The twice-yearly Prep4Seed programme culminated this week with the investor day, where early-stage companies pitched to an audience of angel investors and venture capital firms. Prep4Seed is delivered nationally by the four Irish Business Innovation Centres (BICs) AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor BIC and WestBIC in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland. The programme brings founders through a focused investor-readiness journey, from first principles to a confident pitch and a clear path to funding.

The cohort reflects strong regional breadth and sector diversity across Digital Technologies, Enterprise Solutions, Food Tech & Food FDI, FinTech & Financial Services and Lifesciences & HealthTech. The participating companies are:

Ascension Digital Services
Biovit Technologies
Capisso
Chuzeday
Cybervigil Pro
Fire & 5th
Flexible Power Solutions
Restore Blue
Unturn
Veloton
Weighless Wonders

Conor O’Donovan, Head of Startups at Enterprise Ireland said “Programmes like Prep4Seed are essential in unlocking the next generation of high-potential startups. By supporting founders at such a critical stage, we are strengthening startup investor readiness to accelerate their growth and scale. Enterprise Ireland looks forward to supporting Restore Blue and Fire & 5th, both with the potential to be high-growth start-ups on their investment journeys.”

Restore Blue, an AI-powered software platform that helps offshore and coastal developers embed biodiversity protection directly into project design was awarded the One to Watch Award.

Commenting on the achievement, Sarah Cosgrove CEO & Founder said “being recognised with the One to Watch Award means a great deal to us and it is a testament to the hard work our team invests daily. The BICs and Enterprise Ireland have built something that meets early-stage founders exactly where they are. The expertise and one-to-one support we received through Prep4Seed would be hard to find anywhere else at this stage. The programme challenged us to pressure-test every aspect of our business and present it with real clarity and conviction. We came in with a strong idea; we leave investor-ready and confident about the funding conversations ahead.”

Fire & 5^th, an Irish-made, female-founded, range of dedicated non-alcoholic aperitifs was awarded the Best Pitch Award in recognition of its compelling presentation.

Mary Ryan, Deputy CEO WestBIC said: “Prep4Seed exists because securing investment is one of the hardest steps a founder takes, and it is a step no founder should take alone. As the four Irish BICs, we work side by side with these companies in their regions every day, and this programme allows us to bring that hands-on support together at a national level in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland. We congratulate today’s award winners and the full cohort, and we look forward to seeing where they go next.”

Over twelve weeks, participants took part in five Masterclasses delivered by the Irish BICs and a series of tailored one-to-one sessions with BIC consultants, supported by intensive pitch preparation and trial pitches, ensuring each team applied the learning directly to their own business ahead of today’s Investor Day.

To date 97 start-ups have participated in the 12-week Prep4Seed investor-ready programme.

For more information

Nicola Corboy
Press & Media Relations, Enterprise Ireland
press@enterprise-ireland.com

Irish Business Innovation Centres (BICs)

AxisBIC

Fionnuala Wall
fwall@axisbic.com

www.axisbic.com

Furthr
Majella Murphy
majellamurphy@furthr.ie
www.furthr.ie

Propelor BIC
Rosemary Ward
rosemary@propelorbic.ie
www.propelorbic.ie

WestBIC
Colleen Baxter
cbaxter@westbic.ie
www.westbic.ie

Prep4Seed is a national, 12-week investor-readiness programme delivered by the Irish BICs (AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor BIC and WestBIC) in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland. It combines structured masterclasses with bespoke one-to-one support and investor-led pitch practice, culminating in The Investor Day.

About the Irish BICs: The four Irish Business Innovation Centres (BICs) are Ireland’s official EU-designated Business Innovation Centres, supporting innovation-driven entrepreneurs to start, scale and access investment. Working in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, the BICs deliver a national network of regional supports for high-potential start-ups and growth-stage companies.

