Céad míle fáilte!

In case you missed it, check out this heartwarming story about 64-year-old Irish farmer “Alpaca Joe” who recently brought some of his herd of 71 woolly South American camelids to Oakfield Nursing Home in Wexford, spreading joy and calming moments with animal therapy for the residents.

“They get to feel them. They look into their big, huge, brown eyes, which, you know, are just so relaxing. And they might hear them humming,” Joe Phelan said.

A reminder that sometimes, all you need is a fuzzy friend to brighten your day. 🦙

⏳ Today’s dispatch takes 5 minutes 15 seconds to read. ⏩ Only got 10 seconds? Here’s what matters:

• Inspeq.ai and T-Pro are diving headfirst into India's promising AI future.

• Daragh Murphy has supercharged Imprint's lending power to a staggering $1 billion!

• We break down Paddy Cosgrave’s and Web Summit’s recent legal battle.

• 6 Irish-affiliated businesses have collectively scored an impressive €47.45 million in funding!

Enjoy ☕

NEWS FROM ABROAD
Inspeq.ai and T-Pro Make Major Moves in India’s AI Landscape 🇮🇳

Inspeq.ai, an Irish leader in responsible AI and start-up that graduated from the Founders programme in Dogpatch Labs, has launched a new office in Bangalore, aiming to revolutionise AI deployment for Indian enterprises. The company plans to hire 50 professionals to help businesses scale AI more efficiently and securely.

Meanwhile, T-Pro, known for its AI-powered speech recognition and clinical documentation solutions, has expanded in Chennai and Bangalore to support its growing customer base across India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia.

Both companies are tapping into India's rich talent pool, positioning themselves as key players in AI innovation in sectors like healthcare and enterprise technology. The future of AI in India is looking very green! ☘️

More stories you need to know 🔍

🇮🇹 Irish Beauty Brands Taking Over the Global Market
Green Angel and Bánór Skincare made a splash at Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, Europe's top beauty trade show, showcasing their eco-friendly, innovative products.

🇺🇸 $1 Billion Lending Milestone
Daragh Murphy, has expanded Imprint’s lending capacity to $1 billion with the opening of a new warehouse facility. This move marks a significant leap for the US-focused payments company.

🇭🇰 CitySwift Helps Boost Hong Kong’s Bus Network
Glaway-based CitySwift has partnered with Citybus to enhance Hong Kong’s bus network using AI solutions. This marks CitySwift’s first APAC partnership, optimizing 3.3 billion annual passenger journeys globally.

ANALYSIS
Web Summit Power Struggle: Paddy Cosgrave Settles Legal Battle with Co-Founders

ℹ️ Background

The legal battle involved Paddy Cosgrave, CEO of Web Summit, and minority shareholders David Kelly (12%) and Daire Hickey (7%). Cosgrave accused them of secretly planning a venture fund to profit from Web Summit’s success. In turn, they accused Cosgrave of shareholder oppression and breaching a profit-sharing agreement. Founded in 2009, Web Summit is now a global tech conference valued at €280–€360 million.

🤔 Key Allegations

• Cosgrave's Claims: He alleged breaches of fiduciary duties, accusing Kelly and Hickey of betrayal by creating a competing venture fund.

• Counterclaims: Kelly and Hickey countered with claims of shareholder oppression and intimidation. They also criticised Cosgrave’s leadership style as “bullying”

🤝 Settlement

The case, expected to last nine weeks, was settled in seven days. Minority shareholders exited Web Summit, with Cosgrave acquiring their shares for undisclosed amounts. The settlement involved Kelly and Hickey recognising Cosgrave as Web Summit's sole founder. Justice Michael Twomey urged mediation to avoid lengthy litigation, quoting Voltaire: “I was never ruined but twice—when I lost a lawsuit, and when I won one.”

💭 Alternative Perspectives

• Supporters' View: Cosgrave’s decisive actions are necessary to protect the company’s interests and ensure its future stability.

• Critics' View: His leadership style is viewed as overly combative, potentially alienating key stakeholders and damaging relationships

🧑‍🏫 Lessons Learned

1. Mediation Over Litigation: Resolving disputes outside court saves time, money, and reputational damage.

2. Clear Agreements: Founders should establish transparent contracts outlining roles, responsibilities, and profit-sharing to prevent conflicts.

3. Leadership Balance: Visionary leadership must be paired with collaboration to sustain long-term success.

FUNDRAISING
6 Irish-affiliated businesses secure a combined €47.45 million in fundraising 🥳

🚁 Manna Air Delivery (Founder: Bobby Healy) – The Dublin-based drone delivery startup raised $30M in venture funding to expand its ultra-fast aerial food deliveries across Europe and the US, operating under strict aviation rules.

📊 Aerlytix (Founder: Shane O'Neill) – The aviation finance analytics firm is raising $455K to scale its data and risk management platform for lessors and lenders. Based in Dublin with clients across the aviation finance world.

🛴 Ride Today – The Donegal-based micromobility company raised $3M in seed funding to grow its MobiTech product suite and make sustainable transport more accessible.

🧬 Nemysis – This Dublin biotech startup is tackling iron deficiency and gluten intolerance with staged development of OTC and prescription products. They secured corporate funding Avia Pharma to accelerate R&D.

💱 ALT21 – A fintech company based in Dublin, ALT21 raised $12.5M in Series A funding. They offer automated currency hedging tech via API and white-label tools for banks and brokers.

🧠 Agilepitch (Founder: James Kelly) – Wicklow-based Agilepitch provides AI-powered sales intelligence for B2B teams. The company raised funds via a convertible note to enhance its platform and scale operations.

📉 Liquid (Founders: Matthew Bain & Dan Scott) – Northern Irish AI startup Liquid raised $1.5M to streamline M&A deals by eliminating legal inefficiencies. Ascension VC led the round with support from angel investors.

🧠 BRAIN FOOD
’They started it’, Importance of Ag-tech, Data Center Policy > Public Policy and Podcasting Tips

Here is your quick serving of Irish Insights-related wins, trends, events, media and resources that we think you’ll enjoy digesting 🍽️

🇸🇪 🇮🇪 Irish-grown Swede and EU Commission spokesperson Olof Gill produces the quote of the week:

🐶 Will Ireland be Big Tech’s Lapdog Yet Again? Ireland needs a policy that serves the public, not just data centres, writes Kris Shashak READ HERE

🌉 Super startups showcased at the Irish Tech Summit in the Bay Area READ HERE

🚜 Professor Fiona Doohan discusses the critical role of technology in evaluating agricultural outputs, emphasising its importance in future food production. READ HERE

🍎 Apple's Profits Surge: Profits at Apple's Irish subsidiary have seen a remarkable increase of over 60%, reaching $62.3 billion. READ HERE

🎙️ Connected AI podcast features Abeba Birhane, recognized by Time magazine as one of the top 100 people in AI, discussing her work on holding AI companies accountable at Trinity College Dublin. LISTEN HERE

📝 Invest Northern Ireland has launched a three-year business strategy to boost international investment and economic growth. READ HERE

🎧 Gary Fox discusses the evolution of his Entrepreneur Experiment podcast into a successful media business, sharing insights on its development and the lessons learned. LISTEN HERE

🏈 AFL officials meeting the GAA in Ireland hoping to confirm International Rules return READ HERE

✈️ A new campaign is set for 2025 to help expand Northern Ireland's tourism reach, emphasizing collaboration with international tour operators. READ HERE

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