Mentorship

Furthr’s experienced consultants have walked in your entrepreneurial shoes and are there to provide support and guidance on how to prepare your business for investment. We help you shape compelling investor proposition that stand up to investor scrutiny. We will support you at all 4 stages of the Entrepreneurial Journey. 

4 Stages of the Entrepreneurial Journey

1.

Explore & Design

You have the seed of a great business idea. You recognise/have identified a problem that needs solving. You may or may or not have a solution in mind which will solve this problem. You need to develop the ability to analyse the problem in greater depth and to understand the core elements that will shape a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) which you will design and test with key stakeholders in your potential business’s ecosystem. 

2.

Validate & Evaluate

From the discovery you have done in the Explore & Design phase, you will complete your MVP and refine your value proposition and potential business models. You need to develop the ability to robustly test this in market with early adopters, evaluate the market responses to it and adjust/iterate to work towards initial product market fit and a strong V1 of your product/service. You will commence preparing for investor contact.

3.

Launch & Execute

From the validation done in the Validate & Evaluate phase you have validated strong initial product market fit for your product/service and have a strong V1 of your product or service. You are now raising or have raised a seed investment round and are proactively selling your product or service to early customers in your serviceable obtainable marketYou need to build out your core team and optimise your operations. You need to develop compelling investor documentation which will wow investors at due diligence stage. 

4.

Grow & Scale

You have a clearly defined commercial/technical roadmap for your business. You are continually improving your product/service offering and optimising your sales approach. You need to develop your network and operational capability to enable your organisation to grow exponentially and internationally. 

The Go Furthr Mentorship Programme, how it works...

The Go-Furthr 1 to 1 Mentorship provides for an experienced Furthr consultant to work with you in objectively evaluating your business model, challenge the underlying assumptions inherent in your model and your business plan, and give direction and clarity on your strategic approach to growing and raising investment. Our mentors take a customer and investor view when analysing your business proposition and bring their own entrepreneurial experience to bear in building a compelling investor proposition.

How Go Furthr 1 to1 Mentorship Works

Contact us and we will have an initial online meet to see how best we can support you relative to where you are currently at on the entrepreneurial journey.  Once we are both agreed we can provide you with meaningful support, we will outline our process of supporting you to achieve your start-ups objectives. 

Our consultants work with you 1 to 1 to expedite your journey to successfully closing your investment round. We do this through a lean approach, working with you through an iterative process of challenging and building your business model , business plans, financial models, developing a winning pitch deck through to the compilation of your data room and preparation for the investor diligence process. The outputs are a compelling set of investor ready materials that stand up to robust investor scrutiny. The aim to get your business investable as quickly as practically possible. It’s not just about the outputs, its about the process, and about getting you mentally fit and prepared for engaging with the investment community. 

The team taking you Furthr

Our Impact In Numbers

of our founders secure 3rd-party funding
58 %
worth of funding raised with our help
331 m+
start-ups in Ireland we have helped secure funding
1 +
hours of pro bono consulting
38000 +

What our startups say

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Common FAQs about Mentorship

Mentorship, especially in the business realm, holds significant importance — and the Irish market is no exception. Let’s look further into why mentorship can be a game-changer for businesses.

To start, let’s consider the concept of mentorship. It is essentially a relationship between two individuals where one, the mentor, offers their knowledge, expertise, and advice to a less experienced individual, the mentee. In a business context, this relationship is often between a seasoned professional and a budding entrepreneur or a less experienced employee.

Now, why is this crucial in business?

