Seed the Season from Cullybackey College named ‘Company of the Year’ at Belfast City Hall ceremony
A group of students from Cullybackey College have won the coveted ‘Company of the Year’ accolade at the Young Enterprise NI Awards for their business, which supplies seasonal seed kits to local people and schools.
Seed the Season, which also took home the Institute of Export Foundation Export Potential Award at the ceremony in Belfast City Hall, have successfully developed a range of products, from seed bombs to Christmas tree growing kits.
They also created the Little Grow Project, which provides colourful ‘bloom boxes’ to local primary schools, encouraging younger children to sow their own seeds while learning about the importance of pollination and biodiversity.
Seed the Season was among six school teams competing for the top prize, with judges drawn from business supporters, including Lead Partner, Send My Bag, and new Impact Partners, Staffline and Version 1.
The win securing them a place in the UK final in Cardiff in June. They will also have the chance to secure a place at the Young Enterprise European Company of the Year final in Latvia in July.
Young Enterprise NI Chief Executive, Carol Fitzsimons MBE, said:
“Seed the Season is a fantastic example of what young people across Northern Ireland can achieve when given the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills.
“The team identified a clear market need and responded with creativity, strong branding and a real commitment to sustainability and community impact.
“Our Company Programme is about much more than starting a business – it’s about building confidence, teamwork and real-world skills that will benefit these young people in whatever path they choose next. We’re incredibly proud of everything they have accomplished and wish them the very best as they go on to represent Northern Ireland at the UK final.”
Catherine Gillan, Managing Director of Seed the Season, said:
“Winning Company of the Year is an amazing achievement for our whole team. From the beginning, we wanted to create a business that would not only be successful but also make a positive impact in our community.
“We’ve learned so much through the programme – from teamwork and communication to problem-solving and resilience – and we’re excited to take everything we’ve gained into the next stage of the competition.”
Runners-up in the Company of the Year competition were Emotion Commotion from Fivemiletown College, which created an innovative card game focused on mental health.
There were also Special Recognition honours for Kabloom from Limavady Grammar School for branding; Looped from Glenlola Collegiate for sustainable and environmental awareness; Fair Play from Strathearn School for most profitable company; and Root & Rise from Lurgan College for teamwork.
Jonathan Williamson, Chief Operating Officer at EY lead sponsor of the awards, said:
“We are proud to support the Young Enterprise NI Awards and to celebrate the ambition, creativity and resilience demonstrated by students across Northern Ireland.
“These young people are developing vital skills in leadership, innovation and problem-solving that will serve them well in the future world of work.
“At EY, we are committed to helping build a better working world, and initiatives like this play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of business leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers. We congratulate all of this year’s participants on their achievements.”
Queen’s University Belfast is the lead educational partner for Young Enterprise NI’s flagship Company Programme.
Professor Julie McCandless, Queen’s University Belfast added:
“We are proud to support Young Enterprise NI’s Company Programme, which continues to inspire and equip young people with the skills, confidence and ambition needed for the future world of work.
“The creativity, innovation and commitment demonstrated by this year’s finalists highlight the strength of entrepreneurial talent coming through Northern Ireland’s schools, and we congratulate all of the students on their achievements.”
Additional awards were presented to the student company from Park School, Belfast, which won the Team Programme, while Company of the Year in the Start Up Programme was awarded to Print Stand from Northern Regional College, Ballymena.
Young Enterprise/Ulster University Assessment Outstanding Performance awards went to Nisha Chung, Royal School Armagh; Amy Conway, St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon; and Anna Lynch, Thornhill College, Derry.
Loop & Link from St MacNissi’s Primary School, Newtownabbey, meanwhile, were presented with the Danske Bank Sustainability Award.
Young Enterprise is a business education charity which helps young people learn skills for the world of work and is primarily funded by the business community.
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