The founder of an agtech start-up company is among the winners of Junior Chamber Ireland (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons Awards (TOYP).

During the nomination phase, communities across the island were called upon to nominate young people aged 18-40 who have been working for the betterment of society in 10 different categories.

Among the winners is Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy who co-founded the agtech start-up ApisProject, a company which provides insight for beekeepers to prevent losses and increase productivity, predominantly in the U.S.

JCI Outstanding Young Person Awards

During the nomination phase the project team received over 100 nominations, 80 of which were unique applications.

The award categories are: 
  • Academic leadership and/or accomplishment;
  • Business, economic and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment;
  • Contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights;
  • Cultural achievement;
  • Humanitarian and/or voluntary leadership;
  • Medical innovation;
  • Moral and/or environmental leadership;
  • Personal improvement and/or accomplishment;
  • Political, legal and/or governmental affairs;
  • Scientific and/or technological development.
The three judges on the panel included:
  • Kevin Cullinane, 2005 JCI world president and chief marketing officer of Cork Airport;
  • Clodagh Higgins, JCI alumnus, Galway City Councillor;
  • David Kenny, vice-president, Huawei Ireland.

The 10 chosen national honourees will then be nominated for the international JCI TOYP awards at an international ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa in November 2021.

Hard work of young people

Speaking at the awards ceremony, guest of honour Dr. Fergal Lynch, secretary general of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said that the award gave the opportunity to recognise the hard work and achievement of young people in Ireland.

National president of JCI Ireland, Carol Ho said: “Immense support from the local communities in Ireland in promoting their local heroes, who have been working for the betterment of the society, is a sign of a strong sustainable community which is thriving.

“The generous support from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Huawei Ireland, shows their commitment towards supporting young people and building sustainable communities in Ireland.”

The National winners for Ireland Ten Outstanding Young Persons Awards 2021 are as follows:

  • Luke Gibbons – Academic leadership or accomplishment – creating EnviEd, Ireland’s first environmental charity to educate young people about environmental harm and climate change;
  • Seán William McLoughlin – Cultural achievement – better known as Jacksepticeye, is an Irish YouTuber, best known for his vlogs and comedic ‘Let’s Play’ series. Since 2017, has raised almost €5 million in charity livestreams;
  • Dr. Sean Mulligan – Academic leadership or accomplishment – founder of VorTech Water Solutions, which also took the top prize in the sustainability category for its solution to energy wastage in the water treatment industry;
  • Patrick and John Collison – Business and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment – their company Stripe Inc., built software that businesses could link with websites and apps to instantly connect with credit card and banking systems and receive payments;
  • Barry McCann – Medical innovation category – CEO of NUA Surgical; the SteriCISION Retractor aims to make C-sections a safer and more efficient surgery;
  • Fionn Ferreira – Moral and/or environmental leadership – student-scientist and anti-plastic pollution innovator focusing on solving the plastic pollution crisis;
  • Dr. Sinead Kane – Personal accomplishments – she is a double PhD doctorate, double Guinness World Record holder, freelance researcher, visually impaired athlete, and qualified lawyer;
  • Maria Walsh – Political, legal and/or government affairs – elected as an MEP for the Midlands–North West constituency in 2019. Member on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs [EMPL] and the Committee on Culture and Education [CULT], and is a substitute member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs [LIBE];
  • Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy – Scientific and/or technological development – CEO and co-founder of agtech start-up ApisProtect; among the most widely published authors on Internet of Things and honey bees;
  • Rachael Blackmore – Personal accomplishment – Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National.