More than 180 entrepreneurs and business leaders will gather in Dublin this week for Endeavor‘s 100th International Selection Panel event.
This will be the first time the entrepreneurship non-profit has held the International Selection Panel in Ireland, and the three-day event coincides with the fifth anniversary of Endeavor Ireland’s launch.
Endeavor Ireland and Enterprise Ireland will host a networking event for around 80 founders of fast-scaling Irish businesses on the Euronext market floor this morning with some international business leaders taking part in a panel discussion on how founders can scale internationally and secure funding.
Cpl fouder Anne Heraty and Elgin Energy chair Tony Kilduff, LearnUpon’s Brendan Noud, and Cubic Telecom’s Barry Napier will be in attendance.
The panel discussion, moderated by Strong Roots founder Samuel Dennigan, will feature Joanna Rees, Martin Escobari, Martín Migoya, and Guibert Englebienne.
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Dara Calleary, Endeavor Ireland chair The Edge of U2 and Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy will also address the gathering.
The International Selection Panel also forms the final stage of rigorous annual selection process for new members with around 80 founders being admitted every year.
Those who achieve Endeavor Entrepreneur status will receive mentoring, strategic support and access to investment and market opportunities to help them achieve global scale.
More than 2,600 company founders globally have been selected to join Endeavor since its foundation in 1997, and 34 founders from 19 companies in 16 countries will pitch for membership in Dublin this week.
Karl Gilbert, co-founder & CEO of Raylo, a consumer device leasing and circular economy business based in Belfast is the Endeavor Ireland candidate, and Elaine Coughlan of Atlantic Bridge will represent Ireland on the selection panel.
KPMG Ireland, Rothschild & Co and IDA Ireland are supporting Endeavor to host this global event in Dublin.
“We are delighted to bepartnering with Enterprise Ireland on another event this week, as we welcome members of the global Endeavor network to Dublin,” said Rory Guinan, managing director of Endeavor Ireland.
“Scaling a business on a global level is challenging and the more support and advice founders have, the better their chance of succeeding. Our mission is centred on giving back, providing advice and mentoring from a global network, and this enhances the strong existing support services provided to entrepreneurs on the island.”
Since its establishment in late 2019, Endeavor Ireland has supported 14 founders from 10 Irish companies to complete the International Selection Panel process, including Cubic Telecom, Strong Roots, LearnUpon, Wayflyer, Gym+Coffee, XOCEAN, Keelvar, Thérapie Group, Sculpted by Aimee, and Overhaul.
These companies employ over 3,000 staff and collectively generate revenues exceeding €600m. Endeavor has also worked with founders from a number of scale up programmes, including one for women and one for founders in Northern Ireland.
“I first became involved in bringing Endeavor to Ireland because I saw the benefits that this non-profit organisation could bring to founders here,” said the Edge.
“I believe in the network’s ability to support founders to reach their fullest potential from here at home, with experience and expertise from around the globe allowing Irish companies to grow and develop to a global scale from the island of Ireland.
“I’ve seen this first hand in Endeavor Ireland’s first five years, and I’m delighted to welcome our local founders along with members of the global Endeavour network to my hometown of Dublin this week.”
Linda Rottenberg, co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, said the 100th International Selection Panel is “a thrilling milestone, marking 27 years of our work identifying, scaling up, and co-investing in the world’s top founders who happen to live outside of Silicon Valley.
“We are thrilled to be hosted by Endeavor Ireland, marking its own milestone fifth anniversary: the Endeavor Ireland team and board have been working tirelessly to showcase all the magic that Dublin has to offer to our international guests.
“Over its five-year history, the Endeavor Ireland community has enriched our global network and it’s been fantastic to see the impressive range of Irish entrepreneurs who have joined so far.”
(Pic: Getty Images)