From Leitrim to Lisbon: Carrick entrepreneur flies county flag at global tech summit

A business idea born in Carrick-on-Shannon has taken local entrepreneur Alex Hanly to one of the world's biggest technology gatherings, where his fledgling company DoneNow was selected to showcase its services alongside emerging startups from across Ireland.

Alex, who launched DoneNow just a few months ago, travelled to Lisbon this week after securing a place on the ALPHA startup programme at Web Summit 2026.

The international technology event, which ran from November 9 to 12, attracted 70,003 attendees from 164 countries, with thousands of startups hoping to make connections, attract investment and bring their ideas to a wider audience.

For Alex, who is from Cortober in Carrick-on-Shannon, it was a considerable step from launching his own business at home to promoting it on an international stage.

His company, DoneNow, is an online platform designed to connect people who need everyday jobs completed with workers in their local area who are available to take them on.

Whether it is cutting a lawn, moving furniture, cleaning a house or carrying out small repairs, customers can post a job and a proposed price, with nearby workers then able to offer their services.

The platform uses a map-based system to help people find local workers, while payments are processed through Stripe and held until the customer confirms the job has been completed.

Having launched the business in late August, Alex was delighted to be selected for the Web Summit programme so early in his entrepreneurial journey.

"What brought me to Lisbon was acceptance into the Alpha Irish Startup Programme alongside 35 other Irish startups," he explained.

"This was a real honour because places were limited. As such a new company I regard this as great progress so early on to be able to represent Ireland and my county."

Web Summit's Irish Startup Network was established to bring 36 Irish startups to the event, giving participating businesses an opportunity to exhibit, meet potential customers and build connections with other companies.

And while he had already put considerable work into developing and launching his business, the scale of the Lisbon event was unlike anything he had experienced before.

"My experience at Web Summit was great. Coming from a small town in Leitrim and not being used to the footfall that was there, it was a real eye-opener," he said.

"Many new connections and opportunities were created, and I came home with wonderful ideas and inspiration."

The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, technology companies and business leaders from around the world, with 115 Irish startups among those attending this year's summit.

For Alex, the opportunity to meet other Irish business owners was one of the most rewarding aspects of the trip.

"Meeting the other businesses representing Ireland offered me a great sense of camaraderie," he said.

"In Lisbon I got the opportunity to showcase what DoneNow is and how the service can benefit both workers and customers locally and internationally."

He also used the opportunity to make new contacts and exchange ideas with people working across different areas of technology.

"I also got the chance to create new connections and network with fellow businesses, business owners, and general attendees," he added.

Among the attractions at this year's Web Summit were demonstrations of emerging technologies, including humanoid robots, which particularly caught Alex's attention.

"Some of the highlights were seeing all the new technology and ideas people were creating. There were humanoid robots, something you don't see in Leitrim every day," he joked.

"The sense of community there, even without knowing anyone by name, was great – everyone came together with the same goal of success in mind."

The trip was also something of a family affair, with Alex joined in Lisbon by his mother Áine and girlfriend Sorcha, who helped him promote DoneNow and meet visitors to the stand.

"My mum Áine and my girlfriend Sorcha joined me; they were great moral support and helped me promote the brand," he said.

There was even a familiar touch of home when the Portuguese capital experienced wet and stormy conditions during the visit.

"We also brought the Leitrim weather over with us. It was very wet in Lisbon with a storm and an orange weather warning, but this was nothing new to me as I'm so used to the weather in Ireland," Alex joked.

The trip marks another milestone in what has been a busy few months for the young entrepreneur.

The 25-year-old previously told the Leitrim Observer that the idea for DoneNow came to him while studying at the National College of Ireland in Dublin.

Looking for ways to earn some extra money at weekends, he found himself searching social media groups and online forums for people who might need small jobs carried out.

He quickly realised there was an opportunity to create a simpler way of bringing customers and available workers together.

Rather than leaving the idea on paper, Alex approached Leitrim's Local Enterprise Office for advice and attended workshops to help him develop the concept.

He then taught himself how to create an early working prototype before working with developers to turn the idea into a functioning platform.

By early September, just days after its launch, more than 200 people had signed up to the service.

DoneNow is now available across Ireland, with customers able to advertise jobs and workers able to offer their services in their local area.

The website also includes worker profiles, ratings and reviews, while customers can communicate with workers through the platform before confirming arrangements.

For Alex, the Lisbon experience has provided fresh inspiration as he looks to build awareness of DoneNow and continue developing the business.

Further information about DoneNow is available at www.donenow.ie.