Five female-founded firms chosen for new scale-up scheme

Anne Heraty, Endeavor Ireland board member, Sandra Healy of inclusio, Chupi Sweetman of Chupi (seated), Claire McHugh of Axonista; Áine Kilkenny and Fiona Parfrey of Riley and Anna Hickey of Philip Lee. Photo: Naoise Culhane

Sarah Collins

February 02 2023 02:30 AM

Cult jewellery brand Chupi, diversity platform inclusio and sustainable period care company Riley are among five female-founded firms chosen for a new scale-up scheme.

They will be joined by pharmaceutical firm Orphan Drug Consulting and video commerce business Axonista in the new five-month programme, run by startup backers Endeavor Ireland and corporate and commercial law firm Philip Lee.

It offers the companies 10 one-on-one mentorships over the next five months, including with Anne Heraty, co-founder of recruitment giant CPL, which was recently sold to a Japanese firm and taken private.

Eleven business people, including Katie and Philip McGlade of Thérapie Clinic, have been selected for a separate entrepreneur programme.

“When entrepreneurs are asked what had the biggest impact on them as they build their business, two of the most common responses are having access to quality mentors and a network of trust,” said Rory Guinan, managing director of Endeavor Ireland.

“That is what we will provide in this programme through our global network and our hope is that it will help the founders to build on the significant success that they’ve already achieved.”

Claire McHugh, chief executive of Axonista, said her company’s ambition was to “scale quickly” and make video commerce – essentially, livestreaming for online shoppers – “accessible to brands across the globe”.

Chupi Sweetman, chief executive at Chupi Fine Jewellery, said she was “excited” about the programme, which she said would be “a huge support as we continue growing Chupi globally”.

Sandra Healy, CEO at the science-based diversity and inclusion platform inclusio, said she was looking forward to building her network.

Evelyn Kelly, chief executive at Orphan Drug Consulting, said her firm also had “ambitious plans for growth” and aimed to increase sales threefold in the next five years.

Fiona Parfrey who, along with Aine Kilkenny and Lauren Duggan, co-founded Riley, the sustainable period care company, said her company was “ambitious” to scale internationally.

"This programme has come along at exactly the right time for us,” she said.