US Consulate in Belfast hosts AwakenHub following successful US Trade Mission

Pictured at a private lunch at the residence of the US Consul General for the women founders who have just returned from the successful AwakenHub and AwakenAngels trade mission to the U.S, are:
L to R: Alison Currie, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Intertrade Ireland; Michelle Connolly, Founder, Educational Voice; Brenda Vanhorn, Commercial Counselor, U.S. Department of Commerce; James Applegate US Consul General to Belfast; Clare McGee, Cofounder and CEO of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels; Frances Duffy, Founder, 6D-Dementia; Angela Wilson, Founder, Silver Apples Digital, Belfast; and Dori Winter, Political Economic Chief, U.S. Consulate, Belfast.   

Women founders from Northern Ireland who took part in the successful AwakenHub and AwakenAngels trade mission to Boston and New York last week were today welcomed to the residence of the U.S. Consul General in Belfast, James Applegate, for a lunch event and follow-up discussion on the visit. The group was joined by Brenda Vanhorn, Commercial Counselor, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, who outlined the follow-up support now available to the founders as they continue to scale their companies and make plans to enter the American market.  

AwakenHub is the only all-island community for women founders across Ireland, and AwakenAngels, the first women-led all-island investment community. Last week's trade mission aimed to bolster investment in 17 women-founder businesses from across the island of Ireland with financial asks ranging from $1M to $3M. The stateside visit was the third AwakenHub and Awaken Angels St Brigid’s trade mission, with previous participants have received six-figure investments in as little as seven weeks following meetings organised as part of the trip.

Speaking after the discussion with the U.S. Consulate today, Clare McGee, cofounder and CEO of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, said:

“Having just returned from being part of a successful trade mission featuring 17 women-founded businesses to the US, our founders today reinforced that whatever the results of the high-level and evolving tariff discussions currently taking place, it is vital businesses on the ground here continue to be provided with opportunities to keep pushing forward and to foster vital connections in the US.

“We are very appreciative of the support offered by James Applegate and Brenda Vanhorn today because as demonstrated by the women-led companies on our trade mission, having the opportunity to connect face-to-face and to build relationships is vital in enabling founders to grow their businesses and play a vital role in securing economic growth across this island. We must continue to build on the strong linkages and relationships between this island and the US to ensure our businesses, particularly those led by women, remain competitive on the global stage.

“This week AwakenAngels is also continuing to create its own opportunities for both investors and companies by hosting Symvan Capital, an award-winning EIS & SEIS technology venture capital fund based in the UK, at Ulster Bank. This is part of AwakenAngels ongoing work to shape the future of the startup ecosystem across this island and to encourage women to see angel investing as a new asset class for them, with investments in our syndicate open from £2K. I would urge anyone who has in interest in exploring angel investing to get in touch with us at AwakenAngels.”