The post Irish start-ups pitch for €3.9 million at Prep4Seed Investor Day first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Our Investment Fundamentals series is designed to give high-potential startup founders exactly what they need to move forward with confidence; real expertise, honest perspective, and practical knowledge from people who have been there.  The next event in the series is a free, one-hour online webinar taking place on 23rd June, and it’s one you won’t want to miss.

Raising your first round of private investment is one of the most pivotal (and daunting) steps a founder can take. What do investors actually look for? How do you get in front of the right people? And what does the journey really look like once you’re in the room?

On June 23rd, we are bringing together two voices with the answers.

Who You’ll Hear From

We’ll be joined by Antony Matsepa from HBAN (Ireland’s national network of business angels) who will share what investors are genuinely looking for when they back early-stage companies. Ken O’Shea, co-founder of Reso Health will walk you through their experience of raising private investment: what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known at the start.

What You’ll Take Away

• What angel investors look for in early-stage founders and companies
• How to prepare your pitch and tell your story effectively
• The reality of the fundraising process, from first contact to closed round
• Practical next steps whether you’re exploring options or ready to approach investors

This session is relevant whether you’re at the very beginning of your funding journey or actively preparing to raise. It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from both sides of the investment table.

Reserve Your Spot

Places are limited and must be reserved here: https://RaisingEarlyStageFunding.eventbrite.com

Date: Monday 23rd June Time: 11am-12pm Format: Online webinar

The post How to Succeed in Raising Early Private Investment first appeared on Propelor BIC.

From seed funding and investor storytelling to global ambition and founder resilience – Propelor and the Irish BIC network brought two days of practical, high-impact content to the Accelerate Hub at Dublin Tech Summit 2026.

Dublin Tech Summit 2026 brought together thousands of founders, investors, and technology leaders at the RDS on 27th and 28th May, and Propelor was proud to be part of it — co-powering The Accelerate Hub alongside fellow Irish BICs – AxisBIC, Furthr, and WestBIC.

The Accelerate Hub served as a dedicated space for early-stage founders seeking expert guidance on funding, validation, and scaling. The Propelor stand attracted a high volume of visitors across both days, with founders from around the country stopping by to learn about the supports available through the Irish BIC network and how best to explore their own next steps.

A stage built for founders

The Accelerate Stage hosted a full programme of sessions designed to address the most pressing challenges facing founders in 2026.

Amongst the many panels, keynote talks and fireside chats, Barry Downes of Sure Valley Ventures delivered a frank and practical session on how seed rounds are structured. Padraig Hyland of The Core Story gave founders a structured framework for communicating traction, vision, and value in a way that makes investors take notice and Liam Dunne, CEO and Co-Founder of Waterford-based Klearcom, shared how their startup went global early, targeting major multinationals in pharma and fintech from the outset, while simultaneously building the internal culture that made sustained scaling possible.

The stage also featured perspectives on the importance of fast learning and iteration, the role AI is playing in startups in 2026 and the current state of the startup ecosystem. They showed what investors are looking for in your team and the growing visibility of women founders leading companies.

Thank you

To the many founders who stopped by the hub and shared their ideas and ambitions with the team – we will be following up with you shortly.

Watch the highlights

Missed the event, or want to revisit the best moments from the Accelerate Stage? Watch our highlights video here: https://youtu.be/WOGYorDGg1c?si=qZRxykw4wXawiSHu

The post Propelor at Dublin Tech Summit 2026 first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Start-ups around the country supported by Irish BICs (Business Innovation Centers) received €34 million in funding in 2025. This was made up of €26.5 million in Innovative High Potential Start-Up (iHPSU) funding and €7.5 million in Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) funding.

The Irish BICs Annual Report for 2025 also shows that the group supported 110 start-ups in their applications for iHPSU and PSSF funding last year.

Irish BICs support start-ups to access funding, mentorship and specialised resources and is made up of four regional organisations – AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor BIC and WestBIC. With 35+ years of experience, the Irish BICs have supported thousands of founders in accessing funding, developing strategy, and scaling internationally.

