Skip navigation 
Previous Page
5
NEWS
October/November 2013 www.esb.ie/em
2013 ESB SPARK OF GENIUS AWARD
» €25,000 prize fund for Ireland's brightest sparks at Dublin Web Summit.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS to find Ireland's brightest spark opened as Donal Flynn, Group Finance Director, ESB, joined Paddy Cosgrave, founder and CEO of the Dublin Web Summit, to announce details of the 2013 ESB Spark of Genius Award at this year's Dublin Web Summit. Now in its fourth year, the competition will see 30 Irish technology companies battle it out to win a prize fund valued in excess of €25,000.
Previous winners have included Datahug, who have raised €6 million from Salesforce, DFJ and others since winning the coveted prize in 2010, and Smartthings who have raised €3 million since their win in 2012.
The ESB Spark of Genius award focuses on high potential technology start-ups and is open to any Irish startup which has been in operation for less than three years and has received under €1 million in funding to date. Entrants will be judged on the uniqueness of their idea, their level of development thus far, and their potential for future growth.
Applications were open until Thursday, September 26th when the shortlist of 30 finalists was announced. Two rounds of pitching will then take place during the Dublin Web Summit on October 30th and 31st, with the grand final playing out on the Main Stage on October 31st in front of an audience of thousands of leading international start-ups and technology investors.
According to Paddy Cosgrave, CEO, Web Summit: “ESB is giving €25,000 in cash as well as a large number of services through our other partners, which makes the Spark of Genius probably the best start-up award in Ireland. The winning start-up will no doubt get a huge boost from the publicity associated with the award as well as an opportunity to pitch in front of well-known international entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. We're delighted that ESB has again made this commitment to entrepreneurship in Ireland”.
According to Alan Coleman of Brite:Bill, the ESB Spark of Genius Award was an important milestone in their growth. He says: “The process of competing in the ESB Spark of Genius competition was hugely valuable for us. It forces you to get to the essence of what your idea is, validate it with some of the most experienced entrepreneurs around and then compete it against your peers. If you succeed in coming through that process, whether you win or not, your chances of turning your start-up into a viable business just increased tenfold”.
Donal Flynn, Group Finance Director ESB, also commented: “In line with ESB's commitment to innovation, we are delighted to be supporting the Spark of Genius award. As energy and IT technologies converge, there are exciting possibilities to enhance Ireland's electricity system, but this will take innovation and the type of entrepreneurial spirit that is inherent in start-up companies developing in Ireland today. The passion and drive amongst our entrepreneurs in Ireland is unquestionable and we at ESB are delighted to support creative and ambitious companies through the Dublin Web Summit”.
Almost 10,000 people are expected to attend this year's Dublin Web Summit. Keynote speakers include the founders or CEO's of Box, Evernote, AOL, Palantir, Skype, Gilt, Wordpress and over 250 others. Tickets are available from WebSummit.net
ESB'S COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION
Innovation and investment are needed to ensure that in the future, Ireland has access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supplies. ESB is leading innovation in the energy sector in areas such as smart networks, electric vehicles and renewable technologies, and spearheading projects that will transform Irish society, such as the roll-out of super-high speed broadband using the electricity infrastructure to carry fibre networks to towns and villages across Ireland.
To further drive innovation and identify new ways of addressing Ireland's energy challenges, ESB has also established a €200m investment fund to support startup companies operating in the cleantech sector. This is one of the largest dedicated cleantech funds in Europe, with almost 50% of its funds committed to investments in wind, solar and geothermal renewables and the energy efficiency sector, supporting over 270 jobs in Ireland.
International CSR award for ElectricAid
» ElectricAid scoops CSR prize for Vita Energy Work in Africa.
ELECTRICAID SCOOPED a top prize at the Chambers Ireland CSR Awards for an innovative, life altering project helping women in Eritrea build their own fuel-efficient cook stoves. The award for Excellence in International CSR hallmarks the work of Irish charity Vita that has enabled over 30,000 mothers build a fuel-efficient wood stove, which improves family health and combats local deforestation. ESB and EirGrid and their employees, through ElectricAid have raised tens of thousands of euros in support of the Vita Eritrea project, which is also supported by the Irish Government and the European Union. Eritrea declines ‘hand-out’ forms of aid in favour of sustainable solutions to poverty and according to Vita CEO John Weakliam, Eritrea sees its Irish partners as taking a leadership role in creating food and energy solutions. He added: “The ElectricAid approach opens the way for the Irish energy sector to create dramatic sustainable energy solutions in Eritrea and Africa”.
Business in the Community CEO, Tina Roche, who partners with Chambers Ireland for the CSR awards, said: “Irish companies such as ESB and EirGrid have demonstrated how to support sustainable energy solutions for poor communities globally.” Vita will shortly be rolling out the stoves project in Ethiopia.
Vita is an Irish NGO, founded in 1989 as Refugee Trust International, with Mother Teresa serving as the founding patron. In 2005, Refugee Trust International was re-named Vita, the Latin for ‘life', to reflect its increasing focus on long-term sustainable development. Currently, Vita works in Ethiopia and Eritrea, with its mission being to tackle household food insecurity through community-led sustainable agriculture projects that are scalable and replicable, with a special focus on women as the key enablers of sustainable development.
ESB ATHLETIC CLUB UPDATE
It's been a very busy summer of racing club members and with the Dublin Half and City Marathon on the horizon many have taken the opportunity to squeeze in a short break from the track, roads and trails. There has been plenty of success for our runners over recent months with some excellent individual performances in the DCC 5k, over the iconic one-mile run by BHAA plus a brilliant team prize in the Firhouse 10k.
Highlighting the diversity among our ESB athletes, a four-man team formed to compete in the Grant Thornton Corporate Challenge 5k. Toeing the line along side World 50k Gold Medallist Rob Heffernan inspired all the lads to sub-19-minute runs. How often can you say you finished less than a minute behind the current World Champion? The team was James Tuohy (Renewables O&M), Daragh Daly (Corporate Centre), Derek Russell (Electric Ireland) and Niall McGeorge (G&WM Poolbeg).
As the longer, endurance distances of half and full marathon approach anyone looking for race tips are more than welcome to contact club members or even go for a lunchtime run over some of the marathon course.
Keep up to date with all ESB AC information at http://esb.net/athleticclub/ and select the ESB Athletic Club Home Page link. Remember, new members are always welcome so feel free to contact any member of the club.
Recent BHAA Results
• Dublin City Council 5km: Hugh McCann and Adrian Northage were first home in their standards while Stephen Naughton was first man in his category. Niall McGeorge was the first ESB athlete across the line while Edel Haverty led the charge for the women.
• BHAA 1 mile: 3rd Grade 7/8 Eamonn McWalter
• Finding the Run of Ourselves (Firhouse 10k): 2nd Team Class C (Stephen Naughton, Sarah Stapleton, Hugh McCann)