  • Accelerates Learning: Mentorship can vastly speed up the learning process. A good mentor has already walked the path that the mentee is on, meaning they’ve faced and overcome many of the challenges that may lie ahead for the mentee. By sharing their experiences and expertise, mentors can provide valuable shortcuts and insights that accelerate the learning process.
  • Fosters Networking: In Ireland’s business ecosystem, like anywhere else in the world, connections matter. Mentors often bring with them a wealth of contacts that mentees can tap into. This can open doors to new opportunities and partnerships that might otherwise be inaccessible.
  • Mitigates Risks: Business ventures inherently involve risk. A mentor, through their experience and wisdom, can guide mentees in making calculated decisions that minimize potential pitfalls.
  • Encourages Personal & Professional Growth: Beyond the business-specific advice, mentors often help mentees develop essential soft skills like leadership, communication, and resilience. These are invaluable assets that contribute significantly to personal and professional growth.
  • Boosts Confidence: Having someone who believes in your potential and supports your decisions can do wonders for your confidence. This is especially important in Ireland’s competitive business market where self-assurance can make a significant difference.
  • Promotes a Mentoring Culture: Lastly, when businesses embrace mentorship, it fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth. This can be a significant competitive advantage in the ever-evolving Irish market.

 

In Ireland, several organizations recognize the value of mentorship. For instance, Furthr offers mentorship programs to support early-stage entrepreneurs and start-ups.

In conclusion, mentorship plays an integral role in business success. It provides guidance, opens networking opportunities, reduces risk, fosters growth, boosts confidence and promotes a nurturing business culture — all of which are particularly important in the dynamic and competitive business landscape of Ireland.

Mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship where an individual with more experience or knowledge (the mentor) guides another individual (the mentee) who is looking to develop their skills or achieve professional growth. The mentor provides advice, encouragement, and resources to help the mentee navigate towards their goals.

In essence, business mentorship in Ireland is about creating supportive professional environments where individuals can grow, innovate, and succeed. The ultimate goal is to cultivate a collaborative culture that values learning from each other’s experiences. So whether you’re a seasoned professional or someone just starting, engaging in a mentorship relationship could be a significant step towards your personal and professional growth.

A mentorship program, at its core, is a structured and often formal relationship between a more experienced individual (the mentor) and a less experienced individual (the mentee). The goal of this relationship is to foster growth, knowledge sharing, and skill development for the mentee, but it’s important to note that the benefits are indeed two-way. Mentors often express a sense of fulfilment and self-improvement as they guide their mentees.

In the Irish context, mentorship programs are gaining substantial traction across various sectors. Companies, both big and small, have started recognising the value of knowledge exchange and personal development that these programs offer. They have become instrumental in leadership development, talent management and employee engagement strategies.

For instance, the Go Furthr Mentorship Programme, one of the country’s leading business support agencies, offers a Mentor Network program. This program pairs entrepreneurs with seasoned business owners or executives to assist with decision-making processes, networking opportunities, and strategic growth.

In conclusion, a mentorship program serves as a vital development tool. In the Irish market context specifically, it aids in bridging skill gaps, fostering a culture of continuous learning and creating a more resilient workforce. It’s a win-win for both the mentor and mentee, and for the overall growth of the Irish market.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how they make money, especially as it pertains to accelerators in Ireland.

  • Equity Stake: The primary way accelerators make money is by taking an equity stake in the companies they help. This typically ranges from 5% to 10%, but it can vary based on the accelerator and the specific agreement with the startup. The accelerator then makes money when these companies are successful and either get acquired or go public. The accelerator would then sell its shares at a profit.
  • Program Fees: Some accelerators charge a fee to the startups that participate in their program. This fee might cover the cost of mentorship, office space, and other resources provided by the accelerator.
  • Sponsorship and Partnerships: Many accelerators partner with larger corporations or other organizations that provide sponsorship money or resources. These partnerships can be a significant source of income for accelerators.
  • Public Funding: In some cases, accelerators may receive funding from public sources such as government grants or initiatives designed to stimulate economic growth and innovation.
  • Events and Workshops: Accelerators often host events, workshops, or other educational programs that they charge admission for. These can be another source of income.

It’s important to remember that not all accelerators are the same. Some may rely more heavily on one revenue source than others. For instance, some accelerators may not charge a program fee but take a larger equity stake in the companies they accelerate.

*Contacting Furthr is a great resource for finding accelerators in Ireland, and it provides some insights into operations as well.

It’s also worth noting that while accelerators do aim to make money, many of them also have a broader goal of fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs. The revenue they generate often goes back into the accelerator, allowing them to provide more resources and support to future startups.

