A group of students from Omagh Academy who created a financial management book for children have been named ‘Company of the Year’ at Young Enterprise Northern Ireland’s annual awards – YEA25.
Their business ‘Minted Minds’ which aims to teach key money fundamentals to children as they transition from primary to secondary school, wowed judges as they were chosen as overall winners from six student-powered ‘companies’ in the major award ceremony.
Minted Minds, which also won the Export Award on the night, will now go forward to represent Northern Ireland at the Young Enterprise UK Company Final Awards, providing the chance to secure their place in the Young Enterprise European Company of the Year final in Athens later this year.
Northern Ireland’s leading enterprise education charity, Young Enterprise NI is dedicated to inspiring and educating local young people about the world of business and entrepreneurship. Supported by many of the biggest names in the region’s business community, by providing fun, practical business experiences, the organisation empowers young people to develop critical skills such as teamwork, leadership and financial literacy. The annual awards are a key part of its work.
Young Enterprise NI chief executive, Carol Fitzsimons MBE, said:
“YEA25 has once again demonstrated the talent, creativity and ambition of Northern Ireland’s young people. We are so proud of all the teams who took part, and particularly of Minted Minds, who developed a product with real purpose and commercial potential. All the teams are shining examples of what can be achieved when young people are given the opportunity to innovate and lead.”
Lucy Rennie, Managing Director at Minted Minds, Omagh Academy, said:
“We’re absolutely thrilled to win Company of the Year. Creating Minted Minds has been such an exciting journey - we’ve learned so much about business, teamwork and ourselves. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and are so excited to represent Northern Ireland at the UK finals.”
Awards were also made to Beez Kneez, Bangor Academy & Sixth Form College as Runners-Up, while there were Special Recognition awards to Printed Petals, Strathearn School, Belfast, and Paws & Pieces, Larne High School.
This year’s judging panel included Young Enterprise alumni Adam Ewart, founder and chief executive of local award-winning baggage shipping company Send My Bag.
Congratulating the winners, he said:
“As a former Young Enterprise participant, I know first-hand how impactful this experience can be. The standard of entries this year was incredibly high, and Minted Minds really stood out with their thoughtful product, clear vision and professional delivery. They should be very proud.”
Jonathan Williamson, Chief Operations Officer for EY Northern Ireland, which is sponsoring the awards, said:
“At EY we believe in supporting the next generation of business leaders and innovators. The creativity, resilience and commercial thinking demonstrated at YEA25 has been nothing short of inspiring. Congratulations to all the finalists and especially to Minted Minds on a fantastic win.”
Pauline Wylie, communications manager at A&O Shearman Belfast, which is also sponsoring the 2025 awards, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to support Young Enterprise which nurtures future talent, preparing students for the world of work, and providing skills for life. The energy, ideas, and talent on display this year were truly impressive - a credit to the students and their teachers.”
Other YEA25 awards included best Start Up, won by 3D Xtreme, Northern Regional College, Ballymena, while Beads N Needs from the college were runners-up in the same category.
Drip Drop from Park School, Belfast, was named overall winner in the Team Programme category while Blooming Bridges, Maguiresbridge Primary School, won the Business Beginnings award.
Presentations were also made to Stacey Finnegan, Newry High School, Emma Stevenson, Glenlola Collegiate, and Thomas Hunter, Lumen Christi College who completed their Young Enterprise/Ulster University assessment.
Young Enterprise NI receives no public funding and relies on local businesses and a range of stakeholders for support. Organisations which have pledged support, joining its ‘Business Backers’ programme include Danske Bank, Bank of Ireland, A&O Shearman, Finnebrogue, Henderson Group, Dale Farm, Musgrave, Kilwaughter and Lynas Foods.
For information on Young Enterprise NI and how you can help its vital work, visit www.yeni.co.uk.
