Ten of Ireland's most promising tech start-ups join Furthr Foundry, our new Pre-Seed Accelerator

The ten most aspiring tech start-ups are now participating in the Furthr Foundry Pre-seed Accelerator Programme launched by Furthr, in partnership with Growing Capital, Microsoft's Founder Platform, the Guinness Enterprise Centre, and Dublin Tech Summit. The participants are Allocator Training Institute, Biovit Technologies, CoSwipe, Decision Analytics, Safely, Teddlo, Hiremate, PassionFruit, Simple Probate, and WorkStuff.  

Wellola, an Irish digital health firm, raised €2.2m, which they intend to use to accelerate their growth in Ireland, the UK, and other European markets. Founded in 2016 by Sonia Neary, a chartered physiotherapist, the business provides healthcare organisations with a patient communication platform compatible with existing systems. 

Avtrain was part of a panel that met at Ireland House in Austin, Texas to discuss the growth and path of the drone industry. Julie Garland, founder and CEO of Avtrain was joined by founders of Manna and Wing, two leading drone delivery providers in Ireland. 

NeuroBell featured in ForTech's Sake third season

The podcast hosts Jenny Darmody and Elaine Burke returned for a third season of ForTech's Sake by exploring recent developments in AI. The first episode of season 3 featured Dr Mark O'Sullivan, co-founder and CEO of NeuroBell, a Furthr VC portfolio company, which is developing a device to help detect seizures in newborns using AI.

WrxFlo, a Furthr VC portfolio company, opened an office in Beijing in April, seeing big opportunities in China to provide services to Chinese companies and bring innovative technology back to Europe. WrxFlo increases process efficiency throughout the supply chain by providing the right data insights. WrxFlo already has a presence in the USA and the UK.

GridBeyond, a smart energy company part of the Furthr VC portfolio, has raised €52m in fresh funding led by Alantra's Energy Transition Fund, Klima. Michael Phelan, CEO and co-founder of GridBeyond said that the funding will enable them to expand their product offering and strengthen their leadership position in this space.

Furthr VC portfolio companies with promising future in the Irish AI space

Bluedrop Medical and Klearcom were featured by ThinkBusiness in their article featuring Irish-based businesses at the centre of the AI revolution. Bluedrop Medical, founded by Chris Murphy and Simon Kiersey, has developed a device that diabetic patients can use to scan their feet at home to track diabetic foot ulcers. Klearcom uses AI and Machine Learning to test Interactive Voice Response systems used by businesses to manage incoming calls. Klearcom was founded by Satish Barot, Mark Rohan and Liam Dunne.

Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet (CCIS) has been appointed as the lead organisation to manage the new National Talent Academy for VFX by Screen Ireland. Gareth Lee, manager of CCIS said,"We believe the new Academy will play an important role in supporting the sector to address ongoing skills challenges by offering inclusive access opportunities for new entrants, as well as upskilling and progression opportunities for those already working in the sector."

Animation Dingle Festival, sponsored by RTEjr, Disney, and Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet among others was a resounding success this year. The festival culminated in

RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards 2024 where the winners were selected from 700 registered animators who participated. The festival also  raised €38,000 through Art Auction in aid of UNICEF Ireland. 

The Tech Excellence Awards 2024, by Tech Central,  will take place on the 23rd of May at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dublin. The awards programme, celebrating its 22nd year, ends in a black tie gala event that gathers together the best of tech sector. 

TechFest 2024 will take place on 14th May and will focus on 'AI for Good: Advancing Deep Tech, Fostering Sustainability & Building a Better Tomorrow'. Organised by Tech Industry Alliance, the conference is dedicated to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, sustainability and social impact.

Furthr is delighted to be a Dublin Tech Summit Community Partner for 2024! Dublin Tech Summit is a two-day conference that brings together some of the biggest global tech companies on 29 - 30th May. The event expects to host over 8,000 tech enthusiasts and over 250 speakers. Use code 'FURTHR149' to get your tickets at a discounted rate. 

Funding & Scaling is back in 2024 and will take place on the 10th of May. The event includes fireside chats with Aisling Kirwan from Positive Carbon and Sonia Neary from Wellola. There will also be a discussion on 'Sales is the lifeblood of any business - How best to optimise the process' featuring Ross Keating of The Lennox Academy and moderated by John Phelan.

Furthr Masterclass series offers founders a deep-dive exploration of key elements of start-up business

Masterclasses offer a unique opportunity to gain expert-led, in-depth knowledge about starting a business and preparing for investment. They are hands-on, practical, and collaborative, providing a deep dive into key foundations. The last Masterclass on 'Reaching Product-Market Fit' is on 8th May. Register your interest now.