Dotser is Offaly Enterprise Award Winner for 2019
13th March 2019
A Technology company from Tullamore is this year's winner of the Offaly Enterprise Award for 2019.
Dotser Ltd. took the top prize of €1500 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Offaly at the 21st National Enterprise Awards on Wednesday 29th May in the Mansion House in Dublin.
Dotser Ltd. was founded in 2000 by Loughnan Hooper providing web development and marketing services to the SME business sector. Based in Tullamore, County Offaly Dotser Ltd. now employs a team of nine professionals, delivering a suite of online software and related web services to over 300 clients throughout Ireland. With double digit growth each year, over the last three years, Dotser boasts flagship clients recognized as leaders in their industry sector including waste management, hardware, machinery and agricultural shows.
Other winners at the awards ceremony, held at the Tullamore Court Hotel included Edenderry based Derek McCreanor T/a Enhance Acoustics (Emerging Business Award); Ferbane based Ko Kombucha Ltd. (Artisan Food Business Award); Portarlington based Carla Mooney, Cardel Entertainment Ltd. (Female Entrepreneur Award) and Rahan based NIS Ltd. (Business Service Award).
Judging is taking place in April and May and Dotser Ltd. will be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund. The Mansion House in Dublin is the venue for awards ceremony in May and categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start Up Business’ and ‘Innovation,’ in addition to eight regional awards.
The Offaly Enterprise Awards, are taking place as part of Local Enterprise Week 2019. There are over 370 events taking place across the country for this year’s Local Enterprise Week, being organised by the network of Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Speaking during Local Enterprise Week Ms. Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise Offaly said: “Dotser Ltd. has already become a success story and the judges were particularly impressed by the company’s suite of online tools, particularly the development of niche online products with strong export potential. The National Enterprise Awards are a great barometer for what the Local Enterprise Offices are doing and every year the standard is getting better and better and we are delighted to have Dotser Ltd. representing us in Dublin in May.”
Seven other local businesses were also shortlisted this year, and they were Tullamore based companies: Tullamore Floor Store; Dezyanmite; Tech Auto Ltd; Energy Systems Design Ltd; Playtown Tullamore; Daingean based Margaret Edgill and Shinrone based Wild Irish Foragers
Among the special guests at the ceremony were Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, T.D., Anna Marie Delaney, Chief Executive of Offaly County Council; Councillor Danny Owens, Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council; elected representatives, members of the business community and former winners. Members of the judging panel included Peter O’Sullivan of Byrne Casey & Associates and Michael Nevin, Head of Enterprise Longford.
The awards were just one of the many highlights of Local Enterprise Week, which comes to an end on March 8th. All over the country, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices have been jointly running over 370 events aimed at start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses in their area, to mark the week.
Other high-profile events during Local Enterprise Week include:
● Best-selling author and International Business Consultant, the inspiring Blaise Brosnan, will ask the business community “ARE YOU AFRAID TO MAKE MONEY?” during a Breakfast session on success in Tullamore on March 7th
● Representatives from Grow Remote Ireland, Shopify, and AirBnB will outline the pros and cons of remote working on March 8th. Remote working is a fast-growing solution for the digital age, which counters overpriced city accommodation, enables rural employment, and solves many work-life balance issues.
● With March 29th around the corner, there is a workshop on Brexit scheduled for March 5th, to help Offaly businesses be conscious of the risks they might be facing, and aware of the support that’s there to help overcome them. This event is organised in conjunction with Edenderry and Local District Chamber of Commerce.