The Irish VC ep26: John Flynn on ACT, Tech, and the Evolving Start-up Ecosystem

About this episode

John Flynn discusses his journey in venture capital and the evolution of Ireland's start-up ecosystem over the past 40 years.

John Flynn reflects on his journey into venture capital, beginning with a background in physics and tech before joining ACT in the late 1990s. He discusses the evolution of Ireland's VC landscape over the past 40 years—from ACT's early days as part of AIB, through the tech boom and crash of the early 2000s, to a more mature and thriving ecosystem today. He highlights key moments, such as the dot-com downturn, the rise of indigenous tech success stories, and the transformation of Ireland’s start-up support structures post-2009, noting how entrepreneurs, VCs, and institutions have all strengthened over time. Tune in!

People in this episode

Guest: John Flynn

Topics covered

• venture capital
• start-up ecosystem
• Ireland's VC landscape
• tech evolution
• entrepreneurship
• indigenous tech success

Keywords

• venture capital
• Ireland
• start-ups
• ACT
• AIB
• tech boom
• entrepreneurs
• VC landscape

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ACT, AIB

Places: Ireland

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