Some of the companies supported by the group in 2025 include Valentia Island Vermouth, Reso Health, ALPACA, and Silicate

The findings of the annual report have been released ahead of this year’s Dublin Tech Summit, where the Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. Dublin Tech Summit 2026 takes place in the RDS in Dublin on Wednesday 27^th and Thursday, 28th of May. This will provide a dedicated space on-site, connecting entrepreneurs with a network of advisors, mentors, and service providers. The initiative aims to give practical, hands-on support across key areas of business growth, including funding, validation and scaling.

Alongside the hub, the Accelerate Stage, powered by the Irish BICs will feature a specially crafted programme of content covering the pressing topics for founders in 2026. Sessions will explore raising funding, scaling sustainably, navigating competitive markets, and leveraging ecosystem support to accelerate growth.

To further support early-stage companies, Dublin Tech Summit has also introduced a dedicated startup ticket offering of €145 ex. VAT (RRP €445).

Speakers will include:

• Mark Little, Tech Entrepreneur, Former Foreign Affairs Broadcaster & Journalist;
• Barry Downes, Managing Partner, Sure Valley Ventures (SVV)
• Rena Maycock, Founder, Chirp
• Faye Walsh Drouillard, Founder & General Partner, WakeUp Capital
• Liam Dunne, CEO & Co-Founder of Klearcom

Chair of the Irish BICS, Martin Murray CEO of Furthr, said: “For the Founders of highly-innovative start-up and scale-up enterprises, the pace of change has never been so fast, the level of disruption has never been so great. Technological, geopolitical, financial and social change are impacting every aspect of what you do. In this environment, even successful serial entrepreneurs require guidance, mentoring and support. The Irish BICs have been providing that support for almost 40 years. If you’re a Founder with big ambitions, come and talk to us at the Accelerate Hub. We work pro bono, so the only thing we are focused on is your success.”

The four Irish BICs are:

1. AxisBIC – Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick
2. Furthr – Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Wicklow
3. Propelor BIC – Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford
4. WestBIC – Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath

The post START-UPS SUPPORTED BY IRISH BICS RECEIVED €34 MILLION IN FUNDING IN 2025 first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Propelor recently welcomed a full house to Mount Congreve for a special Women in Business Forum, bringing together founders and members of the ecosystem for a morning of insight and connection.

The highlight of the event was a candid and engaging conversation with Kara Owen, who shared her perspectives on leadership, collaboration, and the importance of building strong relationships. Her reflections resonated with founders navigating growth, particularly the value of adaptability and clear communication when scaling beyond home markets.

The event also featured pitches from three ambitious NextWave participants, who showcased their progress and global potential, demonstrating how building beyond home borders is now a very natural instinct for founders. Each founder brought a distinct perspective, underlining the strength and diversity of early-stage innovation emerging from the region.

A key takeaway from the morning was the role of connections – how consistent progress, supported by the right networks, can accelerate both personal leadership and business growth. The conversation reinforced the importance of collaboration across sectors and borders, particularly for startups aiming to scale internationally.

We will have the full recording of the event available on our YouTube channel soon.

Events like this reflect Propelor’s continued commitment to supporting founders at critical stages of their journey—creating opportunities to connect, learn, and grow within a strong and supportive ecosystem.

The post Global Perspectives, Local Impact first appeared on Propelor BIC.

The morning will feature a fireside chat with Kara Owen, British Ambassador to Ireland, who will share perspectives from her international diplomatic career. The discussion will explore how founders can think globally from an early stage and navigate international markets with confidence.

The event will also spotlight emerging female founders from Enerprise Ireland’s accelerator NextWave which is delivered by the Irish BICs.

• Ruth Dooley, CTO & Co-Founder, GeoXen
• Jenni Dowley, Founder, Building Bones
• Elaine Fitzgerald McBarron, Co-Founder, See Her Elected

Each founder will have the opportunity to pitch their startup to the audience. They will also share insights from their entrepreneurial journey and the opportunities they see for scaling impact and growth during a panel conversation.

