Two NI Firms Included In The Start Ups 100 Index

It is a very prestigious accolade to be included in the Start Ups 100 Index, so the fact that two companies from Northern Ireland are included in the line up for 2025 is a great testament to the wealth of entrepreneurial talent over here.

The Start Ups 100 Index basically celebrates the most promising UK start ups. It looks at new businesses who are showing innovative promise, a solid financial performance, along with cornering a marketing opportunity and engaging with their growing customer base. This year from NI we have Eolas Medical, who are from Belfast and have created a healthcare app, and also Vikela who are a body armour manufacturer located in Bangor.

The Platform Has 200,000 Users Worldwide

Here are some details on both these fine NI companies, as copied from an article on the Belfast Newsletter website. It says:

‘At number 10 is Eolas Medical, founded in 2019 by Dr. Declan Kelly, is revolutionizing healthcare knowledge management with a platform that consolidates thousands of documents into one accessible portal, offering comprehensive guidance, secure messaging, and streamlined access to essential information. Used by 80% of NHS Trusts and 200,000 users worldwide, the company aims to expand to one million registered users.

‘Meanwhile at number 16 is Vikela, established in 2020 by Peter Gilleece, which is reshaping the body armor industry after learning how cumbersome and unsafe traditional designs were, particularly for women and diverse body types. Using his mechanical engineering expertise, Peter developed lighter, better-fitting armor made from Kevlar and carbon fiber. Vikela is now the world’s first producer of 3D-printed body armor that offers equal protection for all genders, many size options, and is also 100% recyclable.’

Watch Out London!

In the same article here is what Zohra Huda, editor of Startups.co.uk, said about the inclusion of these two Northern Ireland businesses:

“Who says you need to be born in the capital to succeed? This year’s Startups 100 index proves that inspiration, innovation and ingenuity is in abundance in Northern Ireland with Eolas Medical and Vikela leading the charge in spite of the challenges of the post-Covid and current economic landscape. Watch out London.”

Start Ups also ran a survey and found that 80% of NI business leaders are optimistic about the coming year. This can only bode very well for the future and let us hope that many more companies follow in the footsteps of Eolas Medical and Vikela.