Growing Further

🪴Thank You to Our Growing Further Awards Partners! Our partners are the driving force behind the Growing Further Awards, helping advance innovation, sustainability, and resilience. With their support, we’re empowering changemakers and fueling projects that shape the future of food. Futury, ID2Food, Seven Legal, NovaUCD, Technoport SA, Trinity College Dublin, Sifted Discover more at growingfurther.io

That's a wrap on another season of The Entrepreneur Experiment podcast. 20 seasons ✅ The pod is only as powerful as those who share their stories with me. Thanks to another batch of superb humans and founders. Nadia Adan, founder Ashford Motors David O'Meara, Greenman & Growing Further Oonagh O'Hagan, founder Meagher's Pharmacy Group Will & Adrian, founders of Sons Eamon Leonard, founder Broadstone & Baseline Community + Workspace Luke Joyce, founder TheCleaningCompany.ie Paul Quigley, founder NewsWhip David Jelly, founder Property Bridges Massive thank you to my partners on this season, Local Enterprise Offices, Jenny and the team Azure Communications and David & the Property Bridges crew. A huge thank you to my long-time partner, Ben O’Neill, who is one of the most talented and wonderful people I've had the pleasure of working with. If you want the best cinematographer in Ireland, speak to Ben before Netflix get him. Onto the next one. Season 21 kicks off tomorrow. And finally, most of all, thank you for listening and supporting.

🌟 Judge Spotlight: Jon Bradford🌟 Jon Bradford, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Dynamo Ventures, and judge for the Growing Further Awards 2025. Known as the “Godfather of European Accelerators,” Jon is one of Europe’s most experienced early-stage investors, with over 100 investments and a career marked by entrepreneurial vision and impactful initiatives. He has pioneered accelerator programs worldwide, including Europe’s first bootcamp outside the U.S., which later became Techstars' first international program. We caught up with Jon to learn about his approach to judging, his advice for finalists, and his take on the latest trends in the startup world: 🔍 What will you be paying the most attention to when reviewing finalists? "I am looking for founders who have a singularity and obsession around tackling the real needs of their customer." 🎯 What makes the Growing Further Awards unique in your opinion? "The combination of a positive and sustainable impact on the retail supply chain, alongside the industry knowledge and know-how, really differentiates the Growing Further Awards." 💡 Which current startup trend or tech are you most excited about at the moment? "While it is a cliché, the newly found accessibility of AI in our day-to-day activities will have a profound long-term impact." #GrowingFurtherAwards #JudgeSpotlight #RetailInnovation #Startups #AI #Sustainability #DynamoVentures

🎙️ Episode 3 of the Growing Further Podcast is Now Live! This special episode was filmed live at the Greenman OPEN, OPEN INVEST event last month, where our host, David O'MearaO'Meara, dove deep into the journeys of three past Growing Further finalists who are redefining food innovation. 🌱🚀 Here’s what to expect in this episode: 🌍 MyGug – Kieran Coffey from MyGug shares insights into how their biodigester turns food waste into clean biogas for cooking and creates a natural fertiliser, making sustainable practices accessible for everyday use. Discover the fascinating possibilities of waste-to-energy solutions! 🍞 BiaSol – Ruairi Dooley from this family-run company explains how BiaSol transforms brewers' spent grains, a byproduct of the brewing process, into nutritious and versatile food ingredients. Tune in to learn how they’re creating value from repurposed food waste and bringing sustainable nutrition to the table. 🛒 martee ai– Alice Alizart from Martee AI introduces their demand forecasting tool, designed specifically for the food-on-the-go industry. Learn how AI-driven insights are helping businesses reduce food waste and optimize supply chains to meet just-in-time demand. 💡 Heather Morris, this year’s judge and Head of Investments at Founders Talent Accelerator, rounds off the conversation with a powerful perspective on what it takes to launch a successful product. Heather shares valuable insights on key startup fundamentals and the broader ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Ireland and beyond. 👉 Listen now: Spotify: https://ow.ly/OewW50TT6MS YouTube: https://ow.ly/gp5M50TT6TW Apple Podcasts: https://ow.ly/1Ws450TT6O0

🎙️ Episode 3 of the Growing Further Podcast is nearly here! This one’s a bit different. We filmed it live at the Greenman OPEN, OPEN INVEST event last month. 🌿 In this special episode, David O'Meara sat down with three past Growing Further finalists—MyGug, BiaSol, and martee ai—to explore their exciting progress in food innovation since January’s awards ceremony. 🚀 From revolutionizing waste-to-energy solutions to creating sustainable food ingredients and AI-driven retail experiences, these companies are making waves in the future of food. 🌍✨ Plus, this year’s judge, Heather Morris, Head of Investments at Founders Talent Accelerator, shared invaluable insights into the key factors for launching a product and the broader startup ecosystem in Ireland and beyond. 💡 📅 The full episode drops Friday, October 25th! Don’t miss it. Meanwhile, catch up on past episodes here: 👉 Spotify: https://ow.ly/qkmp50TCXqj 👉 YouTube: https://ow.ly/BCAp50TCXrw #GrowingFurtherPodcast #GreenmanOpen #Startups #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

