Digital Irish Podcast

GEC 25 Year Impact Report: https://www.gec.ie/impact-report Niamh Collins has spent more than 15 years inside Ireland's startup ecosystem, and for the last three she has run the Guinness Enterprise Centre — one of Ireland's first enterprise hubs and now one of its largest, home to over 160 companies across five floors of a former Guinness hop store in the Liberties. Her vantage point is the connective tissue of the ecosystem: the introductions, signposting and supports that turn a founder with an idea into a company selling into the US, the UK and Europe.In this conversation, we get into:What "managed serendipity" looks like in practice — how one founder's presentation to a visiting Tampa Bay delegation turned into a new customer, a research partner and a US investor introductionThe supports most Irish founders don't know exist — monthly Local Enterprise Office clinics, Mentoring for Scale, and soft-landing agreements with hubs in the UK, US and EuropeWhat 25 years of the GEC adds up to — 1,300+ companies through the doors, and approximately €140M in turnover and €73M+ in exports from GEC companies last year aloneWhat "graduating" really means — Urban Fox's €8M raise, Mobility Mojo's €4.2M, and why the GEC doesn't say goodbye, just "see you for a while"The role of the Irish diaspora — mentoring, investing, opening doors, and Niamh's open invitation to the Digital Irish communityIf you're an Irish founder — or part of the diaspora wondering how to help from abroad — this episode is a map of the ecosystem behind Ireland's startup success.Niamh Collins has served as Centre Director of the Guinness Enterprise Centre since 2023. She brings over 15 years’ experience within Ireland’s startup ecosystem, with a strong track record of supporting early-stage companies to grow and scale through incubation, acceleration, and tailored business support programmes. Prior to joining the GEC, she was Director of the NovaUCD AgTech Innovation Centre and previously held the role of Chief Operating Officer at the DCU Ryan Academy.The Guinness Enterprise Centre is Ireland’s largest enterprise campus, located in Dublin 8, and is home to 160 companies ranging from individual founders to established scaling teams. These companies operate across a diverse range of sectors, including digital health, medtech, technology, sustainability, aviation, professional services. The Centre provides a combination of co-working and private office space, alongside a comprehensive suite of business supports, programmes, and advisory clinics designed to enable growth, innovation, and international expansion.Want to get in contact with the Digital Irish team? Email us at [email protected]

Fergal Mullen left Ireland at 18 on an athletics scholarship and has spent 25 years in venture — first inside a NASDAQ-listed consultancy, then at Highland Capital Partners in Boston, before spinning out its European arm in 2012 to co-found Highland Europe. The firm now manages close to €4 billion, sees around 3,000 companies a year, and invests in seven or eight. Very few people can tell founders what happens on the other side of the table with that much of a funnel behind them.In this conversation, we get into:What “coachable founder” actually means — and why the softest criterion on Highland Europe’s list is the one that decides.The bar for a growth-stage cheque: €10M+ revenue, 50%+ growth, and unit economics that treat investors’ capital with respect.Why Highland Europe scrapped the Monday partner pitch and meets founders at their own offices — and what they read from how you treat your team.The pitch that won an investment without a single slide.How the firm separates foundational AI businesses from wrappers a single model release could erase.If you’re an Irish founder — raising now or a few years out — this episode is a look at exactly what the other side of the table is checking for.Fergal Mullen is a co-founder and Partner at Highland Europe, the growth-stage technology investment firm based in London and Geneva.Prior to founding Highland Europe, Fergal was a Partner at Highland Capital Partners, where he launched the firm’s European investment program in 2007.Over the course of his career, Fergal has been involved with a number of leading technology companies, including Coremetrics (acquired by IBM), GlassesDirect (acquired by Essilor), Wooga (acquired by Playtika), Finanzcheck (acquired by Scout24), Privalia (acquired by Veepee), PhotoBox (acquired by Exponent Private Equity and Electra Partners), He has also been involved with VistaPrint (NASDAQ IPO), AMCS Group (acquired by EQT), and Nexthink (acquired by Vista Equity Partners).Earlier in his career, Fergal was a founding partner of RSA Ventures, the corporate venture arm of RSA Security.Before that, he was a founder and Senior Vice President of Cambridge Technology Partners (NASDAQ: CATP), where he served on the firm’s Global Executive Committee.Fergal attended Harvard Business School where he earned his MBA and Brown University where he earned a BSc in Electrical Engineering and a BA in Business Economics.Highland Europe is a growth-stage technology investment firm with offices in London and Geneva. Founded in 2012, the firm backs European software and consumer internet companies that have established product-market fit — typically €10 million or more in revenue, growing 50%+ — with cheques of €30–70 million. Highland Europe has backed close to 100 companies, holds around 60 in its current portfolio, and manages nearly €4 billion across six funds.Want to get in contact with the Digital Irish team? Email us at [email protected] Fergal MullenAbout Highland Europe

