Irish VOOM 2016 finalist FoodCloud will pitch to Richard Branson tomorrow

FoodCloud is one of six businesses to reach the finale of the Virgin Media Business VOOM 2016 entrepreneur competition.

Iseult Ward, co-founder of FoodCloud will be pitching to Richard Branson and a panel of business heavyweights including Tyra Banks, Sara Blakely Marcus Butler and Virgin Media Business Managing Director, Peter Kelly, at the live finale tomorrow 28th June. FoodCloud will go head to head with two other businesses in the Grow category for a slice of the €1.2 million prize fund.

As well as the 6 final pitches, there are 3 other awards being presented: 1. The Impact Award; 2. The Great Award; 3. The Crowdfunder Award. Separately, The People’s Choice Award comes from public votes and was announced today as Findoc (capturing 23,000 votes). Findoc is a website that helps you to find a doctor and book appointments, wherever you go.

Live event:
10:45am – Presenter (Konnie Huq) opens event
10:50am – Richard and judges welcomed onstage
10:55am – Judges panel chat
11:10am – ‘Start-up’ pitches x 3
11:30am – ‘Grow’ pitches x 3 (FoodCloud are in this category).
11:50am – Deliberations and presentation of Awards (Judges move backstage to make choices whilst onstage Impact, GREAT, Crowdfunder and People’s Choice Awards announced)
12:10pm – Winner announcements.

FoodCloud is a not-for-profit social enterprise that has developed a unique solution to this problem through connecting businesses with surplus food with charities in their local communities that need it through a technology platform. Co -Founders Iseult Ward and Aoibheann O’Brien launched FoodCloud in October 2013 with one Tesco store in Dublin and the business grew from that moment, redistributing 2.9 million meals equivalent to charities across Ireland and the UK to date.

Iseult Ward said: “We are delighted to have made it this far in the competition and can’t wait to pitch FoodCloud to Richard Branson. We’ve worked extremely hard to get here and it’s been such an incredible experience so far, we’re excited for the finale and the future opportunities this will bring.”

Richard Branson, Virgin Founder said: “Congratulations to FoodCloud for making it through to the finale of the Virgin Media Business ‘VOOM’ competition. They’ve shown they’ve got the determination and innovative flair we’re looking for in a winner and I can’t wait to meet them at the final on the 28th.”

Gavan Smyth, Vice President of Virgin Business said: “This is an unbelievable result for Ireland. Not only was it Ireland’s first time to be invited into the pitching competition, an Irish company made it to the final six. I am so thrilled for Iseult and everyone at FoodCloud and wish her every success on June 28th.”

You can watch the event live on this link: vmbvoom.com