Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Ireland, which manages programmes and activities aimed at fostering entrepreneurs in Ireland, is partnering with US network Pipeline to bring 50 high-growth entrepreneurial leaders to Dublin next September.
The US business leaders will take part in the Pipeline Global Innovators Summit, which will be held in the Guinness Enterprise Centre, Dublin, and other locations around Ireland from September 18 to 24 next.
Pipeline will host programme masterclasses and modules, offering 50 Irish high-growth startups and 50 US Midwest high-growth startups the opportunity to network with these entrepreneurs to help them grow.
The event was announced at the launch of GEN Ireland’s calendar of 2016 activities. It joins GEN Global, a 160-country network of similar initiatives aimed at creating one global entrepreneurial ecosystem. GEN Global works with 10 million people and has 25,000 partnerships worldwide.
Pipeline is an organisation of high-performance entrepreneurs in the Midwestern region of the United State. Members work to face business challenges, funnel opportunities to their peers, and build market-leading technology and life-sciences business. Each year, approximately ten new entrepreneurs are invited to join Pipeline as Fellows and participate in a rigorous year-long business leadership development programme.
In Association with
The September summit aims to foster strong relationships, share knowledge and promote the theme of globalising their businesses. Investors and mentors from Ireland and the US, including MIT, Kauffman Foundation, Microsoft and Woodland Venture Management, will engage with all 100 entrepreneurs as part of this learning process.
In 2014, Pipeline entrepreneurs grew their revenues by $179M and raised over $207M in capital.
Presidential Visit
Meanwhile, GEN president Jonathan Ortmans visited Ireland this week to meet with key stakeholders in Ireland’s startup ecosystem. The organisation has been engaging with Startup Ireland since 2014, and in more concerted fashion following the Startup Gathering in 2015.
The schedule for the GEN visit included meeting with the US Ambassador to Ireland, as well as government officials, business groups and third level institutes.
“Startups are critical to every economy in the world,” said Ortmans. “Not only do startups create almost two-thirds of all jobs in the domestic economy, they are hotbeds for innovation and are increasingly important to larger corporations and multinationals.
“Our vision is to create a startup conducive ecosystem globally through the network of global entrepreneurship.”
Eoin Costello, CEO and co-founder of Startup Ireland, added: “GEN sees that Ireland is successfully creating a model for entrepreneurship, working regionally, nationally and internationally to support the startup community, through policy, programs and promotion.”
Pictured: Jobs minister Richard Bruton, GEN Ireland co-founder Maree Helena and minister Damien English