🌟 Judge Spotlight: Amine Raji, Co-Founder of Spore.bio 🌟 Amine Raji, CEO and Co-Founder of Spore.Bio, joins us this year as a judge for the Growing Further Awards 2025. Last year, Spore.bio took home the overall winner’s title, and now Amine brings his industry expertise and unique perspective to the judging panel. We asked Amine about his approach as a judge and his advice for this year’s finalists: 🔍 What will you be paying the most attention to when reviewing finalists? "I’ll be focusing on the Founder/Market fit. We're searching for incredible talents tackling the big problems of tomorrow." 💡 As last year’s winner, what advice would you give to this year’s finalists? "Dream big! Try to captivate both the jury and the audience with your vision, and dare to be ambitious." 🎯 What makes the Growing Further Awards unique in your opinion? "It’s the only contest in Europe celebrating the complete transformation of the food value chain, with an incredible concentration of high-quality startups addressing some of the industry’s toughest challenges!" Amine’s journey from winner to judge is a testament to the impactful work being done in the food tech space. His insights will be crucial in selecting this year’s top innovators shaping the future of food. #GrowingFurtherAwards #JudgeSpotlight #FoodTech #Startups #Innovation #SporeBio #Entrepreneurship

The application period for the next Growing Further Awards has officially closed. 🙌 Thank you to all the companies that submitted their groundbreaking innovations aimed at transforming the grocery retail supply chain. The competition has drawn an impressive lineup of solutions and we’re busy working out who the finalists will be. 🔍 What Happens Next? 🗓️ 15th November – Announcement of Finalists: We’ll reveal the companies advancing to the next round. 📢 🎥 10th January – Submission of Finalist Pitch Videos: The selected finalists will be asked to submit a pitch video showcasing their companiess solution. This is the moment to demonstrate the potential impact and scalability of your innovation, whether it’s in #Packaging, #AdTech, #BuildingEngineering, or any other category. 🌱🚀 👨⚖️ 29th January – Judging Process Begins: Our panel of industry experts will begin evaluating the pitch videos and supporting materials. 🏆 🏅 30th January – Final Judging & Awards Ceremony in Dublin: The finalists will compete in the final judging round in Dublin, followed by the awards ceremony and networking. 🎉 Stay tuned for more updates, and good luck to all our applicants. The journey to revolutionizing the supply chain continues! 🚚🌍

🎙️ Episode 2 of the Growing Further Podcast is Now Live! 🎉 We’re pleased to share the second episode of the Growing Further Podcast, where we engage with successful entrepreneurs who prioritize innovation in their work. In this episode, Aisling Murray, Founder and Director of Beta Festival—an event celebrating the fusion of art and technology from November 1st to 17th in #Dublin —joins host David O'Meara to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the role of innovation in shaping Beta Festival. 👉 Listen now on Spotify: https://ow.ly/qkmp50TCXqj 👉 Watch on YouTube: https://ow.ly/BCAp50TCXrw Stay tuned as we continue exploring the insights and stories of entrepreneurs driving innovation in their industries. #GrowingFurther #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #BetaFestival #ArtAndTechnology #AislingMurray

🎙️ Episode 2 of the Growing Further Podcast is Now Live! 🎉 We’re pleased to share the second episode of the Growing Further Podcast, where we engage with successful entrepreneurs who prioritize innovation in their work. In this episode, Aisling Murray, Founder and Director of Beta Festival—an event celebrating the fusion of art and technology from November 1st to 17th in #Dublin —joins host David O'Meara to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the role of innovation in shaping Beta Festival. 👉 Listen now on Spotify: https://ow.ly/qkmp50TCXqj 👉 Watch on YouTube: https://ow.ly/BCAp50TCXrw Stay tuned as we continue exploring the insights and stories of entrepreneurs driving innovation in their industries. #GrowingFurther #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #BetaFestival #ArtAndTechnology #AislingMurray

The application deadline for next Growing Further awards ends tonight! 💰 Compete for a part of the €100,000 award fund 🌐 Network with industry leaders and change-makers 🚀 Propel your innovative solutions into the spotlight 🌿 Contribute to a sustainable future in grocery retail We are looking for: 🌱#Foodtech and #Agritech: Innovations that enhance food production and agricultural efficiency. 🏢 #Proptech and #BuildingEngineering: Solutions that optimize spaces for food production, storage, and sales. 🚚 #Packaging, #DistributionTech, and #RetailTech: Innovations that streamline the supply chain. 📱#AdTech, #AR, #XR, and other #DigitalTools that transform customer interaction and experience. If you think your company is a fit apply now at https://lnkd.in/eVFhaG63