Céad míle fáilte!

It turns out Ireland’s special relationship with Big Tech wasn’t just about tax breaks and friendly regulations—it may have been even cosier than expected.

According to former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams, the company was given a "special phone" to contact the Irish government directly whenever an issue arose. Consider it the ultimate government poke that gave Meta a direct power line.

This revelation comes from Careless People, Wynn-Williams’ new memoir, which details high-level discussions between Facebook and the Irish state. You can check out the full story here.

Now, down to business—here’s a taste of what we have in store for you this week:

• CitySwift Expands to London, Powering Smarter Bus Networks 🇬🇧

• Enterprise Ireland Expands Down Under 🇦🇺 🇳🇿

• Innovative Northern Irish Firms Forge Exciting Global Partnerships 🇺🇸 🇮🇳

• Galway medtech start-up raises €22 million and bags FDA clearance 🇺🇸

• We cover 5 Irish-affiliated startups that raised a cool €41.8 million in funding in the last fortnight. 🚀

• And impress your friends with the latest Irish insights brain food stories. 🧠

Enjoy ☕️

CitySwift Expands to London, Powering Smarter Bus Networks 🇬🇧

CitySwift, the Galway-based transport data company, has announced a significant expansion of its AI-powered platform to all bus operators in London. This move will impact London's extensive bus network, which consists of nearly 9,000 buses serving approximately 1.8 billion passenger journeys annually.

The rollout of CitySwift's platform across London's bus network aims to:

1. Mitigate disruptions

2. Optimise resource use

3. Facilitate collaboration among operators

4. Improve service reliability

5. Enhance the overall passenger experience

This expansion follows a period of rapid growth for CitySwift in 2024, during which the company secured €7 million funding round and formed partnerships with several major transport authorities and operators. The company currently employs 67 people across the UK and Ireland, with plans to double its headcount over the next three years.

CitySwift's AI-powered performance optimisation platform has already demonstrated its effectiveness in other regions:

• Go-Ahead Group reported improved service punctuality of up to 14% and a 4% increase in customer journeys

• National Express West Midlands saw a 5% increase in patronage, an 18% reduction in late running, and a 1% reduction in overall resources required

Brian O’Rourke, CEO and co-founder of CitySwift, expressed enthusiasm about bringing these advantages to London's bus network, stating that the company's work has "consistently delivered tangible results in improved reliability, efficiency, and passenger and driver satisfaction".

This expansion solidifies CitySwift's position as a key player in urban mobility solutions, aligning with Transport for London's vision of providing an efficient and reliable transport network. As the company continues to grow and innovate, it is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of public transportation in major cities across the UK and beyond.

Enterprise Ireland Expands Down Under 🇦🇺 🇳🇿

As the festive green glow of St. Patrick’s Day begins to dim, Enterprise Ireland is celebrating a remarkable trade mission to Australia and New Zealand that marked significant milestones for Irish businesses abroad.

In 2023, several companies achieved an impressive €34.57 billion in global exports—a record-breaking accomplishment. The vibrant markets of Australia and New Zealand contributed €465 million to this total, reflecting a solid 6% growth from the previous year.

The delegation, led by Irish Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee, made a notable impact in cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. Their focus was on strengthening ties and supporting Irish enterprises already thriving in Australia.

Helen also held a meeting with Dr. Grainne Oates (Founder of the learning platform Quitch). Eagle-eyed readers may previously remember we featured Grainne in one of our Irish Insights founder-focus interviews; you can check it out here.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Emer Higgins concentrated her efforts in Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane, while Minister of State Jerry Buttimer expanded outreach efforts in New Zealand.

This mission served as a powerful reminder of the growing economic bonds between Ireland and its partners in the Antipodes. Among the highlights were dynamic advisory panels held in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Wellington, as well as the traditional Annual St. Patrick’s Day Business Lunches, which featured engaging discussions with visionary leaders from many Irish startups.

With 63 Enterprise Ireland clients establishing a new presence in Australia over the past two years, the importance of this market has never been clearer. Exciting times lie ahead!

Innovative Northern Irish Firms Forge Exciting Global Partnerships 🇺🇸 🇮🇳

In a testament to Northern Ireland's growing influence in the global tech scene, two Belfast-based companies are making waves with groundbreaking international partnerships.

Artemis Technologies Expands in the U.S.

Artemis Technologies, a trailblazer in zero-emission maritime solutions, has just landed a lucrative multi-million-dollar deal with Seattle's Delta Marine, marking a pivotal moment in the company's journey.

This exciting partnership comes right on the heels of their recent deal to provide 20 cutting-edge hydrofoil vessels to Miami's Urbanlink, further cementing Artemis's role as a leader in the clean maritime transport sector.

David Tyler, co-founder of Artemis Technologies, expressed gratitude for the support from economic development agency Invest NI, which has been instrumental in fueling the company’s transatlantic expansion.

