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NUI Galway spin-out Westway Health has been awarded Best Agri Business in the Business All-Stars competition. Westway Health is developing and commercialising a range of non-antibiotic antimicrobial technologies, to kill all bacteria without allowing the emergence of resistant superbugs. The Business All-Stars competition final was one of the key elements of the Fourth Annual All-Ireland Business Summit powered by Audi, and held in Croke Park on Thursday 19 April.

Westway Health is based at the Business Innovation Centre at NUI Galway, and has range of active development programmes in animal and human health. Its lead product in development is for the treatment of bovine mastitis. The Business All-Stars is an annual competition designed to identify, recognise and accredit Irish companies and individuals that have distinguished themselves in the conduct of their business over the last 12 months.

Speaking at the event, Kieran F. Ring, CEO Global Institute of Logistics, Deputy Chairperson Adjudication Panel said: “The decision to award Westway Health with Best Agri Business 2018-19 is based on the score achieved in four rounds of intense competition.  The application, supported by references, interviews and independent ratings from the ‘mystery shopper’ process left the adjudication panel in no doubt that Westway Health is richly deserving of this award. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all concerned and we wish you every success for the future.”

In response to the announcement Dr Ruairi Friel, CEO Westway Health which is based on the NUI Galway campus, said:  “On behalf of Westway Health I would like to express our sincere thanks to the judging panel for awarding us this prize. This is a great source of pride for us and recognition to the great team here at Westway Health who are developing our innovative novel non-antibiotic antimicrobial technologies. The process which led to this award truly stretched us, the structure of the competition required us to put our brand story on paper and gave us the opportunity to reflect on who we are, our growth strategy and above all the value we create for our target audience. The opportunity to hear first-hand feedback from our Judge-Mentor, our existing customers, partners and suppliers through the reference module combined with the results from the mystery shopper round was invaluable.
We would like to thank all at the competition for making the effort to listen to our story, understand and accredit our business and above all help us to promote it.”

Speaking at the summit, Dr. Briga Hynes, Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Chairperson Adjudication Panel summed up the entire process by reminding the enterprises honoured with All-Star that: “Westway Health has demonstrated an ability to innovate and has impressive growth plans which no-doubt reflects the resilience and optimism that are the hallmarks of Irish entrepreneurs. Westway Health bring a real inspiration for what is possible in business in Ireland and provide important role models for the many aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small firms.”

In further success at Croke Park, OnePageCRM was awarded Business All-Star CRM at the All Ireland Business All Star Awards 2018. 

In response to the announcement OnePageCRM CEO Michael FitzGerald said, “This was our first year taking part in the Business All-Star awards. It enabled us the opportunity to spread our story and encouraged us to put our best foot forward! So to be named an All-Star CRM is a superb achievement for the team.”  Based at NUI Galway's Business Innovation Centre, OnePageCRM launched in 2010  has grown from strength to strength with over 10,000 paying customers and 25 employees today.

The competition finals benefited enormously from the atmosphere created at the All-Ireland Summit which was driven by the three key pillars of knowledge sharing, facilitating new business relationships and the continued improvement of business standards in Ireland, the All-Ireland Summit improves year-on-year – like so many of the great teams to have graced the hallowed turf of Croke Park.

Both companies are now included in the 2018-19 All-Stars Role of Honour, the list is published annually to coincide with the All-Ireland Business Summit at Croke Park.  Applications for 2018-19's competition open on 1st June 2018.

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