Two
Derry-based women founders were honoured by the Acting British Consul General to New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE, and Helena Nolan, Consul General of Ireland in New York on a trade mission to the US.
Mary Blake, founder of SeeMe Ltd. and Lisa McLaughlin, founder of Clúmh, were among 17 women-founder businesses from across the island of Ireland seeking connections and financial asks ranging from $1M to $3M.
Two women founders from Derry were also among the 25 strong delegation on a trade mission last week to the United States led by AwakenHub, Ireland’s only all-island community for women founders, and AwakenAngels, the first women-led all-island investment community, which are headquartered in the city.
It is the third AwakenHub and Awaken Angels St Brigid’s trade mission and previous participants have received six-figure investments in as little as seven weeks following meetings organised as part of the trip.
Participants represent some of the most innovative Irish women-led companies in the Health and Life Sciences, B2B SaaS, Digital Technologies, and Sustainability sectors.
Speaking about her time on the trip, Lisa McLaughlin, said: "What an unforgettable experience representing Clúmh on the US Trade Mission 2025 with the incredible AwakenHub and AwakenAngels team!
"We had the privilege of attending receptions at the private residences and offices of the Irish and British consulates both in Boston and NYC, as well as engaging with key industry leaders at the Bank of Ireland Hub and Underscore VC."
McLaughlin also shared that aside from the events, it was the people who made this journey so special for her and the team. She explained: "We met passionate supporters of female-founded Irish businesses, visionary entrepreneurs, investors and had introductions to inspiring innovators who believe in driving change in advanced materials manufacturing.
"The conversations, insights, and opportunities gained will be invaluable as Clúmh prepares to launch Felture—our groundbreaking fabric created from waste tumble dryer lint. We are now looking forward to exhibiting at Material District Utrecht in March 2025 which is the leading event in the Netherlands for innovative materials in architecture, interior design, construction, and circular design."
Mary Blake CEO and Founder of SeeMe Ltd said: "The AwakenHub US Trade Mission has been an incredible opportunity for SeeMe. Our AI enabled Personal Archive platforms attracted a lot of interest from potential investors and partners and we are taking those conversations forward.
"It is great to see women investing in women instead of goods. I’d urge anyone who can support us as women founders to reach out to AwakenAngels or AwakenHub."
Expressing her support for the AwakenHub/AwakenAngels trade mission, Irish Consul General for New York, Helena Nolan, said: "The Consulate General of Ireland in New York has been very pleased to welcome AwakenHub, and subsequently AwakenAngels, here to NYC, since February 2023, in collaboration with InvestNI and Enterprise Ireland.
"We are delighted to see the organisation grow on the island of Ireland and expand their reach in the US, including in New York, Connecticut and in Boston where they have been hosted by Irish Consul General Sighle Fitzgerald."
Speaking after hosting the women at a reception and pitching event at the British Consulate residence in New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE, said: “These founders are a real inspiration, showcasing the best of a modern Northern Ireland from new solutions for dementia care to tackling leather waste.
"Supporting growth in Northern Ireland is a priority for the UK Consulate, and I hope that these examples of innovation and excellence will reach a wide audience of potential investors here in the US."
Speaking about the mission, Clare McGee, co-founder and CEO of AwakenHub/AwakenAngels said: “The innovation and determination of the women on this mission who have built, and are scaling companies from across Ireland is inspirational.
“The opportunities afforded to our participants by this trade mission will prove to be pivotal to their future success. We all feel extremely privileged to have secured access to vital contacts and investors through the invaluable support of the British and Irish Consulates in Boston and New York.
"It is testament to our impact that the women have invested in themselves by self-funding to join our mission. We are thankful for the support of Invest NI, Bank of Ireland NYC Hub, Irish American Partnership and DFA’s Emigrant Support Programme.
“We are also delighted that well-known organisations such as Underscore VC have also opened their contacts and doors to all our founders. The AwakenHub/AwakenAngels community across our island continues to grow and we are all excited to get back home now and to build further on this success.”