Mentorship provides invaluable learning opportunities. Mentors can provide guidance, share insights, and help their mentees avoid common pitfalls. This is especially vital in Ireland where small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form 99.8% of the business economy.

Secondly, mentorship offers networking opportunities. In Ireland’s relatively small market size, networking is crucial. A good mentor often has an extensive network and can provide introductions that may lead to partnerships, investments, or other beneficial relationships.

Thirdly, mentorship can foster personal development and confidence. Having someone who believes in your potential can make all the difference in the world. A mentor can encourage you, help you build your confidence and navigate through personal growth challenges.

Now you may ask, where can I find such mentorship? That’s where platforms like Furthr come into play. Furthr is an online platform that connects mentors and mentees in Ireland. It offers a comprehensive range of services including one-to-one mentoring, peer-to-peer learning groups, and access to a library of resources.

Moreover, Furthr focuses on specific areas such as strategy, marketing, finance, operations, HR, and technology to name a few. They have curated a network of qualified mentors from all business sectors who are ready to share their experiences and expertise to help others grow.

In conclusion, the purpose of mentorship is to accelerate learning, open doors to new opportunities, enhance personal development, and ultimately guide you to success. In the context of the Irish market where SMEs dominate, mentorship can be the key to thriving in this competitive ecosystem.

Sophie Gallagher

Programme Coordinator

Niamh Collins

Director of Incubation
Niamh is Director of Incubation at the Guinness Enterprise Centre, Ireland’s leading enterprise centre. She brings a wealth of knowledge, with 15+ years’ experience working in the start-up and scaling ecosystem, in senior leadership positions. Prior to joining the team, Niamh was the Operations and Programmes Director in the DCU Ryan Academy where she designed and executed high quality accelerator programmes across sectors including; aviation, tech, agri, female founders and student programmes. Niamh was also Director of the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre at NovaUCD, leading the team in their delivery of a range of activities, programmes, working with startups in the sector to support the validation of their new products and services.

Michael Moriarty

Board Chairman

Michael started his career in industrial marketing and management consultancy in London and Paris. 

He managed a number of key operations in Enterprise Ireland including Head of Tech start-ups and High Growth Markets. He spent 10 years in Germany heading up EI’s  European Network. He has in-depth experience in supporting start-ups and working with Scaling Companies to enter and grow in international markets.

Michael is a certified Business Coach, a Board member of Baldoyle Family Resource Centre and a member of the Germany Group of the Institute of International and European Affairs.

Niranjana Bindu

Marketing Executive

Niranjana joined Furthr in October 2023, after graduating with first-class honors in International Marketing & Entrepreneurship from the University of Galway. She previously spent three years at a Berlin-based mediatech start-up, where she excelled in marketing and content management. With a diverse background in Literature and Philosophy, along with prior experience at a digital marketing agency, Niranjana now contributes her versatile skills to Furthr’s dynamic marketing team.

Paul Coyle

Business Consultant

Paul is a business consultant at Furthr. Paul has deep experience as an entrepreneur, having co-founded, built up and exited three technology companies over the last 25 years. Paul has a keen passion for tech start-ups and small enterprises due to their ingenuity, courage, creativity, tenacity, drive and capacity to compete with big businesses. Paul has a particular interest in Machine Learning, Deep Learning and AI.

Aisling Reddin

Programme Operations Manager

Aisling joined the Furthr team in November 2022. Previously, Aisling managed a multi-purpose studio space where she facilitated countless media productions, live performances and events while also developing programmes for artists and the local community, improving operations, and growing commercial opportunities.

Aisling brings her creative management experience and hands on approach to her role at Furthr, where she coordinates workshops, training programmes and events that support start-up founders and corporate clients.

Thierry Artaud

Business Consultant

Thierry is a founder, entrepreneur and senior executive with a broad international experience of over 30 years including 12 in Africa, in a variety of Business sectors, such as the Fintech, SaaS, Investment, Telecom and Technology.  

He also has an extensive funding experience as he was involved in multiple large successful fundraising exercises. 

Rachel

Rachel Hubble

The Innovation Exchange Programme Co-Ordinator

Rachel joined Furthr in September 2022. She has three years’ experience working with Start-up’s and SME’s having worked with Meath Local Enterprise Office in delivering a wide range of business supports. 

Rachel holds a 1st class honours degree in Accounting and Finance from DCU and a Level 8 Certificate in Business Analysis from NCI. 

Rachel’s current role is working with The Innovation Exchange as a Programme Co-ordinator.  

Lisa Doyle

HR Operations Executive

Lisa has been a part of the Furthr family since 2013. For 5 years, she worked in the GEC transforming the Marketing & Events activities of the centre – excelling at customer retention, digital marketing & public relations.

In 2018, Lisa was promoted to Operations Manager of Furthr’s second enterprise centre, Space on Dawson St. Space on Bride St soon followed in 2020, where she also led the team. 

Over the years, Lisa has been a Project Co-Ordinator and part of the core team organising the Furthr Festival event at Dublin’s Convention Centre for 1,600+ people.

Now a HR Operations Executive, Lisa is a team player, analytical thinker with a ‘can-do’ attitude. She holds two degrees in Business also has vast knowledge and working experience in the Hospitality & Events Industries.

Julian Seymour

Chief Operating Officer

Julian is a business development professional with over 20 years international experience in Telecoms, ICT, Cleantech, Education, NGO and FMCG sectors. Currently he delivers investor-ready business planning and consulting to start-up and scaling companies. He also manages a number of Halo Business Angel Network syndicates and chairs the HBAN Dublin Investor Forum. Julian has a 1st class MSc in E-Commerce and a degree in Business and Marketing from DCU. He also holds postgraduate diplomas in Corporate Finance, and in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Conor Carmody

Business Consultant

Conor is a highly experienced business executive who has held senior management positions across all commercial disciplines in telecoms and retail functions. He is a highly professional, results-focused individual with strategic, operational and entrepreneurial qualities.

His core area of expertise is developing and implementing business strategies, mentoring and developing teams to deliver success with a clear focus on results. Conor has held a number of senior director level roles in the Irish Telecom Sector, heading up Marketing functions in Vodafone, Meteor and Eircom.

He is highly experienced in the areas of Business strategy, Commercial Strategy, Business Start Up, Marketing and Communications, People and Program Management.

Audrey Collins

Non-Executive Board Member
Audrey is a chartered accountant with over 25 years experience in Finance, Regulatory Compliance and Audit across a wide range of financial services businesses in Ireland, Australia and the United States. She has held senior executive roles in EBS, Westpac Group and Challenger Australia, having trained and worked in Ernst & Young Dublin and Chicago. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has previously held executive director roles in investment funds, securitisation vehicles and a covered bond bank.

Ronan King

Non-executive Board Member

Ronan, a chartered accountant and management consultant, has 40+ years’ experience assisting early-stage companies and entrepreneurs. A former partner in BDO Simpson Xavier, Ronan has served as director and chair of several public and private entities and is a former president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He was also on the board of Special Olympics Ireland.

Deirdre Smith

Non-executive Board Member

Deirdre is a Chartered Director of the IoD, a Lean Business Consultant, Mentor & Advisor. An Engineering graduate of TCD, Deirdre began her career in Digital (DEC) before starting her own entrepreneurial journey. She was co-founder and CEO of Zandar Technologies plc from 1999, which was acquired by Harris Corporation in 2007. Deirdre serves on the boards of BRE Global Ireland, Globalization Partners Ireland and previously NSAI, and is a great advocate of female entrepreneurship and women in STEM.

Eugene Smyth

Investment Partner at Furthr

Eugene is an Investment Manager for Furthr Managed Funds, including the €53m AIB Seed Capital Fund where he manages the fast-growth technology portfolio. He has been a retained management consultant in the venture capital industry for over 15 years and is a consultant on a variety of European Commission initiatives for cross-border investment and technology-led programmes. His specialist areas include telecoms, new media, ICT, eCommerce, games and emerging platform technologies.

Ciara Fitzpatrick

Board Member

Ciara has over 30 years’ experience working with start-ups, SMEs and large companies in IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland (EI) across a range of industry sectors. She combines strategic, business, financial, process and change management skills with a track record of client management experience. An MBA graduate of DCU, Ciara is currently Manager of the Commercial Evaluation Department within EI and has a deep understanding of the funding needs and challenges of companies at all stages of growth.

