Over the past year and a half, professionals across Ireland have been pushed to reevaluate the way they live and work in the wake of the pandemic. With economic recovery starting to happen at different paces across industries, many professionals are looking for something new, asking themselves: “What’s next?” Therefore, here are the top 10 start-ups on the rise in Ireland:
1. Manna Drone Delivery
Headcount: 50 | Headquarters: Dublin | Year founded: 2018 | Most common skills: Java, SQL, Software development | Most common job titles: Mechanical technician, Robotics engineer, Software engineer | What you should know: Manna has been trialling drone delivery in Oranmore, Galway for the past year, striking deals with Tesco and Just Eat to bring groceries and takeaways to consumers. The company got the go-ahead in May to enter the European market after securing $25 million in funding.
2. LetsGetChecked
Headcount: 280 | Headquarters: Dublin | Year founded: 2014 | Most common skills: SQL, Agile Methodologies, JavaScript | Most common job titles: Software engineer, Customer executive, Product manager | What you should know: LetsGetChecked makes home testing kits to help people monitor their health and last year launched Covid-19 tests. The startup, which sells most of its kits into the US, raised $150 million in funding to become a unicorn with a $1 billion valuation this year.
3. Gym+Coffee
Headcount: 40 | Headquarters: Dublin | Year founded: 2017 | Most common skills: Merchandising, Fashion, Social Media Marketing | Most common job titles: Marketing executive, Retail sales assistant, Store manager | What you should know: Throughout the pandemic, athleisure brand Gym+Coffee experienced huge growth when interest in the startup grew as suits were swapped for more comfortable attire. One Direction’s Niall Horan invested at least €250,000 in the company, becoming a minority shareholder at the beginning of the summer.
4. Workvivo
Headcount: 51 | Headquarters: Cork | Year founded: 2017 | Most common skills: SQL, CSS, JavaScript | Most common job titles: Software engineer, Customer experience manager, Quality assurance engineer | What you should know: Cork-based Workvivo creates software for teams working remotely and first turned heads when Zoom founder Eric Yuan invested €500,000. The firm closed a €14.7 million Series A funding round in 2020 led by Tiger Global Management, which has also backed Stripe.
5. Glofox
Headcount: 200 | Headquarters: Dublin | Year founded: 2014 | Most common skills: JavaScript, SQL, CSS | Most common job titles: Product engineer, Account executive, Engineering team lead |What you should know: Founded by Connacht Rugby player Conor O’Loughlin, along with Anthony Kelly and Finn Hegarty, Glofox makes software for gym management. Last year, it raised $10 million in funding, bringing its Series A funding round led by Octopus Ventures to $20 million.
6. The Naked Collective
Headcount: 31 | Headquarters: Kildare | Year founded: 2019 | Most common skills: Forecasting, Sales management, Business development | Most common job titles: Business development manager, Controller, Sales manager | What you should know: The Naked Collective is a carbon-neutral drinks company, founded by industry veteran Niall Phelan and Catherina Butler, and launched during the pandemic. It produces a health-conscious beverage range under the name Mude and non-alcoholic drinks under So Beer. It is currently undergoing a funding round to raise €15 million.
7. CitySwift
Headcount: 51 | Headquarters: Galway | Year founded: 2016 | Most common skills: SQL, Python, Java | Most common job titles: Insights analyst, Data scientist, Customer success manager |What you should know: The West of Ireland-based company provides real-time data scheduling software for transportation companies. Last year, it announced it would be creating 50 extra jobs in the coming two years, after bagging National Express and GoAhead Group as clients in the UK.
8. Flipdish
Headcount: 136 | Headquarters: Dublin | Year founded: 2015 |Most common skills: SQL, JavaScript, CSS | Most common job titles: Software engineer, Customer success manager, Marketing executive |What you should know: Founded by brothers Conor and James McCarthy, Just Eat competitor Flipdish creates software for restaurants to provide online food ordering services. Earlier this year, it secured €40 million in funding, led by Tiger Global – the same backer as Workvivo – after experiencing a surge in demand for its services.
9. Teckro
Headcount: 154 | Headquarters: Limerick | Year founded: 2015 |Most common skills: SQL, Java, Linux |Most common job titles: Information designer, Project management, Software engineer | What you should know: Teckro provides software that improves the process and transparency of clinical trials for doctors and medical professionals. In 2019, it received $25 million in Series C funding, bringing the overall figure raised by the startup to $43 million. Its Series A funding round was led by Founders Fund, which is an investor in SpaceX and other tech companies.
10. Spotlight Oral Care
Headcount: 34 | Headquarters: Galway | Year founded: 2016 | Most common skills: Social media marketing, Adobe Photoshop, Shopify | Most common job titles: Marketing executive, Area sales representative, Graphic designer |What you should know: Founded by three dentists – Dr Lisa and Dr Vanessa Creaven, along with Dr Barry Buckley – Spotlight OralCare makes and sells oral hygiene projects such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, and whitening kits. During the summer, it raised €12 million to help the firm break into European and US markets.
Source: LinkedIn
[sibwp_form id=2]
