Irish women-led startups secured €200.1 million in venture capital (VC) funding in 2024, marking a 39% increase from the €144.2 million invested in 2023. The data, published by financial research firm PitchBook in its All In: Female Founders in the VC Ecosystem report, provides a pan-European analysis of VC investment in women-founded companies. The report also highlights Ireland’s strong position in supporting female entrepreneurs, ranking 2nd in Europe per deal count on a per capita basis for investment in women-led startups. Ireland has consistently been among the top five countries in this category over the past decade.
Welcoming the results, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke said, “The increase in investment in women-led start-ups is 2024 is a very positive trend. Strong VC investment is vitally important for early-stage and high-growth companies and the Government’s €250 million Seed and Venture Capital Scheme, administered by Enterprise Ireland, strengthens the funding ecosystem in Ireland. Having a strong funding environment and harnessing the full talent pool of Ireland’s population is essential to drive enterprise growth.”
Jenny Melia, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to see such a strong increase in the level of investment in women-founders in Ireland. This achievement reflects the calibre of women-led startups in Ireland and their determination and ambition to scale their businesses. Through our investments in High Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs), our Pre-Seed Start Fund and supporting a robust VC ecosystem, our focus is not only on ensuring that founders have access to funding to start and grow, but also have the support of an inclusive and well-connected business environment. Enterprise Ireland’s 5-year strategy, launched earlier this week, places a continued emphasis on supporting women founders in Ireland.”
In 2024, significant fundraises by women founders in Ireland, included biotech AI company Nuritas, founded by Dr. Nora Khaldi raised $42 million, medtech company Luminate Medical co-founded by Barbara Oliveira raised €15 million.
PitchBook Report – 2024 European All In: Female Founders in the VC Ecosystem | PitchBook
Hone Your Skills at Jobs Expo Cork!
Jobs Expo is returning to Cork in 2025! Jobs Expo Cork will kick off at Cork City Hall on Saturday, 22nd March (10am-4pm). This careers fair will be sponsored by Recruit.ie and will feature hundreds of active job opportunities. Jobs Expo is the only careers exhibition of its type to feature FREE ADMISSION.
What can you expect at Jobs Expo Cork?
- Employers actively recruiting for hundreds of jobs at home and abroad
- Specialised areas dedicated to jobs in particular industries
- The Career Clinic offering one-on-one CV, job seeking and career advice from professional career guidance counsellors
- A packed seminar timetable on important and topical issues by a range of industry experts
Career Clinic
The Career Clinic offers the chance for attendees to meet with professional development coaches. They can help candidates with crucial issues such as interview skills, CV presentation and changing career direction.
Agenda Stage
Jobs Expo’s Agenda Stage will host talks on a variety of topics including jobseeking skills such as using social media to land your dream job and interview techniques as well as a CV writing workshop. Other seminars include talks by industry insiders on a variety of career topics.
Register for Free here. We look forward to seeing you at Jobs Expo Cork!
Discover Your Dream Job on Recruit.ie! It’s easy – just sign up, upload your CV and cover letter, and start applying. Your next career move is a few clicks away!
Recruit.ie also organise Jobs Expo, Ireland’s leading jobs and employment fairs.
Take a look at upcoming Jobs Expos around Ireland.