On Monday, we officially launched the 2025 UK StartUp Awards tour and what better place to kick things off than Belfast? The next generation of Northern Ireland start-ups made themselves heard.
We’re now heading across the UK to spotlight the best new businesses in every region. So whether you're tuning in from Edinburgh or prepping for the London finale, there’s plenty more to come.
The 2025 Northern Ireland StartUp Award Winners in Belfast.
A huge congratulations to all of our Northern Ireland winners! This year's awardees represent the drive, creativity and determination powering the region’s start-up scene.
Here’s a full list of winners:
Northern Ireland StartUp of the Year 2025 — Meet Margo
Meet Margo is on a mission to make financial advice more accessible for women, starting with the often complex world of remortgages.
Agritech & Foodtech StartUp of the Year — Farmdrive
FarmDrive offers a platform that simplifies farm management and helps supply chain partners build transparent, resilient operations.
AI StartUp of the Year — AAPTA GUT GENIUS+
Aapta Gut+Genius is redefining gut health with AI-powered, non-invasive tests and personalised nutrition advice, empowering users to make smarter lifestyle choices through easy, at-home testing and sustainable, plant-based solutions.
Business to Business StartUp of the Year — ESG Made Easy
ESG Made Easy helps businesses confidently tackle sustainability, providing tailored strategies, certification support, team training, and net-zero carbon management to create lasting impact and value.
Business, Consulting & Management StartUp of the Year — Intelligent Buyer
Intelligent Buyer transforms procurement through strategic, innovative supplier partnerships that drive efficiency, sustainability, and long-term competitive advantage championing responsible practices and transparency worldwide.
Consumer Products StartUp of the Year — Vibrotect
Vibrotect revolutionizes workplace safety with wearable vibration monitoring devices delivering real-time data and helping industries protect employees from harmful vibrations and ensure healthier, pain-free careers.
Consumer Services StartUp of the Year — RoutineRoo
RoutineRoo uses AI-powered personalised storyboards and avatars to make family routines fun and less stressful, motivating kids and creating calmer homes.
Creative StartUp of the Year — Horrible Brands
Horrible Brands transforms businesses with clear strategy and sleek, user-friendly digital products.
Digital StartUp of the Year — Meet Margo
(Also recognised here for their innovative approach to financial advice for women.)
Education & Training StartUp of the Year — 6D-Dementia
An award-winning clinical model and app designed to better understand and manage behaviour changes in people with dementia.
Equity-Backed StartUp of the Year Sponsored by Join Talent — The ECO bASKET
The Eco Basket supplies sustainably sourced wholefoods, eco products, and refill solutions for consumers and businesses. Offering bulk goods and white-label services that support environmentally conscious retailers and supply chains.
Global StartUp of the Year Sponsored by Airwallex — Astral Education
Astral Education Limited is a dynamic consultancy delivering tailored, results-driven education solutions to enhance institutional performance.
Green StartUp of the Year — KitchenSync
KitchenSync is transforming the food industry with innovative technology and sustainable practices, creating smarter kitchen ecosystems that reduce waste and redefine how food is sourced and enjoyed.
Health & Wellbeing StartUp of the Year — Forge Female Fitness
Forge Female Fitness helps women build strength, confidence, and self-love through expert coaching and a supportive network led by Northern Ireland’s top female coaching team.
Innovative StartUp of the Year — Vibrotect
(Also recognised here for their pioneering wearable safety technology.)
Marketing, Advertising & PR StartUp of the Year — Sugar Snap
Sugar Snap specialises in building irresistible food and drink brands. Serving clients locally and globally with creativity that’s literally good enough to eat.
Media & Entertainment StartUp of the Year — Misfit Hobbies
Misfit Hobbies empowers misfits to find their place in tabletop gaming, crafting bold, high-quality roleplaying game resources that stand out.
Medtech & Healthtech StartUp of the Year — ReproGo
ReproGo is a regenerative medicine company specialising in stem cells and vascular biology.
Professional Services StartUp of the Year — Lead Self Coaching and Development
They help professionals shift thinking, overcome limiting beliefs, and unlock new potential in their careers and lives.
Rising Star Award — Spare Chair
Spare Chair is an AI-powered platform helping professional service providers fill appointments more efficiently, boosting occupancy while offering consumers discounted bookings for seamless scheduling.
StartUp For Good Award — Reach Tutoring
Reach Tutoring is Northern Ireland’s premier tutoring service, offering bespoke lessons tailored to individual student needs across Northern Ireland and the wider UK.
Young Entrepreneur of the Year — at the Heart of the Game
Focused on saving lives through hands-on CPR and AED training, empowering athletes, coaches, and communities to respond confidently to cardiac emergencies.
Graduate StartUp of the Year & Judges Choice — Balantra
Balantra makes gut health simple and delicious with high-fibre wellness powdered sachets that easily fit into daily routines.
Manufacturing & Engineering StartUp of the Year & Judges Choice — Demanu
Demanu brings over 30 years of combined expertise in product design and manufacturing. Offering a practical, lean approach across industries and expert support throughout the product lifecycle.
Once again, a huge congratulations to all the winners who were recognised. Your hard work, passion, and innovation are the heartbeat of Northern Ireland’s start-up community.
This tour wouldn’t be possible without the people who bring it to life.
A huge thank you to Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, whose vision and dedication to entrepreneurship continue to make a national impact. Our brilliant host Calvin Eden, who brought joy, energy and heart to the stage all night, and of course, our incredible sponsors and partners inducing Airwallex, Join Talent and V-Rum.
The UK StartUp Awards tour is just getting started and here’s where we’ll be over the next few weeks:
10 June – Scotland (Edinburgh)
11 June – North East, Yorkshire & The Humber (Leeds)
12 June – North West (Manchester)
17 June – Midlands (Birmingham)
18 June – South West (Bristol)
19 June – Wales (Cardiff)
24 June – South East (Reading)
25 June – East of England (Cambridge)
26 June – London
To all the winners, finalists and attendees, thank you for being part of the Northern Ireland StartUp Awards.
All regional winners are invited to the UK StartUp National Awards taking place September 11th at Ideas Fest.
We’ll see you on the road.