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ISEF 2023
Hosted in the impressive 1WDML Dublin Docklands, the ISEF Grand Final 2023 saw four young, innovative entrepreneurs compete for the €10,000 grand prize.
After careful deliberation by our panel of established entrepreneurs, it was Marion Cantillon’s creative edge with PitSeal that emerged as the overall winner.
ISEF 2023 Team
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Mark O'Brien
CO-HEAD University College Dublin
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Ivy Morrissey
CO-HEAD University College Dublin
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Nora Wyer
SPONSORSHIP University College Dublin
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Benjamin Zander D.X.
SPONSORSHIP University College Dublin
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Thomas Rice
MARKETING & EVENTS University College Dublin
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Cathal Cosgrave
INVESTOR RELATIONS University College Dublin
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Alan Casey
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING MANAGER University College Dublin
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Tiarnan O'Rourke
SOCIAL OUTREACH University College Dublin
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Lizaveta Takvarava
SPONSORSHIP University College Dublin
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Dominic Cronin
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR University College Cork
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Eimhin O'Neill
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR Trinity College Dublin
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Alan Donnelly
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR University of Galway
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Ellen Cleary
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR Maynooth University
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Emma Harlick
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR Dublin City University
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Ben Fitzgerald Kelly
CAMPUS AMBASSADOR University of Limerick
Startups
Pitseal
Created by Marion Cantillon, PitSeal is an eco-friendly solution for silage covering with the aim to provide long term sustainability for the farmers and their families. Pitseal is a biofilm comprising of unique strains of seaweed and nutrients that form an airtight and waterproof film on top of the silage pit completely replacing the plastic covering and weight.
Marion saw first hand the dangers of farming when her uncle slipped and fell on wet plastic, breaking his leg preventing him from practicing farming for some time. Accidents like this are common in the farming world and so as a safer alternative, both environmentally and socially, along came Pitseal…
Wonky Woolins
The Wonky Woolins is a family-orientated business envisioned by Chloe Gardiner and inspired by her granny’s wonky, knitted toys that were passed onto her. Having survived through six generations before her, Chloe felt she should replicate these high quality toys for others to enjoy. At the age of 15, with €50 in her back pocket and a crochet hook, Chloe created The Wonky Woolins enabling many families to experience the everlasting connection her toys have established between her family members with a quality that will ensure it will maintain for generations to come.
Chloe’s creativity saw her take home the Goodbody’s Sustainability Award!
UGC
‘User Generated Content’ is a marketing platform created by Emma and Orla Coffey, two sisters from Cork. Emma and Orla have plenty of entrepreneurial experience, Emma placed second in the ISEF 2022 competition when she pitched her sustainable activewear line: FinalBlend
With the majority of Irish firms falling within the SME bracket, UGC’s mission is to ensure these firms’ marketing needs are represented and catered for.
Ecode
“Enabling circularity in fashion”
At a time of constant environmental threat, sustainability in fashion is pivotal. The ISEF competition saw Nathan Gaborieau, Emmett Lowry and Elise Vens step up to the challenge with their digital platform Ecode. Their product aims to turn consumption patterns into sustainable, responsible and circular.
“Ecode integrates the entire landscape of actors in circularity by connecting stakeholders, such as brands, consumers, recyclers and resellers. This allows us to count and qualify the state of clothes until the end of their lives.”
Gea
Gea is a reusable and smart alternative to traditional menstrual products. “We believe that products should adapt to the user, not the other way around. We also believe in a future where menstruation improves a woman's quality of life.” Gea is a perfect metaphor of identifying a problem and creating an effective solution. Paulina Gomez Vieco (Gea’s co-founder) shared with us that a prototype was in the work and we can’t wait to see this innovative product manifest into an everyday essential!
