Irish start-ups to flock to major tech summits

Web Summit kicks off in Lisbon this week followed by Slush 2024 in Helsinki next week

This week's Web Summit is the first since Paddy Cosgrave returned as chief executive. Photograph: Paulo Duarte/Bloomberg
This week's Web Summit is the first since Paddy Cosgrave returned as chief executive. Photograph: Paulo Duarte/Bloomberg

More than 50 Irish start-ups will travel to two big conferences in Europe in the next fortnight with the annual Web Summit and Slush 2024 events set to kick off.

Enterprise Ireland, the State agency responsible for supporting indigenous companies and helping them to win export sales, will attend both events.

The body said it will double its presence at Slush 2024, an annual two-day start-up and tech event in the Finnish capital Helsinki, which kicks off on November 20th.

In a statement, Enterprise Ireland said it will showcase 24 Irish companies at the event, describing it as the largest gathering of venture capital in the world.

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“We’re thrilled to double our presence at Slush this year, bringing 24 clients to connect with global partners and investors,” said Hannah Fraser, Nordic region director at Enterprise Ireland.

“The Nordic market has become a powerhouse for Irish businesses, with exports nearly doubling over the past five years to €1.7 billion and more than 560 Irish companies thriving in the region. This strong partnership continues to open exciting growth opportunities.”

Enterprise Ireland officials will also have a presence this week at Web Summit, which opens its doors at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal on Monday.

The organisers of the conference have selected 36 Irish start-ups to showcase the Republic’s indigenous tech sector, allowing them to exhibit at the event for free.

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The companies listed to attend include Peri, whose chief executive Heidi Davis won Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start-Up Founder award last month. The company develops wearable technology that allows users to manage and track symptoms of menopause.

Anaula, a Dublin company developing algae bioreactors to capture carbon emissions, has also been selected to attend Web Summit 2024 along with TU Dublin spin-out Micron Agritech, among others.

In total, more than 75 Irish start-ups are expected to attend the event in Lisbon this week, the first since Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave’s return to the fold as chief executive of the events company earlier this year.

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Ian Curran

Ian Curran

Ian Curran is a Business reporter with The Irish Times