AURA Sports Cream, a unique chilli infused muscle recovery cream, has been named as the overall winner of Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards for 2026.
Rory Staunton, a student at Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, was presented with the award and €10,000 prize at a ceremony in Technological University Dublin on Friday.
AURA Sports Cream is a unique muscle recovery cream which features Capsicum Frutescens, an extract derived from chilli peppers. The cream, which is suitable for athletes and active individuals, works to combine capsaicin with active natural botanicals to deliver fast, targeted heat and relief for muscles and joints.
Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards brings together third-level students who have innovative solutions to real-world challenges, and this annual initiative is supported by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices.
This was the 45th year of the competition, and it was open to registered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students from third-level institutions across the island who have an innovative business idea with commercial potential.
Ten innovations were shortlisted for this year’s final, which was hosted in TUD on Friday. And some of the other solutions which featured included an AI-powered learning tool, and a transportation app which collates data from Ireland’s public transport to calculate commuting times in real time.
In addition to the €10,000 cash prize, this year’s overall winner AURA Sports Cream has also won mentoring supports from specialist Enterprise Ireland advisors, who will work with the young entrepreneur to develop their product and explore new market opportunities.
Other prizes presented at the award ceremony hosted at TUD’s Blanchardstown campus included;
- The Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000, which was presented to Liam Harte from Queen’s University Belfast for their innovation Rephobia;
- The Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway student Sienna Joyce Faherty for her business The Hill Café;
- The Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was awarded to Faith Olopade from Trinity College Dublin for their solution Blindspot Labs;
- The Enterprise Ireland Academic Award was presented to Dr Orla Byrne from University College Dublin
The other six finalists from this year’s competition all received a prize of €1,500 each from the Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund.
Speaking at the awards, Joe Healy, Head of Research and Innovation at Enterprise Ireland said: “Enterprise Ireland believes Irish exporters can become the primary driver of the Irish economy, and we believe programmes like the Student Entrepreneur Awards are critical to fostering the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who will drive this growth. It is inspiring to see the creativity and problem-solving skills demonstrated by students across the country as they develop innovations with business potential which address real-world challenges. Enterprise Ireland is committed to harnessing the skills, ambition and talent of our diverse population, including this cohort of student entrepreneurs who are the leaders of tomorrow. I want to congratulate all the participants, finalists and award winners in this year’s competition.”
Also speaking at the event, Teri Smith, Manager, Local Enterprise Centre of Excellence & Enterprise Europe Network, Enterprise Ireland, added: “Fostering the talent and expertise of young entrepreneurs is key to the work of the Local Enterprise Offices. The passion demonstrated by the businesses recognised today bodes well for the future of Ireland’s startup ecosystem. It is through the dedication of today’s young entrepreneurs that Ireland’s business landscape will continue to thrive for years to come. We look forward to seeing the businesses flourish in the future through continued support from the Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland.”