Go Succeed grant helps women founders embark on Awaken Hub US trade mission

The Acting British Consul General to New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE, and Helena Nolan, Consul General of Ireland in New York, have lauded the achievements of a group of women founders from the island of Ireland, describing them as “a real inspiration” and “bringing a positive energy and a sense of empowerment, innovation and action.”

The trade mission is aiming to bolster investment in 17 women-founder businesses from across the island of Ireland with financial asks ranging from $1M to $3M. It is the third AwakenHub and Awaken Angels St Brigid’s trade mission and previous participants have received six-figure investments in as little as seven weeks following meetings organised as part of the trip.

This year’s mission included two women-led companies from Northern Ireland  who have utilised their Go Succeed Grant funding to support their trade mission. Participants represent some of the most innovative Irish women-led companies in the Health and Life Sciences, B2B SaaS, Digital Technologies, and Sustainability sectors.

Speaking about the mission, Clare McGee, co-founder and CEO of AwakenHub/AwakenAngels , said: “The innovation and determination of the women on this mission who have built, and are scaling companies from across Ireland is inspirational. The US market provides a great opportunity for Irish women founders to make important connections that can lead to investment, this has the potential to drive substantial economic growth across the island of Ireland and to attract vital inward investment to our shores and this week has proven that in spades.

“The opportunities afforded to our participants by this trade mission will prove to be pivotal to their future success. We all feel extremely privileged to have secured access to vital contacts and investors through the invaluable support of the British and Irish Consulates in Boston and New York. It is testament to our impact that the women have invested in themselves by self-funding to join our mission. We are thankful for the support of Invest NI, Bank of Ireland NYC Hub, Irish American Partnership and DFA’s Emigrant Support Programme.

Across the week delegates have participated in a range of meetings and events in Boston and NYC including a reception in the residence of the British Consul General for New England, David Clay, MBE, which was attended by Joseph Kennedy III, former US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, and a range of other investors, VCs and potential channel partners. The founders were also guests of Síghle FitzGerald, Consul General of Ireland to Boston at a private reception and lunch in the Irish Consulate.

Before leaving Boston, the women founders pitched to invited guests at a series of events hosted by Underscore VC and Invest Northern Ireland. Guests at the events had the opportunity to learn more about the fundamentals of, and the opportunities to back women-led ventures from Ireland in a masterclass on angel investing. The business owners finished off the week with more pitch opportunities, one-to-one meetings and networking events.

The two founders that attended the mission using their Go Succeed grant are:

Taylor Yates, Karen, and Ellen Yates, from Bushmills

Clúmh, Lisa McLaughlin, from Derry

Go Succeed (www.go-succeed.com) is funded by the UK Government and delivered by Northern Ireland’s 11 councils. The service supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, master classes, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.