What is AwakenHub
Our story ….
Like all worthwhile projects, AwakenHub was brewing for a while. Five friends had talked for 2 years about how to bring together the work we all do to support and amplify women founders.
March 2020 lockdown happened and our conversations were taken up more and more by the need for an all island of Ireland community for women founders. So we put our time and resources where our mouths were and set up AwakenHub in July 2020.
Almost 70 Irish connected women joined us for our 1st event on 6 July 2020 from across the country as well as the US, Paris, Oxford, London, Copenhagen and Munich. They listened to what our speakers had to say about their own entrepreneurial journeys, they asked lots of questions, networked with each other in the breakout rooms and they gave us feedback. They loved the feeling of camaraderie and shared purpose and everyone learned something new along the way.
We knew then we were onto something special and AwakenHub has grown into a community of thousands in 3 years.
We have no agenda other than to change the landscape for women founders and open up the investor community for women across Ireland - North and South and it’s diaspora. We welcome any woman founder or want-to-be founder to join us as well as allies who wish to support us and them. Just sign up to our mailing list below or look at our member options.
We are registered as a Social Enterprise. Any profits are put back into meeting our women led social impact mission. We mould our events and activity around the identified needs of the women in our community from super early stage founders to more established startups looking to scale.
We also manage a private by-invitation only group for women founders - AwakenClub. This is the antithesis to a ‘selling shop’ and is a sacred space to look for advice and support from other members, founders and a carefully curated group of successful women entrepreneurs, investors and company builders. We onboard a small amount of women approximatley once a month and there is a simple application form to make sure this is what you need and is a good fit for the group.
What are you waiting for? Get involved, share knowledge, help each other, network and build confidence. You have nothing to lose other than a bit of inhibition and the feeling like you are doing this on your own.
Any questions just send us a message and one of us will get back to you.
AwakenHub Team
Co-founder
A serial tech entrepreneur and angel investor from Northern Ireland who lives in rural Donegal and cares deeply about helping other women take those first steps.
AwakenHub brings a community aspect to so many strands of the work I’ve been doing solo for years.
Co-founder
A proud Derry girl with 20 years experience supporting and advising businesses to enable growth. Obsessed with paying it forward and finding effective ways of connecting people and opportunities.
AwakenHub excites me as a community passionate about providing practical expertise to empower women and to build their confidence in business, investing and networking.
Co-founder
From Cork, lives in Kinsale and Sussex. 25+ years of leadership roles in strategy, partnerships, innovation, pioneering, communications and socio-economics. Fueled by the power of networks and wanting to do the right thing.
AwakenHub is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to help build something special in the Irish ecosystem to empower women founders at home and abroad.
Co-founder
From Roscommon, lives in Meath. A serial entrepreneur with a background in the arts, education and technology. With a commitment to STEAM, gender equality and social justice via various initiatives and board positions.
AwakenHub brings together a powerful community of women advocating and supporting each other to lead, take charge and change the world.
Co-founder
From Dundalk, now London based. Denise has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, and the US, helping early-stage technology organisations to scale and grow. Always joining the dots between people, process, technology and investment.
With an in-depth knowledge of European early-stage investment and start-up ecosystems AwakenHub allows me to work with Irish, female-led start-ups, helping talented entrepreneurs to secure the backing and support that helps to make their ideas a reality.
Head of Community & Engagement
Born in London, I moved to my family home town in Mayo with my young family. Being AwakenHub’s Head of Community allows me to be part of something very special and witness so much Irish founder talent.
I’m a versatile professional with 20 years experience in project, operational & community management, including diplomatic, social enterprise & start-up space.
AwakenHub Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
AwakenHub is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce and community to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. The organisation - in providing services and/or facilities - is also committed against unlawful discrimination of customers or the public.
Our policy’s purpose is to:
Provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time or full-time.
Not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of: age · disability · gender reassignment · marriage and civil partnership · pregnancy and maternity · race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin) · religion or belief · sex · sexual orientation.
Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in: · pay and benefits · terms and conditions of employment · dealing with grievances and discipline · dismissal · redundancy · leave for parents · requests for flexible working · selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities.