The U2 guitarist, whose real name is David Howell Evans, visited Ormeau Baths to meet some of the technology enthusiasts in his role as chairman of Endeavor Ireland, a global not-for-profit organisation.
The organisation supports and helps “accelerate high-impact entrepreneurs by connecting them with talent, capital and a worldwide peer and mentor network”.
The company’s board includes Rosaleen Blair, deputy chair of Kainos, and hotelier Paddy McKillen, with The Edge holding the role of founding chair.
Tuesday’s visit to Belfast came just months after five founders of Northern Ireland’s most exciting start-ups were selected to take part in the mentorship programme.
They are currently in the midst of a five-month programme set up by Endeavor.
Rosaleen Blair from Endeavour meets Ormeau Bath tech leaders
The five who were selected include Belfast-born Ryan Donnelly, co-founder of AI governance platform Enzai, which has been described as Northern Ireland’s first possible unicorn – a company which is worth a billion pounds. The start-up, which was born in Belfast’s Ormeau Baths, made headlines last year after it raised $4million in funding in just over two years.
The rocker was joined in his Belfast trip by Rosaleen Blair, founder of Alexander Mann Solutions and member of the boards of Kainos and Endeavor Ireland, alongside the Endeavor Ireland team, including managing director Rory Guinan and Ellen Ryall, senior associate.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Ms Blair said she could sense the “heartbeat” of Belfast’s tech sector.
“I was so impressed by the breadth and quality of the talent we met,” she said.
“It was really energising; the passion and commitment from the founders was palpable, and there was a heartbeat to the place.
“Seeing the quality of the entrepreneurs along with their comradeship and support for each other was inspiring.
“I have had the privilege to work in the Northern Irish market for over 10 years, so it didn’t come as a surprise to me to see the quality of the talent.
“However, it’s great to see the ambition of these founder entrepreneurs in scaling and growing their businesses on an international basis, which is exactly what Endeavor is about.”
One of the founders honoured by Endeavor Ireland, Ryan Donnelly, also echoed her remarks, adding he was “grateful” that someone like The Edge wants to come to Belfast to see what is on offer.
“Something special is happening in the north at the moment; people are founding companies that can compete on a global stage,” said Ryan, who is the founder of Enzai.
“Back in the day, Belfast was the number one centre for linen and shipbuilding.
“This is a new generation at the cutting edge of technology.
“The Edge wants to come up and spend time here, for which we are very grateful, but it is also a testament to what is going on in the north now.
“It does feel like something special is happening.”
The Edge speaks to tech founders in Belfast
Fellow founder Mark Dowds, who is the CEO of Responsible, a company which campaigns for fashion sustainability, said he was shocked at The Edge’s visit.
“I was taken aback, as were the other founders who participated in the Scale Up programme, by the Endeavor folks, especially The Edge and Rosaleen, taking the time to come to Ormeau Labs and showing a genuine interest in learning about the Northern Irish tech ecosystem,” he said.
“There is so much collaboration happening across the island of Ireland — the timing is great for what Endeavor is doing with its Scale Up programme.”
The visit from The Edge and the Endeavor team comes after Endeavor’s announcement in February that five Northern Ireland-based founders were selected for its Scale Up programme for Northern Ireland, which the Belfast Telegraph exclusively reported.
News Catch Up: Wednesday 29th May 2024