Síorghlas Investment Summit

Established in 1997 and formalized as a statutory body on February 1, 1999, the Western Development Commission (WDC) operates under the Department of Rural and Community Development (DCRD). Governed by the Western Development Commission Act of 1998, the WDC's primary focus is to promote and encourage economic and social development in the Western counties of Ireland, including Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, and Clare.Achievements and MilestonesIn 2023, the WDC achieved significant milestones, demonstrating its commitment to regional development:Record-breaking Investment: Exceeded €11 million in equity and social finance, supporting start-ups, scaling companies, community and social enterprises, and strategic initiatives.EU Funding Secured: Secured €11 million in EU funding for regional development, targeting priority areas such as the Circular Economy, Creative Economy, niche tourism, and SME innovation and digitization.Workspace Revolution: The expansion of ConnectedHubs.ie, with 336 hubs onboard, has revolutionized workspace solutions for businesses in the region.

Western Development Commission

From first funding to final exit, hear and learn from those who’ve done it.

Dexcom Stadium

Síorghlas Investment Summit celebrates the Western Development Commission's Western Investment Fund, highlighting the Western Region’s regional and international impact and success stories to demonstrate global ambition and innovation.​This Summit brings together some of the most successful founders to emerge from the West and Northwest of Ireland to share what really happens behind the headlines: the start-up and scaling challenges, the pivots, the investor conversations that worked, the ones that didn’t, and how they achieved successful exits and realisations.

Agenda

Registration and Coffee

Welcome

The Síorghlas Story: How Evergreen Capital Built Momentum

John Power will share his insights on scaling a global company from the West of Ireland, the transformation of the region over the past 25 years into a globally recognised medtech centre of excellence, and the key challenges and opportunities shaping the sector and the wider global economy.

Keynote:  Scaling from the West 

Hear from serial entrepreneurs who have built, scaled and exited multiple businesses. This candid conversation explores the realities of the founder journey, from pivotal inflection points and hard-earned lessons to navigating exits, embracing failure and starting all over again.

Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. 

Family run businesses are the backbone of the economy, hear first-hand from three  innovative multi-generational companies on growing a family business and scaling a consumer brand. 

Spotlight Talks: Family Businesses

How regions like the West/Northwest can continue to compete, adapt and thrive in an increasingly volatile global landscape, and the role of enterprise, skills and place in national resilience.  

The Power of Regions 

Networking Tea/Coffee Break

Ministerial Address: Minister Dara Calleary TD

Spotlight Talks: Social Enterprises 

Western companies at the forefront of innovation. Tech founders share their fundraising journeys, the pivotal moments that unlocked global growth, and what it takes to accelerate enterprise development — moving faster, scaling smarter and building better.   

The Future is West: Western Tech - Global Impact                            

Hear what investors look for in high-potential businesses, alongside a founder who has successfully raised multiple investment rounds, including Ireland’s largest funding round this year.  Learn the advocacy work the IVCA is doing to increase the level of private capital in the ecosystem. 

Síorghlas Investment Summit

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Síorghlas Investment Summit

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