Local Waterford business earns 'Rising Star' status on national stage within first year

A Waterford start-up has secured national recognition within a year of launching, marking a major milestone for the growing local business.

AeroClime Refrigeration & HVAC, based in Waterford, has been awarded the Business All-Star Rising Star accreditation by the All-Ireland Business Foundation for 2026, placing it among a select group of early-stage Irish companies recognised for performance, trust and customer service.

AeroClime Refrigeration & HVAC, a Waterford-based start-up specialising in refrigeration and climate control services, has been awarded the Business All-Star Rising Star accreditation by the All-Ireland Business Foundation for 2026.

The recognition follows an independent enterprise audit and places AeroClime among a select group of early-stage Irish businesses that have demonstrated verified standards of performance, trust and customer service within their first year of operation.

Founded by Andy White, who serves as Service Director, the company has moved quickly to establish itself as a reliable name in the Waterford refrigeration and HVAC market.

READ MORE | ‘Madness’ - Elderly Waterford woman (91) hit with gas bill that ‘she simply cannot pay’

In a sector where technical competence and response times directly affect clients' livelihoods and comfort, AeroClime has built its reputation around consistency and expertise from day one.

The Business All-Star Rising Star accreditation is reserved for newer businesses already operating to measurable national standards.

For a company less than a year in business, the award carries particular weight, providing clients and partners with independent assurance that AeroClime's commitment to quality is more than a promise.

Andy White, Service Director of AeroClime Refrigeration & HVAC, said: "We are delighted to receive the All-Ireland Rising Star accreditation. As a growing start-up business, it feels great to be acknowledged for all the hard work carried out behind the scenes.

"This accreditation will reassure our customers of our dedication to them. We are fully committed to continuing to improve, grow, and stand by our company principles; to offer the best-in-class customer service and be trusted for our expertise and reliability," he added.

READ MORE | ‘Parking overflow’ at University Hospital Waterford ‘seriously’ impacting local businesses

"With our passion and the support of the AIBF, we know the future is looking bright for AeroClime!"

Kieran Ring, Deputy Chair of the AIBF Adjudication Board, said: "Refrigeration and HVAC is a sector where clients place considerable trust in their service provider. Systems failures carry real commercial and practical consequences, and customers need to know the company they call will show up, know what they are doing, and stand behind their work.

"What impressed the adjudication board about AeroClime was the evidence of that reliability being built in from the very start of their trading. At one year old, they are already operating to standards we more commonly associate with businesses many years their senior."

Kapil Khanna, Co-CEO of the All-Ireland Business Foundation, said: "AeroClime represents exactly the type of business the Rising Star programme was created to recognise. Ireland's HVAC and refrigeration sector is growing, and companies that establish strong service cultures at the earliest stage of their development are the ones that tend to define it.

"Andy and his team in Waterford have done that, and this accreditation is the independent confirmation of it."