Scale Ireland to host second regional start-up summit in Galway

11 Jan 2023

From left: Anne Sheehan, Martina Fitzgerald and Brian Caulfield. Image: Scale Ireland

After last year’s inaugural event in Cork, Scale Ireland is back with another regional start-up summit to discuss issues facing indigenous tech companies.

Scale Ireland, the independent, not-for-profit body that represents Irish innovation-driven enterprises, is hosting its second regional start-up summit in Galway next month.

With support from Microsoft and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the event announced today (11 January) will focus on the best conditions to promote the growth of start-ups and scaling companies around the country.

Leading regional start-ups and scaling companies based in Ireland will feature at the summit, including AMCS, CitySwift, Aerogen, Siren, XOcean, HoloToyz, ProVerum Medical, Tympany Medical and ENSO.

Scale Ireland CEO Martina Fitzgerald said the regional start-up summit is taking place “at a critical time for the sector”.

“The government has just published its new white paper on Ireland’s enterprise policy. So, this is an important time for leading founders, investors and the wider tech community to gather and discuss the significant role of Ireland’s indigenous tech sector to our economic future.”

According to the body, there are currently more than 2,200 indigenous tech start-up and scale-up companies in Ireland – employing some 55,000 people.

Ahead of the summit, Scale Ireland in conjunction with Microsoft and ISIF have launched the second State of Start-ups Survey 2023 to get feedback from start-up and scaling companies about the issues affecting them.

Scale Ireland is a relatively new organisation that was initiated by a group of Irish start-up leaders in 2019 to promote and represent the sector. It is chaired by serial investor and entrepreneur Brian Caulfield. Last year, the inaugural summit was held in Cork.

“It is critical that we get the feedback of founders across the country on the key issues and challenges that they are facing at this important juncture,” said Caulfield.

“Our regional start-up summit and State of Start-ups Survey will ensure that there is a greater understanding of the potential of the sector, as well as the challenges facing entrepreneurs.

“Given the current environment, this year we have also included questions on pressing issues such as cost of living, while access to capital is expected to be a key concern.”

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Vish Gain was a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com