“A moment of silence can save you a lifetime of regret”.

It’s been a rough week for Paddy Cosgrove, Founder of Websummit, which quite creditably describes itself as the organiser of “The world's biggest technology event”. 

HQ’d in Ireland but held in Lisbon yearly. It is a huge business employing 500+, reporting revenues of ~30 million yearly and had an attendance of 70,000+ last year. The high-profile and outspoken CEO has regularly divided opinion within the Irish and global tech community through his frequent Tweets and campaigns.

Cosgrove Tweeted about the recent Middle East troubles which received a severe backlash and in the end, withdrawals from Google, Meta, Amazon, Stripe and Intel from next month’s Websummit. Ultimately leading to an apology and resignation from Cosgrove soon after. Let’s hope the staff aren’t additional collateral damage in this saga.

In slightly more surprising news, I nearly spat out my coffee this week when learning that two out of three new passenger vehicles in Ireland are SUVs.

Is this the clearest indication yet that the “boom is back” in Ireland and the FDI money has filtered through to the masses? A penny for Eamon Ryan’s and the Green Party’s thoughts.

Away from home, here are the biggest global Irish tech stories this week, starting with an incredible Irish Founder in Sydney who started his business with $1,300 in his pocket:

• Founder Focus: David Walsh, Founder and CEO at CIM 🇦🇺

• ProjectMark Nails It! Irish-founded US Startup Raises $3 Million for Innovative Construction CRM Platform 🇺🇸

• Ergo Expands to New Zealand: A Kiwi-Good Move 🇳🇿

• Healthy Place To Work Targets the UAE and Asia for Global Growth 🇦🇪 🇨🇳

Enjoy! ☕

Founder Focus 🔎

David Walsh, Founder and CEO at CIM

Location 🗺️: Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺. Originally Templemore, Tipperary 🇮🇪

Stage 🚀: CIM has raised a total of A$15.5M in funding over 4 rounds. Their latest funding was raised on Sep 26, 2022, from a Series A round of AU$10 million Led by Five V Capital alongside Carthona Capital

Company Description📝:

CIM creates innovative building analytics software that helps run large buildings at their peak performance. CIM's SaaS PEAK platform integrates building intelligence, machine learning and mechanical engineering to improve efficiency, sustainability and comfort across any commercial building type. CIM offers a uniquely collaborative and transparent end-to-end process that optimises buildings, achieving faster and smarter outcomes, and delivering economic and environmental benefits for property owners and operators.

CIM’s Origin🧑‍🍳 :

Due to economic restrictions in Ireland and the GFC, David quit his job and emigrated with his family to Sydney in 2009.

With an interest in property and sustainable energy consumption, David found a job as a commercial manager in environmental hardware, software, and consulting services. Before long, David’s affinity for problem-solving sparked a lightbulb moment.

In 2015, he started CIM, bootstrapping the company with only $1,300 in capital and a fierce desire to bring his vision to life. David and university colleague Colin Cullinan built the first iteration of CIM’s revolutionary software.

Now a well-established start-up, CIM has continued to go from strength to strength. David and the team have facilitated digital transformations for building owners and operators globally, The team is now 50-plus strong.

Most recently David moved to Colorado in early 2023 to establish a physical presence in the United States. Meanwhile, the growth of the company’s EMEA and UK presence has rocketed, driven by the company's Cork-based team.

What Does it Mean to be an Irish Founder Abroad? ☘️:

Being an Irish founder abroad carries a unique set of advantages. The Irish network globally is a robust and supportive community, with many individuals eager to lend a hand, whether they become clients or collaborators.

While no one has solely supported us for being Irish, being part of the Irish community has certainly facilitated the development of valuable relationships. Interestingly, the Irish and Australian people share a similar outlook, both not taking themselves too seriously while remaining deeply passionate and committed to their endeavours.

If it was possible, what's one bit of advice you would tell yourself when you first emigrated?✈️:

When reflecting on my journey as an expatriate and entrepreneur, there's one crucial piece of advice I'd impart to my former self:

Recognise the immense value of the education and experience I gained in Ireland before embarking on this adventure.

Initially, I underestimated just how exceptional that foundation was on a global scale. Those initial nerves I felt when starting in a new land caused me to underestimate my capabilities. Little did I know, that I would go on to build a business from scratch, assemble a talented team, develop innovative products, and successfully market them.

This journey was a significant learning experience that revealed strengths I never knew I possessed, all thanks to my Irish education and background. Not a day goes by without me drawing upon the skills honed during my time in Ireland.

ProjectMark Nails It! Irish-founded US Startup Raises $3 Million for Innovative Construction CRM Platform🏗️🖥️

San Francisco-based ProjectMark is an AI-powered CRM platform for the commercial construction industry, making it easier to manage customers and make smarter pursuit decisions leveraging their historical data.

Founded by Anthony Lynch, Tom Deane, and Noel Brady the three men form an impressive Founder lineup with a great mix of construction and technology backgrounds.

“Having spent over a decade in the industry, we are truly passionate about empowering high-performing construction businesses and providing them with the software tooling to win work smarter. This investment is a major milestone for us in achieving this goal’’. explained Lynch.

Impressively the team has received backing from high-profile investors including TenOneTen Ventures, Far Out Ventures, Trimble Ventures, and Agya Ventures alongside current investment partners, Heartland Ventures.

The $3 million funding will further enhance ProjectMark’s product offerings, expand its team, and scale its marketing and sales efforts.

• H/T 🎩: Business Post

Ergo Expands to New Zealand: A Kiwi-Good Move 🥝

Ergo, a leading Irish IT solutions provider with a global workforce of over 900 employees, has announced its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region by opening an office in Auckland, New Zealand. This strategic move is part of the company's ambitious international growth plan, which aims to generate 50% of its business outside of Ireland by 2025.

Auckland's new Managed Services hub will provide Ergo's multinational customers with a 'follow the sun' approach, delivering more cohesive and efficient 24/7 support. This expansion will also allow Ergo to scale its out-of-hours capabilities, leveraging the expertise of its global team based in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey, Germany, and now New Zealand.

John Purdy founded the business from his bedroom in 1996 and served as longtime CEO and now Non-Executive Chairman. The visionary leader not only oversaw the huge growth of Ergo but spun off Irish unicorn Fenergo from Ergo and continued to work with the company alongside Ergo until it was sold in 2015. The business is now led by Paul McCann, who spoke about their global expansion efforts:

With a proven track record of success, generating €100M in revenue and making strategic acquisitions, most recently BoatyardX in 2022, Ergo is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for IT solutions in the Asia-Pacific region.

H/T 🎩: The Irish Times

Healthy Place To Work Targets the UAE & Asia for Global Growth 💹

Irish tech company Healthy Place to Work, which helps organizations create healthier work environments, is expanding into Asia within the next year. The company has already received interest from a potential client in China and aims to make the country its next big market having already won customers in the Middle East.

John Ryan founded the startup in 2018 having been the former CEO of Great Place to Work Ireland. He is passionate about creating healthier workplaces and believes that it is essential for the well-being of employees and businesses alike.

Healthy Place to Work is headquartered at NovaUCD in Dublin. The company has 30 staff and has raised €1 million to date. The business uses IT analysis and staff surveys to gauge the healthiness of a work environment.

If you enjoy our newsletters or see a story about someone you know?

Share it with your friends and family - It’s the best way to help us grow 🚀