Heidi Davis, CEO of Peri, wins the Enterprise Ireland High-Potential Start-Up Founder of the Year 2024 Award 

4 Furthr clients were among the shortlisted candidates for the award, with the win going to Heidi Davis, of Peri, also a Furthr-supported founder. The other Furthr clients on the shortlist were Criona Turley of Capella, Aidan Finn of Binarii Labs and Darren O'Reilly of Whole Supp. 

Protostars aims to raise €2m next year. Founded by Kim McKayed and Mohamed Fayez in 2023, the regulatory technology business expects to raise €2m in seed funding next year and to create 10 new jobs. The company is seeking to work alongside existing cybersecurity tools rather than compete with or replace them.

Multiple Furthr-supported start-ups have been named in the National Startup Awards Regional shortlist, including Everly, Anyscor, The MenoPal, Co-Swipe, PushMe, Tap Retail, Prepsheets, ParenTalk, Prodensus, Binarii Labs, Tao Climate, Whole Supp, Wavescope, Sleek N Easy and Gigi Supplements. See the full list below. 

Brace, an Irish digital health startup founded by Conor Motyer and Clinton Sweetnam, has announced a closing of €220K in funding from Enterprise Ireland’s Pre-Seed Start Fund and angel investors Julian Bewley (Sportech, Spond), Michael Dwyer (Pigsback), and Bertrand Fontaine (Telemos Capital). This funding will accelerate the launch of Brace’s new subscription offerings and support the rollout of its redesigned platform.

Squid, a start-up that has developed a solution that rewards customers for their loyalty, has agreed to its biggest partnership to date, teaming up with Jack Dorsey’s digital payments company Square. Founded by Matthew Coffey and Katie Farrell, Squid has almost half a million users and a presence in 2,000 locations worldwide.

SizeWise, a Dublin-based business that has developed a tool to provide precise shoe size measurements, aims to expand further into the UK after securing a partnership with Start-Rite, a British-based shoemaker. Based in NovaUCD, the firm was founded by Alan Power in 2022, has five staff and has raised €250,000 in funding to date. It has developed a tool to get accurate measurements of someone’s foot for shoe sizes using a smartphone camera.

Venture Build programme participant FemmeMeno has secured part of €1 million in Enterprise Ireland funding. The funding will allow the company to use their research to drive advances in women's health. FemmeMeno is designed to empower women by providing targeted support during peri/menopause. Delivered by Furthr on behalf of Enterprise Ireland, the Venture Build programme has been designed specifically for Enterprise Ireland HPSU clients who are engaged in DeepTech and Life Sciences research. 

Culture Crush 2024 is an annual event that unites Ireland’s cultural and creative sectors. From Film, TV, Animation, Games, Music, Immersive Technologies, Media, and Visual Arts to Performing Arts, professionals from every corner of the industry can come together to collaborate and inspire. Culture Crush is organised by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet and tickets are on sale now. 

Going for Growth is accepting applications for the 17th cycle of the award-winning business development programme for ambitious female entrepreneurs determined to grow their businesses. Supported by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, the programme aids female business owners as they seek to increase revenue, create employment, and export into new markets. The call closes on 15th November at midnight.

Curious about how AI and digital transformation can revolutionize your business or organisation? Discover the power of innovation at CeADAR's morning event, where you'll gain exclusive insights, explore real-world case studies, and expand your network. Dive into the European Digital Innovation Hub Programme for AI and uncover the array of services at your disposal. Hear firsthand success stories from companies and organizations that have thrived with their support.

The regional winners of the InterTradeIreland Seedcorn Awards 2024 have been announced ahead of the award ceremony on November 7th. Each regional winner will receive €20,000, while the overall winner will be awarded €100,000. Finalists can also expect to receive expert feedback on their business plans and pitches, enhance their investor readiness, and gain exposure to potential investors, all of which will help boost their companys profile.

EIC Information Day

Enterprise Ireland is hosting an in-person event in EastPoint Business Park on November 6th. This info session will introduce the new EIC funding opportunities in the €1.4 billion programme dedicated in 2025. The session will highlight the three major EIC programmes with a focus on the EIC Accelerator, which is particularly for the development and scaling up of high-risk disruptive innovations by start-ups and SMEs, including grant and equity finance support of up to €12.5 million.  

Ready, Set, Go Furthr is a one-day interactive workshop designed for early-stage founders. The workshop is scheduled to take place on November 13th, and registrations are currently open. 

Pitch Jam aims to provide Furthr-supported start-ups with a platform to showcase their pitching skills to industry experts and entrepreneurs. Don't miss the last event of the year on the 28th November! 

Congratulations to Gareth Lee!

Gareth Lee, the Network Director of Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement award at the recent Skillnet Ireland 25-year celebration event. Furthr is proud to support Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet as a partner and would like to congratulate Gareth on this well-deserved recognition.