The Heat Is On Awards Winners 2010 Announced
This year’s final took place in the magnificent surroundings of the Burnavon Theatre in Cookstown County Tyrone with UTV Seven Thirty Show host Malachi Cush as compere for the evening.
The 6 finalists all impressed the judges and audience alike with their innovative new products so much that it was far from clear at the end who would pick up the £20,000 prize package provided by the four main sponsors of the event (Country Stoves, Alpha Newspaper Group, The Northern Media Group and www.smartboss.co.uk).
The audience were divided who should win as well and anyone of the finalists would have been a worthy winner. After a longer than planned for discussion between the judges (Gerard Molloy Country Stoves, Brian MacAuley www.smartboss.co.uk and Jonathan Taylor Alpha Newspaper Group) a final decision was made in what was a close contest.
The Winners of The Heat Is On Awards 2010 was Martin Conway and Declan Campbell for their innovative new roof rack for commercial vans. The duo impressed the judges with their spin on an existing product. Their product is alot safer to operate than conventional roof racks with no need to leave the ground when using it and it also takes less time to secure things to it thanks to their sliding mechanism and locking device. They plan to lauch the product early next year and this task will be made significantly easier thanks to prize package from the Heat Is On Awards.
In second place was Damien O Donnell from County Antrim who had invented a new prefabricated wall system that had successfully undergone stringent testing from Queens University. Damien is also looking at a product launch in 2011 and the judges expect him to have every success.
The other finalists who can count themselves unlucky to have not been placed were Michael Brady and Jonathan Scott (Cocoon – an automatic erecting marquee), David Dicks (A mobile hydroponic growth system ), Fergal O Kane (A multifunctional link box attachment) and Andrew Hassard (A self compressing bin). The judges and the organisers of the event would like to wish all the finalists the best of luck with their ideas and are sure they will all be successful.
If you think you have what it takes to face the judges then you should enter The Heat Is On Awards 2011 which will be launched in the Summer of 2011.
Can you face the panel?
£20,000 in prizes to be won towards a new business idea!
What Are The Heat Is On Awards?
The Heat is on Awards is a competition for entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland that have an exciting new business idea. A total prize package of £20,000 is up for grabs with £5,000 of this Cash for the most imaginative and also feasible idea. Only business ideas that have not started up yet can be considered.
Launching The Heat Is On Awards 2010, clockwise from L-R, Tony McCance (Burnavon Theatre), David Russell (2009 Winner), Malachi Cush (5, 6 & 7FM and the Q Radio Stations), Liam Keelagher (2009 Winner), Gerard Molloy (Country Stoves), Jonathan Taylor (Alpha Newspaper Group), Brian MacAuley (Dungannnon Enterprise Centre/Smartboss.co.uk), Paul Byrne (Country Stoves),
£20,000 in Prizes Fund includes:
- £5000 Cash Prize provided by Country Stoves Ltd.
- Radio Advertising Campaigns provided by Northern Media Group (Q Network 5, 6, and 7FM)
- Newspaper Advertising across Northern Ireland provided by the Alpha Newspaper Group
- 2 Years free online mentored support from Smartboss.co.uk
A judging panel made up of business people from Northern Ireland will assess all the entries and decide on the 6 best ideas. The final will be in the Burnavon Theatre in Cookstown in December 2010.
Some examples of the ideas that the judges could consider are, a traditional business idea but with an innovative spin on it, or a completely new untested idea or invention.
To enter please complete the online application form or download an application form. The panel will then shortlist the best ideas for interview during the month of September 2010.
Anyone over 18 living in Northern Ireland can enter by completing the simple application form. This initiative is being sponsored by Country Stoves, Cookstown, The Alpha Newspaper Group, Smartboss.co.uk and Northern Media Radio Stations.
The Heat is on Awards is a competition for entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland that have an exciting new business idea. A total prize package of £20,000 is up for grabs with £5,000 of this Cash for the most imaginative and also feasible idea. Only business ideas that have not started up yet can be considered.