Furthr has announced three senior appointments intended to help the business innovation centre drive accelerated growth, support more start-ups and strengthen the start-up ecosystem in Ireland.

The appointments represent a strategic investment in talent by Furthr, which was previously known as the Dublin Business Innovation Centre until 2022.

Julian Seymour has been appointed chief operating officer and will be responsible for Furthr's continued operational efficiency. Seymour joined Furthr in 2014 and has been central to the organisation's growth to date.

He has held a number of roles at Furthr including start-up consultant and most recently as head of acceleration.

Prior to joining Furthr, Seymour was head of industry engagement at The Green Way, Ireland’s only cleantech cluster.

"At Furthr, we are continually growing and expanding our offering to support the fast-paced start-up sector in Ireland," said Seymour.

"Last year, our Acceleration Team worked with more than 300 individual entrepreneurs and we launched our own Furthr Foundry Accelerator programme. 

"My goal is to ensure that people, processes and technology within Furthr are delivering world class real supports to startups in the most optimal way.”

Majella Murphy has been appointed head of acceleration to replace Seymour and will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of comprehensive and impactful supports to clients on their way to securing investment.

Murphy will be tasked with ensuring Furthr has a team of experts with the experience and knowledge, data intelligence and relationships required to deliver meaningful impact for start-ups on their acceleration journey.

Prior to joining Furthr, Murphy was an investment consultant to Furthr helping to guide new ventures towards investment.

Prior to that she was a design, innovation and entrepreneurship expert at Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and a former entrepreneur-in-residence with the NDRC.

Finally, Aisling Reddin has been appointed programme operations manager at Furthr, and will lead the management and continuous improvement of Furthr's One-to-One and One-to-Many programmes.

Reddin joined Furthr in November 2022 as programme administrator, and previously managed a multi-purpose studio space in Dublin where she facilitated media productions, live performances and events while developing programmes for artists and the local community, improving business operations, and growing commercial opportunities.

Last year, Furthr supported over 300 ambitious founders and championed start-up initiatives that have collectively raised over €35m in funding.

"As we continue to evolve and expand our services, Julian, Majella, and Aisling's diverse skills and deep understanding of the start-up ecosystem will ensure we deliver world-class support to our start-ups," said Martin Murray, CEO at Furthr.

"These appointments represent a significant investment in the future of Furthr and I am confident that their contributions will strengthen Furthr's position as a leading innovation centre in Ireland.

"Looking ahead to 2025, we aim to deepen our impact with expanded funding initiatives and cutting-edge support programmes, leveraging best practices from our European networks," he added.

"Sustainability, inclusivity, and digital transformation will remain central to our mission as we empower Ireland's brightest innovators to scale globally.” 

Furthr has been recognised as one of Europe's leading start-up hubs, securing a coveted position on the Financial Times/Statista list of Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs.

Furthr emerged as the highest-ranked start-up hub in the Republic of Ireland, standing out among the top 125 hubs spanning 21 European countries.

Photo: (l-r) Julian Seymour, Majella Murphy and Aisling Reddin. (Pic: Supplied)