Furthr appoints Maoiliosa O’Culachain as its new chief executive officer

In his new role, O'Culachain will be responsible for all Furthr services and operations

Trade

Maoiliosa O'Culachain, Furthr

Furthr has appointed Maoiliosa O’Culachain as its new chief executive officer. O’Culachain succeeds Michael Culligan, who has stepped down after seven years in the position to pursue other interests.

In his new role, O’Culachain will be responsible for all Furthr services and operations – including Furthr Consulting, Furthr VC, The Guinness Enterprise Centre, The Innovation Exchange, Creative Skillnet and Furthr Festival, leading the organisation as it continues to help ambitious founders to successfully grow export-oriented businesses in Ireland.

O’Culachain has a wealth of experience in corporate transactions and an in-depth understanding of the mentality needed to build a leading European start-up, having worked with Nasdaq Private Market as a European business development director and as Ireland market advisor. He also managed the eircom Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) and was a consultant with PwC.

In partnership with Enterprise Ireland, Furthr works closely with state agencies and private sector investors to support founders and assist internationally focused start-ups. In 2023, across the organisation, Furthr, which was formerly Dublin BIC, expects to provide game-changing impacts to 1,500 founders to accelerate their businesses, secure investment and connect to valuable networks.

“By any objective measure, Furthr is a great success story, and I am thrilled to have been selected by the board to lead the next phase of its journey,” said O’Culachain. “My aim is to create an environment where Ireland’s most innovative minds are supported and encouraged to meet the needs of emerging and growing global markets.

“Success breeds success, but the next generation of start-ups will look nothing like what we have seen before. My focus will therefore be on ensuring that Irish start-ups are competing in all the right areas and have access to the best supports, including funding. I am motivated by the vision of Ireland as a real hotbed for innovation and businesses driven by a growth mindset.

“Having been an entrepreneur, investor, board member and mentor, I believe that I can make a real impact – with my founder mindset shaping how we deliver as an organisation. I look forward to leveraging my network, experience and understanding of the needs of start-ups and investors alike to ensure that Furthr evolves and remains aligned with emerging needs.

Clive Brownlee, Furthr chairman, added: “I would like to congratulate Maoiliosa on his appointment as CEO and welcome him to Furthr. He brings an innovative mindset and a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and I look forward to working with him as we build on the work of his predecessor Michael Culligan. I would like to thank Michael for his immense work and achievements in leading the organisation for the last seven years and to wish him continued success in the future.”

Companies supported by Furthr include NewsWhip, LearnUpon, HealthBeacon and Zipp Mobility.

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