Fiona Slevin

Non-executive Board Member

Fiona has over 20 years’ experience as founder and director of life sciences startups, winning multiple awards in data science/AI and innovation, and achieving successful exit. She has also held international executive roles in Goldman Sachs and Diageo, and has experience managing major transformation projects. She is a Chartered Director and has been Chair and non-Executive Director of a number of commercial and not-for-profit entities, including Vhi Health & Wellbeing.

Dr. Rosalind Beere

Business Consultant at Furthr

Dr. Rosalind Beere is a Business Consultant with Furthr, with leading expertise and experience in the areas of strategy, franchising and entrepreneurship. She has designed and delivered strategic management training for a range of third-level institutions and has authored several books and publications. Ros blends a highly analytical and creative approach to problem solving in her consulting engagements, to aid clients in the identification, understanding and management of problems and opportunities.

Martin Murray

CEO

Martin is a senior business leader, founder, entrepreneur and mentor with 30 years’ experience in the telecoms and digital media sectors. Martin founded ‘Interactive Return’, Ireland’s first online marketing agency, then successfully exited the business when it was acquired by Publicis. Martin completed five years in senior sales management roles with Google. As CEO, Martin’s role is to ensure that Furthr delivers game-changing impacts for Start-Up and Scale-Up Founders. 

Michael Culligan

Chief Executive Officer

Michael is an internationally experienced business executive with a blend of technical, sales, financial, and entrepreneurial skills. He has assisted over 120+ companies attract over €60M in seed investment funding. Michael is dedicated to leading the Furthr team in supporting the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs.

Grainne Tallon

Executive Assistant

Saurabh Kumar

Investment Associate at Furthr VC

Saurabh is an Associate at Furthr VC. His role focuses on the origination, evaluation and execution of early-stage investment opportunities, leveraging deep knowledge of the ICT, IoT, Fintech, and AI sectors.

Previously an Investment Research Analyst at HBAN, prior to this Saurabh was a Senior Analyst in the global investment firm BNY Mellon, where he worked on a diverse range of technologies (Startups and Enterprises) used in financial institutions and led data science R&D projects for the BNY Mellon clients.

Saurabh holds a 1st class honours degree in Electronics Engineering with specialisation in Signal Processing & Wireless Communication from VIT, India and a 1st class MSc degree in Quantitative Finance from UCD Smurfit Business School and Yale School of Management.

Emma Curran

Digital Marketing Specialist

Emma is a highly passionate digital marketer, with a specific interest in SEM, SEO, and direct B2B & B2C marketing. Despite her expertise in digital marketing, during her 6 years working at Furthr, Emma has also worked across many brand experiential campaigns to include Furthr Festival and Funding & Scaling- not to mention her experience working as an events manager for global music icons while living in Canada.

Emma enjoys meeting and collaborating with founders at all stages of their journey. Her focus is now bringing this relentless energy to growing the Furthr brand by developing a best in class, results driven Digital Marketing Strategy.

Oonagh Fox

Communications Manager

Oonagh Fox is a corporate communications advisor and has worked closely with Furthr over the past ten years. She previously held a client director role at Drury Porter Novelli, Ireland’s leading public relations consultancy. At Furthr, Oonagh played a lead role in creating and developing Furthr Festival, the fast-growing annual event that explores the business opportunities arising from new innovations and emerging technologies. Currently Oonagh works on strategy and communications for The Innovation Exchange, a new initiative that connects large businesses facing digital transformation challenges to technology scale ups that can fast track solutions, accelerating business transformation for both.

Colm O'Sullivan

Managing Partner , Furthr VC

Colm is a Managing Partner at Furthr VC. He has over 10 years’ experience in venture capital and private equity, investing in companies across Europe and North America. Colm has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and management teams to successfully grow and scale companies.

Previously Colm was a Ventures Principal at OGCI Climate Investments, a $1B+ fund that invests in solutions to decarbonise the energy, industrial, and commercial transportation sectors. Prior to this Colm was an Investment Professional at Pioneer Point Partners, a pan-European private equity investor focused on the energy and environment sectors.

