StartUp Ballymun presents Innovation in Action 25 June

Different paths. Shared ambition. Founders in conversation at StartUp Ballymun

With the preparations complete, the twelfth edition of StartUp Ballymun takes place on Wednesday 25 June in Ballymun Civic Centre, Dublin 9. This year’s event continues the tradition of supporting and encouraging entrepreneurship across Dublin’s northside and beyond.

StartUp Ballymun returns

Find out more and book your ticket here StartUp Ballymun 2025 .

Funded by Dublin City Council through its Ballymun Area Office, StartUp Ballymun has grown over the years into a valuable platform for entrepreneurs, startups and small business owners. The event is free to attend but pre-booking is essential.

A local event with a clear purpose

The heart of StartUp Ballymun is simple. It exists to give practical encouragement to people who are starting or growing their own businesses. This is not a conference for large companies or serial investors. The event is designed for founders at different stages, early-stage entrepreneurs, self-employed, family businesses, aspiring entrepreneurs and those considering their first steps into enterprise.

It attracts people from Ballymun and the surrounding areas, as well as entrepreneurs from nearby Finglas, Santry, Glasnevin, Blanchardstown and across Dublin. For those who attend, StartUp Ballymun offers access to stories, advice and insights from business owners who have already taken the same journey.

The 2025 theme: Innovation in Action

Every year, the event builds around a theme. For 2025, the focus is on practical innovation. It is not about big theories or abstract ideas but how business owners are adapting to change, responding to challenges, and using new tools to improve what they do.

Fireside conversation: Bobby Healy

Alongside the usual  panel, for the first time StartUp Ballymun will feature a fireside conversation with one of Ireland’s best-known tech entrepreneurs. Bobby Healy, founder and CEO of Manna Drone Delivery, will join us to share his story. Bobby’s work in autonomous drone technology has attracted international attention, but his earlier entrepreneurial journey, including building CarTrawler into a global platform, offers many insights for small business founders.

For the audience, the fireside chat offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who has developed and led truly disruptive businesses, while staying firmly grounded in Irish enterprise.

The speakers: entrepreneurs sharing real experiences

At the centre of the event is the Panel of Entrepreneurs. This year, five Founders will take part, each giving a short talk about their business story. They will share how they started, the challenges they faced, the changes they made, and how they are now using innovation to grow. These are honest accounts of starting and running businesses, including the reality of setbacks and the constant process of adapting.

The confirmed speakers this year include Edezima Onilanle of Mamashee, Kevin Murphy of 2GoCup , Sinéad Ryan from Little Fitness, Lucie Cunningham of The Homeshare and Eileen McHugh of Hair Together. Each of these businesses is actively trading and delivering services, employing staff, serving customers and responding to changing markets.

Supported by local partners and agencies

Dince 2016 StartUp Ballymun has been organised by Billy Linehan of Celtar Advisers and Liam Barry of Dublin City Council on behalf of the Ballymun Area Office of Dublin City Council. Dublin’s longest running start-up event receives strong support from many local agencies and networks who promote entrepreneurship in the area.

Each year, agencies such as LEO Dublin City, Enterprise Ireland and other partners assist with promoting the event and encouraging participation. The collective support ensures that StartUp Ballymun remains open, inclusive and free to attend.

An open invitation to join us

If you are a business owner, a founder, or someone simply curious about starting a business, StartUp Ballymun offers a friendly and informal way to hear from people who have done it. There are no sales pitches, no experts delivering theory, just business owners talking honestly about what worked for them, and what did not.

The event takes place on Wednesday 25 June 2025, starting at 4pm in Ballymun Civic Centre. Admission is free, but places are limited and booking is required through Eventbrite.

See more breaking stories here.