New Frontiers participant wins IBYE Kilkenny with Motoklik

New Frontiers, the enterprise development programme run by WIT in two phases every year, attracts enterprising individuals from across the south east

Young entrepreneurs from around the country are competing to for the coveted award of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE), 2019. Former WIT New Frontiers participant Jens Köpke a Kilkenny native won the Best Start-Up Business category of IBYE Kilkenny beating off strong competition from other young Kilkenny entrepreneurs at the finals.

Artificial intelligence

Jens Kopke is the founder of the innovative start-up company Motoklik an electronic device that uses Artificial Intelligence to improve the performance and safety of off-road motorcycle racers. Jens was presented with the Best Start-Up Business trophy by Minster John Paul Phelan at the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Finals event held at the Smithwicks Experience, Kilkenny on April 30th.

Accepting the award Jens says “It’s an honour to represent Kilkenny in this year’s IBYE competition for Best Start-Up Business, and I will continue to put my best foot forward for the regional final on the 19th of June. We’re looking forward now to putting our patent in place and purchasing some vital equipment with the IBYE funding. Thank you to all involved in this event and best wishes to my Kilkenny counterparts in the Best Idea and Established Business categories.”

Prototype development

Commenting on Jens’ success, Eugene Crehan, Director of Programmes (CEDRE), said “Jens has worked diligently to achieve product-market fit for Motoklik since his participation in New Frontiers, last year. He also secured the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund in 2018 and used those funds to develop his prototype while working closely with an influencial trial customer in Europe. I wish Jens and the team at Motoklik continued success and know that Jens will maximise the IBYE prizemoney to the benefit of Motoklik. We send Jens our best wishes for the south east regional finals on June 19th and hope to see Jens at the IBYE national final on September 15th at Google’s European Headquarters in Dublin, where a €100,000 investment fund will be awarded to winners.”

Applications for Phase 1 of the New Frontiers Programme are now being accepted – see: http://www.wit.iw/newfrontiers. Phase 1 will commence WIT in September 2019 on a part-time basis, with Phase 2 commencing in December 2019.