Colm holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Finance from University College Cork and an MSc in Philosophy of the Social Sciences from the London School of Economics.

Richard Watson

Managing Partner, Furthr VC

Richard is Managing Partner of Furthr VC, one of the most active early-stage VC investors in the country. He has worked in venture capital for over 15 years and, prior to this, spent almost a decade in industry in R&D and operations in the medical device and semiconductor industries in Sweden, Ireland and the US.

Richard has a 1st class honours degree in Electronic Engineering from Trinity College Dublin, a Research M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Trinity College Dublin and a 1st class MBA from Durham University.

Ronan Jennings

Chief Financial Officer at Furthr

Ronan is a Chartered Accountant who has over twenty five years’ experience as a finance professional. Ronan spent much of his career working in financial services in London for companies such as Deutsche Bank, ING Barings and CIT Group, but has also spent time working as an independent financial control consultant and as a senior operational executive in the public sector. Ronan has extensive experience in supporting businesses which were both strategically dynamic and budgetarily constrained, and consequently recognises the importance of a Finance team that can provide a lean, commercially-orientated partnership to both the business and its clients.

Paula Finnan

HR Director

Paula is an experienced Human Resource Professional with an extensive background in the insurance, customer service and retail sectors which she has consolidated and broadened in the start-up eco-system. She is a natural networker and communicator with 6 years’ experience working with start-ups and business angels in the areas of entrepreneurial workshops development, project management and events through her operational involvement at Furthr. Paula is dedicated to highlighting, growing and enhancing Furthr’s Employer profile and Employee Relations.

Maura Jones

Executive Assistant

Maura joined Furthr in January 2022, as Operations Assistant in Space and is now an Executive Assistant at the GEC. Maura brings with her a wealth of experience as an Executive Assistant, delivering a high standard of support and customer service. Maura has worked in the non-profit sectors for 10 years with roles as Front of House and Room Hire Manager. Maura enjoyed a successful career working in insurance, underwriting and compliance for many years. Mauras role within the Furthr team is vital to keeping operations and the office running smoothly.

Eamonn Sayers

Business Consultant - General Manager of the GEC

A native of Kerry, Eamonn since 2012 has very successfully managed and promoted the Guinness Enterprise Centre. In 2018, the GEC was recognized as being the No. 1 Business Incubator – Collaborating with University in the world. He successfully lead an €11m expansion scaling the GEC to be Ireland’s global entrepreneurial super-hub, interconnecting the regional centres in Ireland with global university partners.

In this role, Eamonn works with entrepreneurs, start-ups / early-stage companies, state development agencies, not-for-profit organisations and commercial businesses in the areas of strategy, business planning, general management, fundraising and investment. He has strategically positioned the GEC as one of the leading start-up hubs in Europe through innovative projects like the Hub Partnerships and University program.

Early in his career, Eamonn worked with the National Safety Council where he introduced the hard-hitting road safety advertisements of the 2000s. He also worked with the IRFU and was responsible for developing Irish rugby’s strategic plan “Building on Solid Foundations 2008-2012” which coincided with the most successful time in Irish rugby history. He is also an international sevens rugby referee.

Gary Leyden

Business Consultant

Gary is an Investment Consultant for HBAN, sourcing & selecting investor ready deal flow for a network of over 700 Business Angels. Gary has been a leader in the start-up and innovation space in Ireland for over a decade, providing the commercial leadership at NDRC where he invested in over 300 early stage ventures. With over 20 years of experience as a founder, mentor to and investor in technology start-ups, he advises ventures on investment strategy, business model design and go-to-market strategies

Fiona Nagle

Business Consultant

Fiona is a consultant on BIC Dublin Investor Ready Programme and HBAN. Fiona is an experienced entrepreneur / business consultant, a self-starter and problem solver focused on building interpersonal relationships with integrity to define and execute strategic and business goals.
Over 10 years’ experience advising high performance start up and early stage tech companies on investor ready business plans, financial statement preparation, go to market strategy, later stage organisational design, defining business goals, business development & sales strategy, early stage seed fundraising and later stage funding.
Fiona has worked alongside an experienced /entrepreneur, Non Exec/Angel Investor, as part of a team which has advised a number of high profile companies on investment and strategic growth to ultimately deliver and realise value. These companies have included; Brown Bag Animation, an Oscar winning Animation company, Corvil an Irish Fin Tech Company, Clavis Insight, Dualog, Amartus, Tango all of which were successfully acquired.

