Dublin’s first start-up czar is serial tech entrepreneur
Niamh Bushnell was yesterday confirmed as the first Dublin commissioner for start-ups. The role, which is funded by the DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs, will see her work with Dublin City Council and Enterprise Ireland to “maximise the potential of Dublin’s existing business ecosystem which already supports a wide range of tech and innovative start-ups, and acts as a base for many global tech companies”.
Ms Bushnell co-founded her first company, Pan Research, in Dublin in 1996. In 1998, she joined Enterprise Ireland’s New York office as vice president of software where her focus was on assisting Irish technology companies to gain entry and expand their businesses in the US market. In 2004, she moved back into the private sector joining Orbiscom, a Dublin-based payments technology company which was acquired by MasterCard International in 2009. She has also co-founded and run two US-based start-ups, TechResources and Idirus. Most recently, she has acted as entrepreneur in residence at Talent Tech Labs in Manhattan.
The role of commissioner for start-ups was created on the recommendation of the Activating Dublin Initiative spearheaded by Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Dublin City Council. As commissioner, Ms Bushnell will help generate a higher level of start-up activity in the Dublin region and position Dublin as a leading global innovation and tech start-up centre.
Speaking about her new role, she said: “It’s been so exciting to see the Dublin tech scene rise up over the last few years. We have the opportunity to build on the success to date and become one of the great start-up capitals of the world.”
Owen Keegan, chief executive of Dublin City Council said: “We see the Dublin commissioner for start-ups as making an important contribution to the city council’s expanded economic development role. We look forward to working closely with Niamh to improve the services and assistance we offer to start-up businesses.”
Julie Sinnamon, chief executive of Enterprise Ireland said: “Further developing the start-up eco-system and supporting the creation and quality of high-potential start-up companies is core to Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy and the Action Plan for Jobs.”
