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.

The post Building a Bluer Future: Propelor at the BluePoint Consortium in the French Basque Country first appeared on Propelor BIC.

The post UnitMode Wins The Big Pitch 2025 at the Theatre Royal, Waterford first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Propelor’s flagship startup competition celebrates some of Ireland’s most promising early-stage founders, combining innovation, mentorship, and live pitching in front of an expert audience. This year’s event will see three exceptional finalists compete for the €7,500 cash prize, each guided by an accomplished mentor.

Meet the Finalists and Their Mentors

• deline8, led by Mark Dunne, is transforming technical due diligence with AI-driven predictive insights. They are mentored by Barry Downes, Managing Partner at Sure Valley Ventures and founder of FeedHenry.
• UnitMode is setting new standards for responsible and compliant sustainability claims in marketing. Founder is Seán Boyle mentored by Tom Brennan, serial life sciences entrepreneur and co-founder of EirGen Pharma, Q1 Scientific, and TriviumVet.
• Mór Taste, led by Felix Oster, crafts Europe’s fruitiest jams with 85% real fruit and 70% less sugar. Founder Felix is mentored by Siobhán Oates, CFO at Klearcom and startup finance specialist.

Each finalist has spent the past few weeks refining their business strategy and perfecting their pitch with their mentors’ expert guidance.

Fireside Chat

While the judges deliberate, the audience will enjoy a fireside conversation with the mentors – Tom Brennan, Barry Downes, and Siobhán Oates – as they share insights into Ireland’s startup ecosystem, their own entrepreneurial journeys, and what it takes to scale a successful business.

The Little Pitch Returns

The event also features The Little Pitch, where three early-stage founders will deliver lightning pitches to the live audience. Attendees will get to play their part by voting for The One to Watch – a founder showing exceptional promise and potential.

Join Us Live

Join us from 9.30am for coffee, with the event kicking off at 10.00am sharp. It’s set to be an inspiring morning of innovation, ideas, and ambition – and a celebration of Ireland’s entrepreneurial talent.

Reserve your seat: https://TheBigPitch2025.eventbrite.com

The post One Week to Go: Final Countdown to The Big Pitch 2025 first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Following the highest number of applications to date, three standout startups have been selected to compete live on stage at the Theatre Royal, Waterford, on Tuesday, 4th November. Each finalist will be mentored for their final pitch by one of Propelor’s expert panel of mentors: Tom Brennan, Barry Downes, and Siobhán Oates.

The finalists are:

• deline8 – Replacing slow, manual technical due diligence with an AI-powered platform that provides predictive financial insights in hours, transforming technology investments from a gamble to a guarantee.
• UnitMode – Setting a new standard for sustainability in marketing, ensuring advertised claims are responsible, compliant, and trusted.
• Mór Taste – Crafting Europe’s fruitiest jams, made with 85% real fruit and 70% less sugar — where intense fruit flavour meets healthier eating.

The finalists will each pitch to a panel of judges for the chance to be crowned The Big Pitch Winner 2025 and take home the €7,500 cash prize.

The event will also feature The Little Pitch, where four early-stage founders will deliver lightning pitches to the audience, who will vote live to crown The One to Watch.

Join us on Tuesday, 4th November at the Theatre Royal, Waterford, for an inspiring morning celebrating Ireland’s most promising startups. Reserve your seat here: https://TheBigPitch2025.eventbrite.com

The post Finalists Announced for The Big Pitch 2025 first appeared on Propelor BIC.

Who it’s for

NextWave is open to high-potential women founders aiming for pre-seed to seed investment who are ready for an intensive, challenging experience. Ideal participants:

• Have a clear value proposition solving a significant problem
• Possess an MVP and early market validation
• Show export potential and plans to scale internationally
• Are ideally <3 years incorporated

What the programme provides

• Immersive Surge Sessions: High-intensity, in-person gatherings to fast-track clarity, alignment, and momentum.
• Ebb & Flow Tracks: Flexible, accessible pathways blending on-demand content, self-directed learning, and live webinars—structure without rigidity.
• Integration Spaces: Intentional intervals to consolidate insights and apply learning between high-impact days.
• Mentorship Pathways:
  • Wave Maker Mentorship—sector-specific founder-mentors offering practical insight and navigation.
  • Anchor Mentorship—local BIC consultants providing high-trust guidance, balancing challenge with support.

What founders can achieve

• Clarity of vision and a compelling founder narrative
• Product and market validation with early traction
• Stronger investor readiness and structured momentum
• Access to tailored mentorship and investor networks
• Lasting connections through a trusted peer community

Key dates (2025)

• Applications close: 7 October, 23:59
• Application review: 8–10 October
• Shortlist interviews (online): 13–16 October
• Cohort onboarding & pre-work: 20 October – 4 November
• Programme starts: 12 November
• Duration: 10 weeks (with a Christmas hiatus)

Your venture. Your voice. Your momentum. The wave starts here.
👉 For more information and to apply now: https://shorturl.at/zJgLC

NextWave is delivered nationally by the Irish BICs in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland.

The post Irish BICs launch NextWave: a national accelerator for women founders delivered on behalf of Enterprise Ireland first appeared on Propelor BIC.