Endeavor, a global non-profit organization that supports and accelerates high-impact entrepreneurs, plans to open an Irish office later this year.

Operating on an all-island basis, the office will be based in Dublin, and will work with founders and companies that have passed through the initial startup phase and who demonstrate the potential for rapid expansion and scale.

The inaugural meeting of the founding Endeavor Ireland board of directors was held in Dublin this morning, chaired by U2 guitarist The Edge.

The founding board also includes Elaine Coughlan, Atlantic Bridge; Blueface founder Alan Foy; Anne Heraty, CPL Recruitment; Paddy McKillen Snr; Denis O’Brien, Digicel; and Mark Roden, Ding. Three more directors will join before the end of the year.

Endeavor Ireland says it plans to work with enterprise agencies and the wider entrepreneur ecosystem in Ireland and Northern Ireland, to provide networking opportunities, connections and access to capital to enhance the existing support services provided to entrepreneurs on the island.

In Association with

Between four and six entrepreneurs or businesses will be selected in Ireland each year to participate in Endeavor programme. The initial qualifying criteria includes candidates being able to demonstrate that their business has the potential to scale at least 10 times beyond its current size.

The operation of the Endeavor Ireland office will be self-funded by its board, with a long-term funding plan. The Dublin office will be headed up by Rory Guinan, an Investment Director who has worked with Sencheer Holdings for the last ten years.

Founded in 1997 by Linda Rottenberg and Peter Kellner, Endeavor has helped 1,930 entrepreneurs to build more than 1,200 companies in 35 markets throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe, generating combined revenues of $20 billion in 2018.

Founder of Endeavor Ireland, Linda Rottenberg, said: “As part of Endeavor’s global support network, Endeavor Ireland will help the country’s highest-growth companies scale up and expand internationally, while providing a platform for entrepreneurs to pay their success forward locally, furthering the entrepreneurial ecosystem and enabling future generations of Irish founders.”

Found what he was looking for

The Edge commented: “Endeavor is about enabling home-grown entrepreneurs with high impact potential to scale up, and to ultimately provide a societal benefit for the island of Ireland.

“U2 has long been exploring how we can use our influence to do something positive in this particular area. I came across Endeavor through my own research and in discussing it with the band, we all felt that their model was the best fit to deliver for Ireland.

“Ireland is a country steeped in entrepreneurial and creative energy and talent. In these increasingly uncertain times, it’s all the more important that home-grown enterprise is supported to advance to the next level in terms of scale, impact, and sustainability.

“And that is what Endeavor is all about – providing entrepreneurs who have the highest potential, with access to supports and networks. I’m looking forward to working with Endeavor Ireland’s very committed and talented board of directors, all of of whom have shown incredible generosity, and the incoming MD, to help some of our most talented entrepreneurs to reach their fullest potential.”

Entrepreneurs interested in learning more about Endeavor Ireland can visit endeavorireland.org. Calls for applications will open in December 2019.

Photo (l-r):  Anne Heraty, The Edge, Elaine Coughlan and Mark Roden. (Pix: Julien Behal)