According to Silicon Republic, Dublin-based health-tech company Hexis was named the overall Grand Prix winner at the 2025 National Startup Awards ceremony held on November 20. The company, co-founded by physical performance experts Dr David Dunne and Dr Samuel Impey, also took home the top prize in the tech startup category. Hexis focuses on providing personalized nutrition to athletes to enhance performance and accelerate recovery, with backing from Enterprise Ireland and rapid growth across both the UK and US markets. Other gold winners included Haon Life Sciences in the emerge tech category, Mór Taste for food and drink, and Glitch as the AI-focused startup. The live pitching competition was won by Fussy Food Plates, while last year’s overall winner was cybersecurity company Cytidel from Co Mayo.
What makes Hexis special
Here’s the thing about personalized nutrition – it’s not exactly a new concept. But Hexis seems to have cracked the code for athletes specifically, which is a much more demanding market. When you’re dealing with professional or serious amateur athletes, the margin for error is basically zero. They’ve managed to secure Enterprise Ireland backing and are already expanding internationally, which suggests they’ve got something more substantial than just another meal planning app.
I think what’s interesting here is the timing. The sports nutrition market is absolutely flooded with products, but most of them take a one-size-fits-all approach. Hexis appears to be leveraging actual performance data and expert input from their co-founders’ backgrounds. That’s a significant differentiator in a space where many companies are just repackaging the same supplements with different branding.
Bigger trends emerging
Looking at the other winners gives you a sense of where Ireland’s startup scene is heading. You’ve got Haon Life Sciences in biotech, Glitch in AI, and several food and sustainability-focused companies. It’s not just about software anymore – there’s real depth across multiple sectors now.
Enterprise Ireland’s involvement is telling too. They’re clearly pushing hard to position Ireland as a startup hub beyond the traditional tech corridors. And when you see companies like Hexis already expanding into the UK and US markets right out of the gate, it suggests they’re building with scale in mind from day one. That’s a different approach than the typical “dominate locally first” strategy we used to see.
What’s next for winners
Winning these awards isn’t just about the trophy – it’s about validation and exposure. Stephen Dillon from the National Startup Awards mentioned this is now recognized as the leading event for early-stage businesses in Ireland. That kind of recognition can open doors to additional funding, partnerships, and talent acquisition.
But here’s the real question: Can Hexis translate this early success into sustainable growth? The personalized nutrition space is getting crowded, and athlete-focused solutions need to demonstrate real, measurable results to justify premium pricing. Still, backing from Enterprise Ireland and rapid international expansion suggests they’re on a promising trajectory. Last year’s winner Cytidel set a high bar – now we’ll see if Hexis can match that momentum.
