Dunseverick Childcare Pioneer Diane Koplewsky Named National Entrepreneur of the Year 2026
Diane Koplewsky, the Dunseverick-based founder and chief executive of the Sleepy Hollow Group, has been named National Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 at the 14th annual National Entrepreneur Awards in Birmingham, recognising her transformation of a small Co. Antrim nursery into one of Northern Ireland's largest childcare organisations.
Background
The Sleepy Hollow Group began as a modest day nursery for 35 children in Co. Antrim, founded by Diane Koplewsky and her husband after she spent a decade working in the legal and accountancy sectors. Koplewsky holds an MBA and studied business and law before making the transition into childcare, a sector she identified as chronically underserved and commercially undervalued. Over the following years, she and her husband expanded the organisation steadily, opening additional nurseries, wraparound school-age care provisions, and corporate childcare partnerships.
Today, the Sleepy Hollow Group operates 41 provisions across Northern Ireland, supporting approximately 6,000 children and families. Its services range from registered day nurseries in locations including Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood, and Lisburn to breakfast clubs, after-school care, and holiday camps in partnership with primary schools across the province. The group also works with employers to provide on-site and off-site corporate childcare solutions, positioning quality childcare as an economic enabler for working parents and a recruitment tool for businesses.
The National Entrepreneur Awards, organised by the Entrepreneurs Circle and hosted at the ICC Birmingham, recognise outstanding business leaders across the United Kingdom. The 2026 ceremony was hosted by Alex Horne and The Horne Section, and Koplewsky succeeded the 2025 winner, cardiac surgeon Inderpaul Birdi, to claim the top prize.
Key Developments
Koplewsky's recognition at the National Entrepreneur Awards came alongside a series of other accolades in 2026. The Sleepy Hollow Group was named Employer of the Year at the Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards, and Koplewsky herself was a finalist for Transformational Leader of the Year at the Women in Business Awards. Four of the group's early education and care settings were recognised among the Top 20 Day Nurseries in Northern Ireland.
In her acceptance speech in Birmingham, Koplewsky described entrepreneurship as fundamentally about identifying problems and creating solutions that benefit both the economy and society. She highlighted the role of quality childcare as an economic enabler — one that allows parents to pursue employment and education while simultaneously addressing skills shortages for employers. "When childcare works, everything else can work," she told the audience. "Parents can go to work, businesses can retain staff, and children get the best possible start."
Koplewsky has also been an active voice in public policy discussions around childcare funding in Northern Ireland, publicly supporting the expansion of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme, which was extended to include primary school-aged children in September 2025.
Why It Matters
Koplewsky's award is significant not merely as individual recognition but as a statement about the value of the childcare sector in Northern Ireland's economy. Childcare has long been treated as a peripheral concern in economic policy — a social service rather than an economic infrastructure. The Sleepy Hollow Group's growth challenges that framing directly. With 41 provisions and 6,000 families served, the organisation is a substantial employer and a critical piece of the infrastructure that allows Northern Ireland's workforce to function.
Northern Ireland has one of the highest childcare costs relative to income in the United Kingdom, and access to affordable, quality provision remains a significant barrier for many families, particularly in rural areas. Koplewsky's model — which combines registered nursery care with wraparound school-age provision and corporate partnerships — addresses multiple points of that access problem simultaneously. Her recognition at a UK-wide level brings welcome attention to the sector's potential and to the quality of provision being delivered from Northern Ireland.
Local Impact
The Sleepy Hollow Group's footprint spans much of Northern Ireland, with nurseries and wraparound care provisions in Co. Antrim, Co. Down, and the greater Belfast area. For families in Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood, and Lisburn, the group's facilities provide a reliable, high-quality childcare option that many describe as transformative for their working lives. The group's corporate childcare partnerships extend its reach further, supporting employees at businesses across the province. Koplewsky's award is expected to raise the profile of the group nationally and may support future expansion plans.
What's Next
Koplewsky has indicated that the Sleepy Hollow Group will continue to expand its provision across Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on areas currently underserved by quality childcare. The group is also exploring further corporate partnerships and is engaged with Stormont officials on the development of childcare policy ahead of the next Assembly mandate. Koplewsky is expected to use her National Entrepreneur of the Year platform to advocate for greater government investment in the childcare sector across the United Kingdom.
