Maoiliosa O'Culachain, CEO, Furthr. Image: Furthr
Maoiliosa O’Culachain has had a varied career, starting out in the army before qualifying as a barrister and then going into business.
Furthr, an Irish organisation that provides a range of services to help businesses grow, has today (6 March) named Maoiliosa O’Culachain as its new CEO.
Furthr was formerly known as Dublin BIC, and it includes Dublin’s Guinness Enterprise Centre, The Innovation Exchange, Creative Skillnet and a venture capital branch called Furthr VC.
O’Culachain succeeds Michael Culligan as CEO. He will oversee the running of all of the different branches of Furthr, which works closely with Enterprise Ireland.
In 2023, Furthr aims to help 1,500 founders accelerate their businesses, secure investment and make connections. Some of the Irish success stories it has aided already include NewsWhip, LearnUpon, Zipp Mobility and HealthBeacon.
Commenting on his appointment, O’Culachain said that he was thrilled to have been selected by the Furthr board.
“My aim is to create an environment where Ireland’s most innovative minds are supported and encouraged to meet the needs of emerging and growing global markets,” he said, describing Furthr as “a great success story.”
“Success breeds success, but the next generation of start-ups will look nothing like what we have seen before. My focus will therefore be on ensuring that Irish start-ups are competing in all the right areas and have access to the best supports, including funding.”
He said he was motivated by the vision of Ireland “as a real hotbed for innovation and businesses driven by a growth mindset”.
O’Culachain has had a varied career. He spent time as an Irish army officer, leading a platoon on a six-month tour of duty with the United Nations in Lebanon. He also qualified as a barrister in the UK.
He became an entrepreneur and is the co-founder of Global Shares. He has experience in corporate transactions and scaling businesses. He previously worked with Nasdaq Private Market as a European business development director and as Ireland market adviser. He also managed the Eircom employee share ownership plan and was a consultant with PwC.
“Having been an entrepreneur, investor, board member and mentor, I believe that I can make a real impact – with my founder mindset shaping how we deliver as an organisation,” he said of his new role at Furthr.”
His predecessor in the role of CEO, Michael Culligan, is stepping down after seven years at the helm of Furthr.
Culligan was thanked for his contribution to the organisation by Furthr’s chairperson Clive Brownlee.
10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.
