PC Peripherals rebrands as Eduvolve, 20 new jobs planned

PC Peripherals receives €2.5m investment as Business Rebrands to Eduvolve
Education technology group announces major investment, expanded Dublin and Galway operations and plans to create up to 20 new jobs

PC Peripherals, the Irish technology company that has served schools and businesses across the country for over 30 years, today announced a €2.5 million investment from Grafton Education, alongside a rebrand of the company to Eduvolve. The investment and rebrand mark a new chapter in the company’s growth, backed by new leadership and an expanded team.

Eduvolve, €2.5m investment, 20 new jobs planned

As part of this transition, Ian Gaughran has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, with Fintan Costello stepping into the role of Technical Director. Both bring extensive experience in technology and education, and will lead Eduvolve through its next phase of growth while preserving the values and relationships that have defined PC Peripherals since its founding.
The investment encompasses the acquisition of PC Peripherals alongside substantial additional capital committed to stock, working capital, technology, infrastructure, service capability and the future expansion of the business.

As part of the growth plans, Eduvolve will operate from Dublin and Galway, with operational and technical service centre capability across both locations.

The company plans to create up to 20 new jobs over the coming years, spanning technical services, engineering, operations, customer experience, sales and education technology.
Building on more than three decades of experience

PC Peripherals has served the Irish education, business and public sectors for more than three decades, supplying technology and services to primary and post-primary schools, Education and Training Boards, public-sector organisations and businesses across Ireland.

Now rebranded to Eduvolve, the company operates from offices in Sandyford, Dublin and Galway, encompassing a build centre, repair centre, support hub, sales and marketing office,
and a dedicated WiFi and networking team – all working to support schools and businesses up and down the country.

Major education framework wins

The company also continues to build on its strong relationships with public procurement frameworks and Education and Training Boards (ETBs), further cementing its position as a trusted technology partner to the Irish education sector.

PC Peripherals was recently selected by Kerry ETB for a single-party framework valued at €2 million covering the supply and lifecycle management of Windows-based end-user devices.
The model extends substantially beyond simply supplying laptops. It encompasses the preparation and configuration of devices, deployment, management, ongoing service and support, and the lifecycle requirements associated with operating large-scale 1:1 technology programmes.

These wins form part of Eduvolve’s strategy to provide an increasingly comprehensive managed technology service to schools.

Rather than requiring a school to engage separate suppliers for devices, networking, print solutions, classroom displays, Microsoft or Google environments, technical support and ongoing device management, Eduvolve intends to bring those capabilities together under one service organisation.

“We’re delighted to support the team as they enter this new phase of growth,” said CEO Ian Gaughran. “PC Peripherals has built an outstanding reputation over three decades, and we see enormous potential in Eduvolve’s vision for the future of technology in Irish schools and businesses.”

New leadership team

Ian Gaughran has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Eduvolve, with Fintan Costello joining the senior leadership team as Technical Director. Gaughran brings significant experience across the Irish education technology sector and previously held senior roles at Microsoft. His relationship with PC Peripherals stretches back more than a decade, having first worked with the business during his time at Microsoft. Costello brings more than 25 years of experience across technology and digital education, including Microsoft 365, cloud services, device management and the implementation of technology within schools.

“I’m honoured to take on the role of CEO at such an exciting time for the business,” said Ian Gaughran, CEO of Eduvolve. This investment allows us to build on three decades of trusted relationships with schools and businesses across Ireland, while accelerating our vision for the future. We’re proud of where we’ve come from as PC Peripherals, and excited about where Eduvolve is headed. My relationship with PC Peripherals goes back more than a decade, so I know first-hand the quality of the people behind this business and the trust it has built with schools and customers across Ireland.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our engineering, support, and networking capabilities across both our Dublin and Galway locations, so we can continue delivering the highest standard of service to our corporate and education customers,” said Fintan Costello, Technical Director.

Long-term investment in Irish education

Erik Jentetics, Founder of Grafton Education, said the acquisition was the beginning of a much wider investment programme. “This is much more than an acquisition or a change of name. We are investing approximately €2.5 million into the acquisition, capitalisation and growth of the business because we believe there is an opportunity to build something genuinely different in Irish education. “Technology had a significant impact on my own education and ultimately on my decision to build a career and businesses in technology. That experience has stayed with me. I believe schools should be able to access great technology without having to navigate a fragmented network of different suppliers and support providers.
“PC Peripherals already has an extraordinary foundation, decades of experience, hundreds of school relationships, deep technical capability and a team that understands education. The recent tender wins demonstrate that the business can deliver sophisticated programmes at considerable scale.”

Grafton Education said the strategy is to increasingly move from individual technology transactions towards longer-term relationships in which Eduvolve assumes responsibility for a much greater proportion of a school’s technology requirements.

The investment group behind Grafton Education includes a number of Irish and international business figures, including Michael “Mickey” Coleman, the former Tyrone All-Ireland winning footballer and New York-based businessman.

Further announcements regarding new appointments, strategic partnerships and Eduvolve’s expanded national offering are expected in the coming months.

About Eduvolve

Eduvolve, formerly PC Peripherals, is an Irish technology company with over 30 years of experience providing technology services and solutions to schools and businesses across Ireland. With offices in Dublin and Galway, Eduvolve offers a comprehensive range of services including devices, printers, projectors, interactive panels, WiFi and networking solutions, and dedicated support services. Eduvolve works closely with Education and Training Boards and procurement frameworks nationwide to deliver trusted, reliable technology solutions to the education and business sectors.

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