The Irish Times Business Person of the Month: Bobby Healy, Manna Aero
Bobby Healy, founder and chief executive of Manna Aero, has been chosen as The Irish Times Businessperson of the Month for March, an award run in association with
Bank of Ireland
.
During the month, the company announced that it had raised $30 million to help fund its ambitious expansion plans.
Manna has been leading the way in drone delivery services, succeeding in getting its delivery commercial service off the ground.
A serial entrepreneur who counts CarTrawler and Eland Technologies among his previous ventures, Mr Healy founded Manna in 2018. The company develops aviation-grade drones that fly at 80km/h and deliver goods including groceries, takeaways and medicines within a 3km radius in less than three minutes.
READ MORE
The aim is to reduce congestion on roads and cut carbon emissions associated with delivery vehicles.
Manna has raised $60 million in funding since it was founded, including the $30 million round in March. Among its backers are Molten Ventures and Tapestry VC, Enterprise Ireland, Coca-Cola HBC, Dynamo VC and Radius Capital.
This money is set to fund the company's immediate growth plans. It has signed deals with DoorDash and JustEat, two of the biggest food delivery companies globally.
While Healy and his team have had to navigate a stringent regulatory process, Manna has now carried out more than 160,000 drone deliveries since it began testing the service.
With services already under way in Dublin 15, Manna is now planning to expand to other areas. It is also carrying out tests in Finland, and is eyeing the UK for potential expansion.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Michael Healy-Rae's property firm linked to housing Ukrainian refugees records €840,000 profit in two years
Michael Healy-Rae's firm's main activity is 'property management'. Photo: Getty That is according to new accounts filed by Mr Healy-Rae's Roughty Properties Ltd, which show that the company recorded post-tax profits of €376,048 in the 12 months to the end of May last year. The filing of the accounts comes just days after the company lodged accounts at the Companies Registration Office (CRO), which showed it recorded a €465,860 post-tax profit in its first year in operation up to May 2023. Cash funds at the company last year increased from €555,933 to €718,046. The company also strengthened its balance sheet during the year with the addition of a fixed asset, which has a book value of €204,519. Mr Healy-Rae owns 100pc of the share capital of the company. The Kerry TD's entry in the Dáil Register of Members' Interests states that the main activity of Roughty Properties Ltd is 'management of rental properties'. In the register, Mr Healy-Rae describes himself as an owner of rental properties and his entry lists 17 separate properties for letting, including 14 houses. Separate figures published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth show that Mr Healy-Rae's Rosemont House in Tralee has received €1.22m over two years and three months to the end of last December. In 2022, Kerry County Council refused planning permission to Roughty Properties Ltd's planning application for a three-storey extension to expand guest capacity at Rosemont Guest House. The Roughty property firm is now Mr Healy-Rae's most profitable enterprise, with the accounts showing two years of strong profits. Separate accounts filed earlier this year by Mr Healy-Rae's plant hire firm, Roughty Plant Hire Ltd, show that its accumulated profits increased by €74,887 from €734,024 to €808,911 in the 12 months to the end of April 2024. Accounts for another of Mr Healy-Rae's firms, which operates a fuel station and grocery shop in Kilgarvan, show that it recorded post-tax losses of €26,986 last year. Mr Healy-Rae's entry to the Dáil Register of Members' Interests lists his other occupations as postmaster, farmer, service station owner and owner of rental properties. The Kerry TD also has shares in the New York Times . Mr Healy-Rae also has 146 acres of farmland/forestry.
The Journal
21 hours ago
- The Journal
Michael Healy-Rae's property company records profits of €800,000 over last two years
KERRY TD MICHAEL Healy-Rae's property management firm recorded combined profits of €841,908 over a two-year period, new account filings show. In the 12 months to the end of May 2024, the minister of state's first Roughty Properties Ltd recorded post-tax profits of €376,048. It recorded a €465,860 post tax profit in its first year in operation from May 2022 to May 2023. The profits for the two periods add up to a combined €841,908 post tax profit. The accounts filed are abridged and don't provide a revenue figure. The Kerry TD's entry in the Dáil Register of Members' Interests states that the main activity of Roughty Properties Ltd is 'management of rental properties'. In the register, Healy-Rae describes himself as an owner of rental properties and his entry lists 17 separate properties for letting, including 14 houses. The portfolio includes Rosemont House in Tralee, a guesthouse providing accommodation for Ukrainians who came to Ireland to flee the war. Separate figures published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth show that Healy Rae's Rosemont House has received €1.22m over two years and three months to the end of December last. Advertisement Roughty Property Ltd is Healy-Rae's most profitable enterprise, with the accounts showing two years of strong profits. Cash funds at the company last year increased from €555,933 to €718,046. The company also strengthened its balance sheet during the year with the addition of a fixed asset which has a book value of €204,519. Healy-Rae owns 100% of the share capital of the company. Under the heading of directors' loans, a note states that at the end of May 2024, 'there were no loans, quasi loan, credit transactions or guarantees for and on behalf of the directors'. In 2022, Kerry County Council refused planning permission to Roughty Properties Ltd's planning application for a three storey extension to expand guest capacity at Rosemont Guest House. Separate accounts filed earlier this year by Minister Healy-Rae's plant hire firm, Roughty Plant Hire Ltd, show that its accumulated profits increased by €74,887 from €734,024 to €808,911 in the 12 months to the end of April 2024. Accounts for another Michael Healy-Rae firm which operates a fuel station and grocery shop in Kilgarvan show that it recorded post tax losses of €26,986 last year. Healy-Rae's entry to the Dáil's members' register of interests lists his other occupations as postmaster, farmer, service station owner and owner of rental properties. The Kerry TD also has shares in the New York Times and owns 146 acres of farmland/forestry.
Agriland
2 days ago
- Agriland
New construction action plan to support use of timber
A new 'action plan' to modernise the construction sector in Ireland has recommended that the government support the work of Timber in Construction Steering Group. The action plan on modern methods of construction (MCC) was announced today (Monday, June 9), with the aim to modernise the construction sector, expand housing capacity, and create sustainable and skilled jobs. The plan has been developed by the Department of Further and Higher Education in partnership with industry and education providers, and sets out 58 targeted actions across eight 'themes' to scale up adoption of MCC. The plan was launched at Mount Lucas National Construction Training Campus in Co. Offaly, which also saw the breaking of ground on a new National Demonstration Park for MMC. One of the actions outlined in the plan calls for the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which regulates construction products, to engage with suppliers of MCC products to encourage their engagement in certification processes so they are eligible for future public tenders. One of the organisations that the government will engage with under this recommendation is the Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers' Association (ITFMA). A further recommendation in the report said that the government will support the work of the Timber in Construction Steering Group through targeted skills provision as necessary. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as well as Solas and Skillnet Ireland, will be responsible for implementing this recommendation. The Timber in Construction Steering Group was established in November 2023, and focuses on five key thematic areas. These areas are: market opportunity; regulation and standards; public procurement and demonstration projects; research and development; and communication and education. The steering group recently met with Minister of State with responsibility for forestry Michael Healy-Rae, to review the progress made in scaling up the use of timber is construction. Speaking at the time, Minister Healy-Rae said: 'Ireland has a significant opportunity to expand the use of timber in construction, supporting our climate goals while delivering housing needs. Sustainable timber construction practices will require us to build smarter, higher and safer.' 'The work of this group is vital in identifying the approaches to wider adoption of timber construction, and to finding practical solutions,' he added.
