On winning the Award, Paul Groarke, CEO, RendezVu said, “The number of people learning English is expected to top 2 Billion in the next 10 years. Research shows that these students suffer from having no way to regularly practice, particularly coming up to oral exams. Both oral and listening-comprehension accounts for 50% of language exams at present and there aren’t enough English tutors in the world to cater for all the students who want to learn English - so we realised that the solution had to be automated.”  By ‘immersing’ students in real-life settings where they must use their knowledge, RendezVu gives students a deeper and more dynamic understanding of languages, through using them in context."

The 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards were presented at a ceremony on 21st January in the RHA Gallery by An Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD and Dr Chris Horn. co-founder and former CEO, Iona Technologies. The aim of the Awards is to nurture and recognise the enterprising spirit in Business, the Arts and in Social/Community. 

The two runners-up this year were Krystian Fikert of The PPD Psychological Centre for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year and Jennifer Jennings and Phillip McMahon of ThisIsPopBaby as Arts Entrepreneur of the Year.

The David Manley Award was established by a group of David Manley’s friends in the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to honour his contribution to, encouragement and mentoring of SMEs during his short life time.