“The US is a key market for us, and our collaboration with Delta Marine represents a major milestone in our global growth strategy,” he remarked. The future is looking bright for Artemis Technologies as they continue to redefine sustainable maritime transport!

Angoka & Pantherun Partner on Cybersecurity Innovation

Meanwhile, cybersecurity Belfast-based firm Angoka has joined forces with Bengaluru's Pantherun Technologies. This partnership aims to develop cutting-edge security solutions for critical industries like transport, logistics, and defense.

Steve Berry, Angoka's Chairman, highlighted the significance of the collaboration: "This pairing brings together the best of both worlds including Pantherun’s tried and tested encryption models and ANGOKA’s next generation cyber security technologies to future proof the products of both companies. We are very excited at the prospect of what we can both create in the coming years.

The partnership's objectives include:

• Joint product development and tech-sharing

• Accelerated market deployment of cybersecurity solutions

• Securing digital infrastructure for vital sectors

As these Northern Irish firms expand their global footprint, they're not just growing their businesses – they're cementing Belfast's reputation as a hub for technological innovation. With projects set to launch this year, the future looks bright for Northern Ireland's tech sector on the international stage.

Galway medtech start-up raises €22 million and bags FDA clearance 🇺🇸

In a major leap forward for stroke treatment, Galway-based Perfuze has achieved two significant milestones that promise to revolutionize patient care and cement Ireland's position as a medtech powerhouse.

🚦 FDA Green Light for Innovative Catheter

Perfuze's Zipline access catheter has received FDA 510(k) clearance, marking a pivotal moment in the company's journey. This breakthrough device is designed to enhance the delivery of large aspiration catheters during neurointerventional procedures, potentially improving outcomes for stroke patients.

Wayne Allen, CEO of Perfuze, expressed his enthusiasm: "This regulatory approval strengthens our growing presence in the U.S. market and supports our vision of delivering novel, effective, and easy-to-use technologies that can make a real difference in stroke care."

💸 €22 Million Boost from Investors

Alongside this regulatory win, Perfuze has secured €22 million in follow-on funding. This substantial investment, backed by a consortium including Earlybird, EQT Life Sciences, Seroba, and SV Health Investors, underscores the confidence in Perfuze's innovative approach to stroke care.

🔮 What's Next for Perfuze?

With a limited U.S. market release already underway, Perfuze is targeting top stroke centers to drive early adoption of the Zipline catheter. As the company scales up its operations, it's poised to make a significant impact on stroke care worldwide, showcasing Irish innovation on the global stage.

💰 That money was just resting in my account…

A massive congratulations to the Irish-affiliated businesses that have achieved an impressive total of €41.8 million in recent fundraising victories 🥂

🏥 Perfuze (Founders: Wayne Allen, Liam Mullins) develops catheter-based technology for stroke treatment. They recently raised €22M in Series A funding led by LSP Health Economics Fund 2 and Seroba Life Sciences.

🎧 NeuroMod Devices (Founder: Ross O'Neill) creates treatments for tinnitus using bimodal neuromodulation. They secured €10M in Series B funding from existing investors Fountain Healthcare Partners and Panakès Partners.

♻️ Change by Degrees (Founders: Madeleine Murray, Dr. Tara Shine) Sustainability skills platform Change by Degrees closes €700k seed funding round to hire talent and drive international growth.

🔒 Urban Fox (Founder: Daniel Loftus) – The anti-fraud tech startup raised raised €7.7 million. It provides a fraud prevention and risk management platform designed to protect payment processors and online merchants from sophisticated synthetic fraud attacks.

🦑 SQUID (Founders: Katie Farrell, Matthew Coffey) the Dublin-based loyalty app Squid raised €1.4m for its crowdfunding campaign through early investors in just six hours!

🧠 Brain Food

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

📺 Dr. Joe Fitzsimons joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss Horizon Quantum’s SPAC strategy and why now is the perfect time to accelerate growth. WATCH HERE

🛡️ GetVisibility, the AI-driven cybersecurity firm founded by Ronan Murphy was acquired for €70M–€80M, reinforcing Ireland’s strength in data security. READ HERE

🥃 Whiskey Wars: Trump’s Tariff Threat Shakes Irish Industry READ HERE

🤖 AI Boom: €250B Windfall for Ireland by 2035 READ HERE

📺 Father Ted at 30: Comedy That Changed Ireland. The creators of Father Ted reflect on how it dismantled Irish sacred cows, from the Eurovision to the Rose of Tralee. READ HERE

🇺🇸 7 Irish Startups Thriving in the U.S. READ HERE

🇪🇺 Over 120 European founders, including Des Traynor (Intercom) & David Singleton (Stripe), launch a support network for rising startups. READ HERE

🏆 Emma Meehan’s KinetikIQ clinches 1st place at FC Barça’s Startup Challenge. READ HERE

🎮🚁 Just Eat introduces drone delivery service with Manna READ HERE

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