This event is designed for founders, entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem stakeholders who are interested in international ambition, collaboration and innovation.

Join us in Waterford for a morning of insight, connection and inspiration.https://BritishAmbassadorEventWithPropelor.eventbrite.com

The post Ambassador Kara Owen to headline Women in Business Forum. first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Propelor recently partnered with CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for AI, to deliver a High-Impact AI Masterclass. Designed specifically to support high-potential startup founders, it prioritized validating ideas, reducing risk, and accelerating growth.

The event brought together ambitious founders from across the region for a practical, insight-led session. The speakers focused on applying emerging technologies and best practices to early-stage business development.

This masterclass featured expert contributions from four industry leaders. Laura Plunkett and Ramy Ebeid from CeADAR delivered a hands-on session demonstrating how startups can use AI tools to analyse markets and competitors. They showed how to build customer personas, and test demand before committing significant resources thus highlighting how AI can help founders make faster, more informed decisions while reducing early-stage development costs.

Jacqueline Kehoe of EDIH provided a practical overview of cybersecurity for startups. Drawing on over 20 years’ experience across the software development lifecycle and multiple industry sectors, Jacqueline outlined key cybersecurity risks facing early-stage companies. She shared straightforward, actionable steps founders can take to build resilience as their businesses grow.

The event finished with a fireside chat with Dinesh Lalvani, co-founder and CEO of Euryka AI. With over 25 years’ experience building digital products internationally, Dinesh shared insights on scaling AI-driven products, navigating technology complexity, and building sustainable innovation-focused companies.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers and explore how these insights could be applied to their own startups.

Events like this form part of Propelor’s ongoing commitment to supporting high-potential startups across the region. We provide access to expert knowledge, practical tools, and peer learning opportunities. So, keep an eye on our social media to stay up to date on upcoming events.

The post Propelor & CeADAR Deliver AI Masterclass first appeared on Propelor BIC.

In this hands-on session, participants will learn how to harness advanced AI tools to rapidly validate a business concept before writing a line of code or investing capital. The workshop will cover:

• AI-driven market and competitor analysis
• Building realistic customer personas and identifying real pain points
• Testing market demand with AI-generated landing pages and outreach
• Using AI feedback loops to refine and evolve your concept

Whether you’re exploring a new idea, expanding your product line, or pressure-testing an innovation strategy, this session offers a fast, cost-effective way to move from idea to validated opportunity.

This is a must-attend event for any high-potential founder looking to accelerate discovery, reduce risk, and gain a competitive edge using AI.

For more information and to register for this event click here: https://AI_For_High_Potential_Startups.eventbrite.com

The post Propelor & CeADAR Announce High-Impact AI Masterclass for Startup Founders first appeared on Propelor BIC.

The BluePoint agenda spotlighted bold, business-led solutions to sustainability. At CETIA in Bidart, partners showcased textile recycling tech redefining fashion’s footprint. In Hendaye, Décathlon shared practical insights from their circular retail transformation. We also connected with entrepreneurs tackling marine plastic pollution, proving how local ventures can lead on impact and community innovation.

We further heard dynamic updates from the Bluepoint partners on the new innovative pilots’ progress including 3D printing solution using marine plastic and expanding use of drones and AI modelling for plastic identification and sorting.

A key milestone was the introduction of Harriet Donnelly, CEO of Flossie and The Beach Cleaners, as Ireland’s new Blue Ambassador. Harriet participated in the Mater Boat Blue Expedition in Anglet and Pasaia Harbour where she shared her insights and gained new perspectives to bring back to Ireland. Her compelling presentation during the project’s showcase with fellow EU project ADT4blue highlighted the urgency and opportunity behind sustainable coastal enterprise and the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration.

As BluePoint continues to support the development of resilient, future-ready coastal businesses, this gathering reaffirmed the value of innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurial vision in shaping a thriving blue economy.

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