Niall Dennehy's first bank account was opened in 1987, when his mother walked him ten metres from their front door to the credit union in Ballydesmond, Co. Cork — a branch named for Nora Herlihy, the local schoolteacher who helped found the Irish credit union movement. He still gets the statement every month. Nearly four decades on, having co-founded blockchain company AID:Tech and gone through Techstars, he's a father of four in Dublin building NestiFi: an AI-powered platform that lets whole families, wherever they've scattered, invest together in a child's future.In this conversation, we get into:The 1987 credit union account Niall still gets statements for, and how it became the blueprint for NestiFiWhy the cash-stuffed-envelope economy shortchanges kids, and how a tap in the family WhatsApp chat can put relatives anywhere in the world into a child's investment accountThe tax reliefs most Irish parents have never heard of, including the small gift exemption worth up to €108,000 per child over 18 years from parents aloneTrump accounts in the US, and Niall's lobbying push to get the Irish government to seed every newborn's account the same wayWhat 1–2% in annual fees quietly does to 30 years of compounding, and why credit unions are best placed to win back the next generation from Revolut and RobinhoodIf you're a parent, a grandparent, or anyone thinking about the next generation's financial future, this episode is a practical look at how families can start compounding early.$84 trillion is expected to change hands in the US over the next 20 years; roughly €3.5 trillion in Europe by 2030 (figures Niall cites on tape).$2,500 seeded at birth plus $75/month from the wider family ≈ $40,000 by age 18 and $106,871 by age 30 (NestiFi's illustration; assumes a 7.35% average annual return compounded monthly).Niall Dennehy is the CEO and co-founder of NestiFi. Originally from Ballydesmond, Co. Cork, he co-founded AID:Tech, the blockchain company that delivered international aid transparently through digital identity, and went through Techstars in 2016. His earlier career spanned publishing, education and fintech, including roles with HP, Ericsson, LG Mobile, AIB and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He lives in Dublin with his wife and four children — the original test users for NestiFi. [Confirm bio with Niall — drafted from the recording and public sources; no formal bio provided.]NestiFi is a Dublin-headquartered, AI-powered family wealth platform that financial institutions deploy under their own brand. It lets parents, grandparents and relatives anywhere in the world contribute to a child's investment account from a link in the messaging apps families already use, with an AI advisor (“Seb”) and gamified financial literacy built in. A B2B2C play targeting credit unions and community banks on both sides of the Atlantic, NestiFi is backed by Enterprise Ireland as a High Potential Start-Up, closed a 108% oversubscribed crowdfunding round on Spark Venture Funding in July 2026, and has announced a partnership with Vyrdia, a credit union service organization whose network spans more than 30 US credit unions with $6.5 billion in combined assets.Want to get in contact with the Digital Irish team? Email us at [email protected] StatsAbout Niall DennehyAbout NestiFi

In this episode of The Digital Irish Podcast, we sit down with Alan Costello, one of the earliest employees at Afterpay, to uncover the inside story of its incredible journey from a small startup to a publicly listed, multinational business. Alan shares his firsthand experiences navigating the highs and lows of startup life, the challenges of rapid scaling, and the near-shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also reflects on the pressures of going public, the shift from acquisition to retention, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned about resilience, adaptability, and leadership. Join us as we explore the remarkable growth of Afterpay and what the future holds for Alan.Okay, here are comprehensive show notes for your podcast episode featuring Alan Costello and his journey with Afterpay:Episode Title: From Startup to Public Listing: Alan Costello's Inside Story of Afterpay's Explosive GrowthEpisode Description:In this episode of The Digital Irish Podcast, we sit down with Alan Costello, one of the earliest employees at Afterpay, to uncover the inside story of its incredible journey from a small startup to a publicly listed, multinational business. Alan shares his firsthand experiences navigating the highs and lows of startup life, the challenges of rapid scaling, and the near-shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also reflects on the pressures of going public, the shift from acquisition to retention, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned about resilience, adaptability, and leadership. Join us as we explore the remarkable growth of Afterpay and what the future holds for Alan.Key Takeaways:The importance of resilience and adaptability in startup life.The challenges and rewards of rapid scaling and going public.The impact of external factors, like COVID-19, on a growing business.The importance of agility and pivoting during times of rapid change.Want to get in contact? Email us at [email protected]

This week we chat with John Hill, VP of Story at Whop (whop.com), about building community and driving impact at scale. We explore his journey from LinkedIn and Techstars to Whop, and the personal influences behind his drive.Key Discussion Points: Whop's Mission & Impact: John shares his excitement about Whop's mission to enable sustainable income and discusses the company's rapid growth. He highlights success stories and the long-term vision. The Drive for Impact: We delve into the personal influences behind John's passion for large-scale impact, including his family history and upbringing. Irish Citizenship: We discuss John's exploration of Irish citizenship, what it means to him, and how the Digital Irish community can support him in this process. He shares his next steps and what connections would be most helpful.Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msuaajohn/