Agile Networks’ Co-Founder named as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Finalist
The co-founder of Agile Networks, Ireland’s biggest independent network integrator, has been shortlisted for this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme.
Darragh Richardson, Agile Network’s co-founder and Managing Director, is going head-to-head with 23 other leading entrepreneurs from across the island of Ireland.
The 24 finalists were selected within three categories – emerging, industry and international and Agile Networks, set-up in 2011, has been shortlisted in the emerging category, alongside seven other companies.
Selected by an independent judging panel of previous winners chaired by 2006 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year winner Anne Heraty (Cpl Resources plc), the finalists represent a broad spectrum of sectors.
Dublin-based Agile Networks, which design, build and support networks for some of Ireland’s biggest organisations, has reported very strong growth for 2015, with recent wins including Telcom, D.C.U., and e-Net’s national fibredirect project. The company was also recognised by its peers in the technology industry earlier this month, winning an ICT Excellence Award for the third year in a row.
EY’s Kevin McLoughlin, Partner Lead for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme, said: “The programme continues to unearth companies that are excelling on a remarkable scale and this year’s programme has attracted an exceptionally high calibre of entrepreneur. It is particularly heartening to see the diversity within this year’s shortlist, including a number of strong female candidates and entrepreneurs under the age of 30. We look forward to welcoming our new finalists to the EOY network and continuing our work to support entrepreneurship across the island of Ireland.”
Darragh Richardson from Agile Networks said: “We are honoured to be shortlisted in such a strong field of well run businesses. It is interesting to note how many finalists are disrupting their industries with innovative products and services. Agile have always had a clear vision around setting new standards in IT Networks and we are delighted to see our investments in technical excellence and engineering talent rewarded in these awards.”
The shortlisted entrepreneurs will vie for the title of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year at the Awards Gala in October 2015. The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 finalists in the Emerging Category are:
EY OF THE YEAR 2015: EMERGING CATEGORY
Agile Networks – Darragh Richardson
Amelio Group – Catherine O’Neill
Boxever – Dave O’Flanagan
Brandtone – Donald Fitzmaurice and Padraig McBride
Brite:Bill – Alan Coleman
Drop – Ben Harris
IIS Group – Morgan Browne
X-Bolt Orthopaedics – Brian Thornes
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme is supported by Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, The Irish Times and Newstalk.