Niamh Sterling

Business Consultant

With more than two decades’ experience as a co-founder and board member, Niamh has a passion and flair for market-led innovation, developing and delivering on international growth strategies.

Niamh’s entrepreneurial background includes being co-founder and board member of leading Irish-owned companies Interact and H2O Solutions, both of which were acquired by Bidvest Noonan in 2021. 

Prior to joining Furthr, Niamh was an Investment Consultant for the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) for over 5 years, where she managed and grew HBAN’s overseas angel syndicates in London, New York, Singapore and Dubai.

Donna Byrne

Social & Digital Marketing Executive

Donna worked in sales and client account management for companies like Vodafone, eBay and Microsoft before Furthr. Donna works within the marketing team at Furthr, delivering events, managing social media and email communications, and carrying out digital marketing activities.

Siobhan Killen

Communications & Events Manager, HBAN

Siobhán is an experienced professional administrator who joined the HBAN team in 2017. Her primary background is in higher education and the arts from which she draws extensively as part of her work in the start-up eco-system.
With considerable experience in event management, recruitment and customer service, Siobhán brings a diverse range of skills to her role in HBAN. In addition, Siobhán specialises in social media, graphic design, website management. She has also worked in theatre across Ireland working as a stage manager and technical director.

Siobhán holds a BA Honours Degree in English (UCD) as well as a qualification in Film Production

Laura Ahern

Programme & Event Coordinator

Laura has worked in a variety of roles in both Ireland and Australia, including positions in administration, customer service, and recruitment. Since commencing her role with Furthr in 2018, Laura has coordinated workshops, training programmes, reporting, and events. Laura is a strong team player, always committed and willing to go the extra mile. Laura supports other projects, teams and events within the Furthr organisation.

John Phelan

Furthr Investor Network

John manages the Furthr Investor Network. He has created and managed companies in Ireland, the UK and in the USA. His domain knowledge is in the A.I, Analytics, ICT, MediaTech, Games & Animation sectors. John is involved with all stages of funding and development from M&A exit transactions, Series A, Seed and R&D.

 

 

Clive Brownlee

Board Chairman

Clive Brownlee is a former managing director of Guinness Dublin and Guinness Nigeria. He was deputy MD of Diageo Ireland. Clive is a past president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and CIMA Ireland as well as former chairman of the Coombe Hospital Board and of Headway. He is a non-executive director of Sicon Ltd, the holding company for the Sisk construction businesses. Clive is a qualified executive coach.

Claire Devine

Programme Manager

Claire joined Furthr in 2020 and is experienced in Project & Events Management and Administration across various sectors. In addition to managing Go Furthr, Claire looks after the coordination of various entrepreneurial workshops and programmes. Claire works along side Enterprise Ireland in identifying HPSU start-ups and supporting the start-ups on their scaling journey.

Majella Murphy

Head of Acceleration

Majella has extensive direct experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialisation across a broad spectrum of technical and scientific domains. She has an intimate knowledge and appreciation of the challenges of starting and scaling businesses. Majella has designed, managed and delivered programmes on guiding new ventures through their difficult journey toward grant and venture capital investment.

Leonie Kinsella

Operations Accounts Manager

Stephanie Bell

Marketing Manager

Stephanie is the Marketing manager at Furthr and managed the rebrand from Dubin BIC. Previously, Stephanie has worked across a portfolio of global FMCG brands, including brand repositioning projects and new brand and category launches.

Stephanie has a BSc in Management & French and  a MSc in Digital Marketing & Analytics. Over her 15 years’ experience in commercial and marketing roles, Stephanie has cultivated her passion for behavioural science, data driven marketing, and digital marketing.

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