Aiming to Boost Funding for Female Founders, InvestHer Summit 2024 comes to Dublin, in Partnership with EY

Coming to Dublin for the first time, InvestHer Summit 2024 kicked off yesterday running from June 19th-21st at Dublin Royal Convention Centre, bringing together Ireland’s foremost investors, influential policy shapers, and trailblazing women entrepreneurs. The event, in partnership with EY and now in its second year, aims to enhance access to funding and market opportunities for women entrepreneurs, offering attendees the chance to engage with investors, learn from industry leaders and participate in meaningful discussions which challenge the status quo.

Anne Ravanona, Founder and CEO of Global Invest Her says: “We are building a global movement to close the funding gap and get 1 million women entrepreneurs funded by 2030. Despite research consistently showing that women founders provide a higher return on investment, we receive under 2% of total VC capital globally. Something has to change. At InvestHer Summit, we are showcasing what happens when women are believed in, venture backed, and empowered.” 

InvestHer Summit seeks to help female founders navigate the complex funding landscape, accelerate their entrepreneurial journey, and build powerful networks that drive professional growth. The event will feature lightning talks, expert panels and fireside chats, as well as action workshops and networking socials. With 60+ distinguished speakers, including Shana Chu, CEO & Founder of Tailr, Christine Boyle, CEO of Senergy, Denise McQuaid, Co-Founder of Awaken Angels, Naomi McGregor, Founder & CEO of Movetru and many more, the InvestHer Summit is expecting 300+ attendees and 15 international delegations.

Eimear McCrann, Director, EY Ireland Entrepreneur of the Year programme said: “At EY Ireland we are really proud of our role in supporting and enabling entrepreneurs, as part of our mission to build a better working world for all.  For more than 27 years our Entrepreneur of the Year Programme has been inspiring and celebrating entrepreneurs across the island of Ireland – including many trailblazing female entrepreneurs who have built globally significant businesses right here and who continue to give back to the Irish entrepreneurial community today.

“The InvestHer Summit is a springboard for women entrepreneurs to amplify their ideas and connect with the kind of resources and supports that can scale business ideas into successful companies. Irish entrepreneurs have an international scaling mindset and innate capacity to grow and succeed across borders and cultures and I can’t wait to join the Summit here in Dublin this week and hear firsthand about the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

Anne added, “It is our belief that women are the greatest untapped resource in the world, and Dublin is the perfect setting to showcase precisely this – as a truly global city and an effective gateway to the international funding ecosystem.” 

InvestHer Summit will also host its annual pitch competition, where female founders actively seeking funding can apply and showcase their company. The winners will receive expert mentorship, as well as tailored support and valuable resources from industry leaders. These prizes have a measurable impact on the success trajectory of recipients. One winner from last year’s competition, Stupa Sports Analytics, raised approximately €3.1m in a pre-series A round in May of this year, and Berlin-based proptech Novo, went on to raise €1m in pre-seed funding.

Supported by Enterprise Ireland, Failte Ireland, Meet in Ireland, Dell Technologies and many others, InvestHer is set to create a supportive environment for women entrepreneurs to connect with investors and learn from distinguished peers, equipping them with the practical resources they need to thrive in business and overcome obstacles in their funding journey.

See more stories here.