Louth businesswoman, Orla McDonnell from Dundalk, cofounder of With Everly, is among a group of women founders who have been praised for their achievements by the Acting British Consul General to New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE, and Helena Nolan, Consul General of Ireland in New York.
Orla was part of a delegation of women founders from the island of Ireland on a trade mission to the US last week, with both Consul Generals describing the women as "a real inspiration" and “bringing a positive energy and a sense of empowerment, innovation and action.”
Orla is cofounder of With Everly with Laura Downes. Their company is a life event planning platform with built in financial tools designed to revolutionise how people celebrate significant life events and milestones and offering seamless gifting experiences with key retail partners.
Expressing her support for Orla McDonnell and the other women founders on 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. The Awaken team bring a positive energy and a sense of empowerment, innovation and action which we warmly welcome; we wish them continued success and we look forward to seeing them once again in our new Ireland House on 7 February.”
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. I'm delighted to once again partner with AwakenHub/AwakenAngels, as well as our friends at the Irish Consulate, to boost trade and innovation across the entire island.”
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 US market provides a great opportunity for Irish women founders to make important connections that can lead to investment, this has the potential to drive substantial economic growth across the island of Ireland and to attract vital inward investment to our shores and our trade mission has proven that in spades.
“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.”
Across the week delegates participated in a range of meetings and events in Boston and NYC including a reception in the residence of the British Consul General for New England, David Clay, MBE, which was attended by Joseph Kennedy III, former US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, and a range of other investors, VCs and potential channel partners. The founders were also guests of Síghle FitzGerald, Consul General of Ireland to Boston at a private reception and lunch in the Irish Consulate.
Before leaving Boston, the women founders pitched to invited guests at a series of events hosted by Underscore VC and Invest Northern Ireland. Guests at the events had the opportunity to learn more about the fundamentals of, and the opportunities to back women-led ventures from Ireland in a masterclass on angel investing.
The business owners finished off the week with more pitch opportunities, one-to-one meetings and networking events and a final Angel Investment masterclass in New York, hosted by Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub. Before coming home the delegation joined 250 Irish diaspora at the Irish Consulate’s popular First Friday event in New York.
