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The first 12-week Prep4Seed Programme of 2025 culminated last week at the Investor Pitch Day where seven start-ups pitched to an audience of Angel Investors and VCs.

In the early 1990s, Galway stood on the edge of an economic precipice. The closure of much of the Digital Equipment Corporation plant in 1993 sent shockwaves through the city. Digital had been more than just an employer—it was the beating heart of the local economy. Its closure threatened to rip the soul from a city that had become synonymous with innovation and tech progress. At the time, Galway’s future looked uncertain, even doomed. But history would prove otherwise.

Enterprise Ireland is the government trade and innovation agency that invests in Irish innovative companies through all stages of their growth. Majella Maher, Regional Manager of the Enterprise Ireland West Region Team spoke to the Galway Advertiser about how Enterprise Ireland assists companies in the west of Ireland to reach their full potential and why there is an appetite for industry in the west.

Galway’s tech scene is booming, and PorterShed is leading the charge – fueling innovation, supporting startups, and driving economic growth across the West of Ireland. More than just a coworking space, PorterShed is an innovation hub, offering entrepreneurs, remote workers, and tech leaders the resources, connections, and community they need to thrive.

BY DECLAN VARLEY

One of Ireland’s most successful companies, Chanelle Pharma has been sold by its founder Michael H Burke to Exponent, a leading private equity firm. Headquartered in Loughrea, Chanelle Pharma is Ireland’s largest indigenous manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals for animal and human health. The terms of the sale have not been disclosed.

Startups from Galway are encouraged to apply for Google’s Adopt a Startup Programme which was launched this week — The 12-week programme is designed to support ambitious startups with potential to scale in Ireland and internationally.

Galway and the west of Ireland have become a hotbed for entrepreneurial activity in recent years. In fact, you may not know it but the word “entrepreneur” was coined by an Irishman from the Wild Atlantic Way. Richard Cantillon, born in the coastal town of Ballyheigue, County Kerry, came up with the first known definition of an entrepreneur in the business sense in his French book “Essai”. He defined entrepreneurs as “non-fixed income earners who pay known costs of production but earn uncertain incomes, due to the speculative nature of pandering to an unknown demand for their product”. Would you believe that Cantillon’s definition is from 1730, nearly three hundred years ago? It could have been written just yesterday.

Irish startups from across Mayo are being encouraged to apply for Google’s Adopt a Startup Programme, which this year launches in an exciting new format. The new programme will be eight weeks duration and will focus on Priority Growth Areas, identified by the companies themselves and the Adopt a Startup team in Google, which have a significant impact on a startup’s development and success.

A series of start-up presentations to support Galway’s medical device industry will take place in September.