The Western Development Commission and Halo Business Angels Network have announced a special event in Donegal next month to match companies with potential investors.
The event is taking place on October 13th in the Co-Lab centre at the ATU’s Letterkenny Campus.
The commission says bringing different people together should raise the level of investment in the region, and build on the work being done by both organisations, particularly in terms of angel investment, under which people can invest relatively small amounts of money in local start ups in exchange for equity in a company.
Gillian Buckley is Investment Manager at the WDC……
Release in full –
The Western Development Commission and Halo Business Angels Network (HBAN) are collaborating to bring investors from across the Northwest and companies looking for investment together in a bid to support companies in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal and raise the level of investment in the region.
The first event which will bring investors, companies looking for investment and key stakeholders together from across the three counties will take place in Donegal on Thursday 13th October at 5.30pm. The Co-Lab at the Atlantic Technological University Campus in Letterkenny will host the evening session and will highlight a number of investment ready projects across the region while also bringing investors together to network and discuss opportunities. Mary McKenna, angel investor and co-founder of Awaken Hub will host the event. Speakers include James and Moira Doherty from Sliabh Liag Distillers, Eileen Rafferty of Errigal Studios, Annmarie Slavin founder of Modern Democracy, alongside Gillian Buckley Investment Manager at the WDC and Ultan Faherty, HBAN Co-ordinator West and North-West.
The Western Development Commission operates the Western Investment Fund, a €75m evergreen fund which has been in operation for over twenty years. A recent report highlighted the fund has generated a return of almost two-and-a-half times its original value and helped provide Ireland’s economy with a €3.3 billion boost. The fund has invested in companies including Donegal 3D issue, Nektr Technologies in Sligo and Cora Systems in Leitrim.
Tomás Ó’Síocháin, CEO of Western Development Commission said “The North West has huge potential given strength of a number of existing sectors. This event will help to raise awareness of the finance available to those looking to grow their companies using external investment and the WDC Investment Fund can act as a catalyst to support these companies as well as make introductions to other possible co-investors.”
HBAN is responsible for the development of business angel activity and angel syndicates on the island of Ireland. HBAN provides qualified deal flow to investors who want to be part of the journey in supporting great Irish companies, scaling globally and making returns to their shareholders.
Ultan Faherty, HBAN Co-ordinator West and North-West commented “The North West features a large number of innovative companies operating in a diverse range of sectors such as IT, Medtech, Blue Tech, Manufacturing, Renewables and more with a strong focus on international markets. These companies comprise a strong mix of indigenous business as well as providing hubs for international companies. This event will help to highlight opportunities to provide quality deal-flow in the form of pre-screened investment opportunities and will support investors to understand the core processes of reviewing, executing, and managing an angel investment in a company.”
Investors and Companies are invited to register for the event for free HERE
