Irish Small Business Big Impact 50
When it comes to launching a start-up and attracting the funding to fuel fast growth, nowhere compares to Silicon Valley.
That's the view of serial entrepreneur Séamus McAteer who has been there, done that and got the tee-shirt when it comes to tech start-ups in the Bay Area.
This Friday, May 3, 2019, the Dublin native will pick up the Tech Trailblazer award at the Irish Small Business-Big Impact Awards, in Boston.
"Silicon Valley still welcomes the restless, creative, and talented regardless of where they're from," says Seamus who is now general manager with voice intelligence company Otter.ai in San Francisco.
"The most successful Irish entrepreneurs have tapped the seemingly unending stream of venture capital in Bay Area to pursue big ideas in AI - Otter; payments - Stripe; Fintech - Trov and Bitnet; autonomous vehicles - Jason Devitt with Compound Eye; and customer engagement - Intercom."
During almost three decades on the west coast, McAteer has built and sold three companies, the latest datasnap.io. Now, he is part of the team behind Otter, a cutting-edge company transforming how the world organizes voice conversations.
Almost one-third of the 40 companies making up this year's Irish Small Business-Big Impact listings come from the greater Boston area. Among them are The Moynihan Group, Gecko Governance (to be honored as the fastest-growing company), Curtin Home Care and 451 Agency.
Said Sean Moynihan of the Moynihan Group: “Irish business and entrepreneurship have always been a hallmark of Boston’s economic initiatives and success throughout the history of the United States and our relationship with Ireland. It is critical that a continued partnership exists to not only maintain that tradition but to advance it.
"From the hospitality and service industries to high tech and life sciences advances, the Irish American business community has always been on the cutting edge of discovery and advancement. Accordingly, these events are important to recognize that this tradition is alive and well and the future as no bounds.”
Another Bostonian whose business achievements will be lauded at the Seaport Hotel gala dinner is Seán Somers of the city's premier Irish hospitality company, Somers Pubs. However, on this occasion, it's Somer's commitment to tech start-ups in Boston which has earned him the coveted Innovation Ambassador Award.
To see a full list of this year's Irish Small Business-Big Impact Awards' honorees and to vote for your choice of Irish American Company of the Year, go to IrishEcho.com. Leading sponsors of this year's awards is Coisimo Ventures of Boston and the Boston Irish Business Association.
Re-printed with permission from IrishEcho.com
