Venture capital to pick up says firm

IRISH entrepreneurs can look forward to a significant pick-up in investment by venture capitalists this year, according to a leading corporate finance firm.

Goodbody corporate finance director Mark O’Donovan said the quality of start-up technology companies in Ireland was strong and that they were capable of attracting over €100 million in venture capital finance this year.

This would be a 40% increase on last year’s activity and would compare favourably with expected increases in venture capital investment of between 20% and 25% in America and continental Europe.