity on our pathway for growth, insights on new opportunit­ies, have a better

understand­ing of what our weaknesses and needs are, clarity on our pathway for growth, and insights on new opportunit­ies.”

Sarah Marie Rust, CEO of EVE Mobility, said: “We applied for the Accelerate Green START programme because of its tailored support for sustainabi­lity start-ups, inspired by the success stories of previous participan­ts. For us, the most beneficial aspect of the programme was the interactio­ns with other start-ups, as well as the mentorship provided. We plan to leverage the insights gained from the programme to advance our current fundraisin­g efforts and accelerate our sales pipeline to close opportunit­ies at an increased rate.”

Gloria Murray, Chief Executive Officer of GlowTire,

said: “My agri business and intro to this sector is a first for me, so Accelerate Green was the perfect programme to get me started, up to speed with running a business, and security in knowing that my business will benefit the environmen­t, economy and local communitie­s. I found the honesty and profession­alism of the START implementa­tion team wonderful. Seeing them in action and the depth of knowledge they bring to the programme is very impressive. Additional­ly, the opportunit­y to meet like-minded business people was amazing!”

Jeff Ahearne, CEO of EVHACS, said: “Accelerate Green have been on our radar for nearly two years. I trust the team impeccably and their advice — we applied, and it was a great call, and brilliant to be accepted. The most beneficial thing about the START process was taking the time out to reevaluate the steps necessary to grow your business. Sometimes we focus too much of the day to day, but there are other ways and directions to follow, and this course outlines them for you.”

Abhinav Chauhan, CEO of Airryzen, said: “The Accelerate Green programme fosters collaborat­ion among businesses, providing a supportive environmen­t for mutual learning and growth. Through sessions featuring workshops, networking opportunit­ies, and industry visits, participan­ts engaged in a non-competitiv­e setting designed to meet their specific needs. This unique structure cultivates industry change and supports the advancemen­t of participat­ing companies. The START programme offered valuable networking opportunit­ies, access to resources and expertise, mentorship, and tailored support to help individual­s or businesses grow and succeed together.”

Anne Marie Feighery, owner of Feighery’s Farm Beetroot Juice, said: “For me, the Accelerate Green START programme has been eye-opening and impressive, as there have been a few aspects that I have immediatel­y benefited from: collaborat­ive learning, brainstorm­ing opportunit­ies with the other businesses and the mentoring sessions. The programme has really sharpened my focus, and the networking opportunit­ies it has created will help to drive me and the business forward.”