Ireland's startup calendar is busiest in November, when Dublin hosts an EU flagship SME event, the national startup, AI and tech awards and the Fintech Ireland Summit. Galway and Cork have dated events too. In 2027 the big date is Dublin Tech Summit in May.
This guide lists startup, tech, investor and women-founder events in Ireland from November 2026 to the end of 2027. We checked every date on the organiser's own website. Where a date isn't published yet, we say so, and we mark each event as Confirmed (date on the official site), Announced (date from a reliable second source) or Expected (based on past editions only). Events in Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland are in our guide to startup events in the UK.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
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Best Startup Events in Ireland 2026–2027: Calendar from November 2026 to May 2027
November 2026
SME & Clusters Assembly, Dublin: 2–4 November 2026
For the first time the European Commission runs the SME Assembly and the European Cluster Conference as one event. Expect policy debates, partnering sessions and the European enterprise awards; it is a good place to meet cluster managers from other EU countries.
ISBE 2026, Cork: 5–6 November 2026
An academic conference run by the UK-based Institute for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, this year in Cork. It suits founders who work with universities or build products for small businesses more than founders looking for investors.
AI Awards, Dublin: 17 November 2026
Run by AI Ireland. Even if you didn't enter, a ticket puts you in a room with much of Ireland's AI community.
National Startup Awards and Technology Ireland Awards, Dublin: 19–20 November 2026
Running since 2012. Shortlisted startups pitch to the judges in Dublin on 3–4 November, and the Female Founder Startup award celebrates women-led Irish startups. Note the entry window for 2027: the 2026 entries closed in October.
Run by Technology Ireland, part of Ibec. The gala evening gathers Ireland's established tech companies, so it is a place to meet future customers and partners rather than investors.
Galway: AI hackathon on 21 November 2026
PorterShed is Galway's tech hub, and its events page is the best place to follow the west of Ireland. It also hosts a founder evening, Startup Wake with Paul Hayes, on 12 November at 18:00.
Fintech Ireland Summit, Dublin: 26 November 2026
Run by Investnet and Fintech Ireland. Previous editions sold out, so book early if you sell to banks or payment companies. In the same month, Global Entrepreneurship Week runs on 16–22 November; GEN Ireland has not published an Irish programme yet.
December 2026 and January 2027
THE €10K PITCH, Galway: 3 December 2026
PorterShed lists this pitch on its events page; the rules and how to apply are not published yet. Check the page in November.
ADVANCE, the EIC conference at UCD: 8–9 December 2026
Organised by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with the EIC and Enterprise Ireland. If you plan to apply to the EIC Accelerator, this is a chance to hear how the EU wants to fund deep tech. In January, the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition returns to the RDS on 6–9 January 2027, according to The Irish Times; it is a student fair, but many Irish founders started there.
Spring 2027: Dublin Tech Summit
Dublin Tech Summit: 26–27 May 2027
The main yearly tech conference in Ireland. Startups can apply to exhibit or attend as a startup, and calls to speak are open. The early bird price is the cheapest way in, so buy before it ends.
Summer and autumn 2027
No Irish startup event for the second half of 2027 has an exact date yet. Dublin Maker says it returns in summer 2027. Autumn is usually busy: Dublin AI Week and National Women's Enterprise Day in October, then the AI Awards, the National Startup Awards, the Technology Ireland Awards and the Fintech Ireland Summit in November.
Dates not announced yet
- Local Enterprise Week, nationwide: the 31 Local Enterprise Offices run mostly free events for small businesses; the 2026 week was 2–6 March. Its Dublin flagship, Pitch Perfect (six start-ups pitch at TU Dublin), was on 5 March 2026. Expected in early March 2027. localenterprise.ie
- Scale Ireland Regional Start-up Summit: the fifth edition was on 13 February 2026 in Cork. Expected in early 2027.
- TechFest, Cork: the Tech Industry Alliance's conference was on 21 May 2026 at the Rochestown Park Hotel. Expected in May 2027.
- National Enterprise Awards, Dublin: the Local Enterprise Offices' awards were on 18 June 2026 at the Mansion House. Expected in June 2027.
- Dublin Maker: a free festival for makers and hardware projects (22–23 August 2026); the organisers say it returns in summer 2027. dublinmaker.ie
- Network Ireland National Conference and Businesswoman of the Year Awards: held on 18 September 2026 in Galway. Expected in September 2027. networkireland.ie
- Dublin AI Week: about 35 venues across Dublin on 2–9 October 2026, with a hackathon for a €100,000 pre-seed prize. Expected in October 2027. dublinaiweek.com
- AxisBIC Entrepreneur Experience, Co. Cork: a retreat for selected founders, held every October at Ballymaloe House (16–17 October 2026). Expected in October 2027. axisbic.com
Past events and events that moved
- SaaStock Europe: its last Dublin edition was in October 2025. The European flagship is now in London. saastock.com
- Futura Innovation Conference, Limerick (19–21 October 2026, first edition), Dublin AI Week (2–9 October) and National Women's Enterprise Day (15 October) have just taken place.
- Future Human (no edition since 2022) and Inspirefest (last held in 2019) appear to have ended, and Enterprise Ireland's Big Ideas showcase has no current edition.
- New names: Dublin BIC is now Furthr, CorkBIC is now AxisBIC, and the BT Young Scientist exhibition is now the Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
Recurring meetups and communities
- PorterShed, Galway: founder talks, hackathons and pitches through the year. portershed.com
- SaaStock Local Dublin: meetups for SaaS founders, most recently on bootstrapping (March 2026). saastock.com/local/dublin
- NDRC: pre-accelerator and accelerator cohorts for early-stage startups. ndrc.ie
- Local Enterprise Offices: Start Your Own Business courses and county Women in Business networks all year. localenterprise.ie
- Network Ireland: branch events across the country and a monthly online meetup. networkireland.ie
- Inactive or quiet: Startup Grind Dublin and Limerick list only past events, and Founder Institute now runs Ireland together with London.
Events for women founders in Ireland
We found these programmes, awards and communities for women founders:
- Going for Growth: a peer programme for women entrepreneurs. The next cycle runs from January to June 2027, and applications close on 27 November 2026. goingforgrowth.com
- National Startup Awards: the Female Founder Startup category, with the ceremony on 19 November 2026 at Dublin City Hall.
- National Women's Enterprise Day: low-cost events run by each Local Enterprise Office every October; the 2026 day was 15 October.
- Network Ireland: the main national network for women in business, with branch events and a yearly conference. networkireland.ie
- She Loves Data: free and low-cost data and AI training for women; its AI Advantage programme runs online this autumn. shelovesdata.com
- AwakenHub and AwakenAngels: an all-island community for women founders, based in Derry, across the border; online pitch evenings and community events run monthly. awakenhub.com
For money, read our guide to funding for female entrepreneurs. If you organise an event for women founders in Ireland, send it to us and we'll add it.
Funding and support to know before you go
- Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP): an immigration route for non-EEA founders with an innovative business idea. You need €50,000 in funding, and the application fee is €350. Irish Immigration Service
- Enterprise Ireland Pre-Seed Start Fund: an investment of €50,000 or €100,000 plus ten mentoring sessions for early-stage startups. Enterprise Ireland
- Local Enterprise Office grants: a Priming Grant for micro-enterprises in their first 18 months covers up to 50% of the investment, up to €80,000 (€150,000 in some cases), and a Feasibility Grant covers 50–60% up to €15,000. Ask your own county LEO. localenterprise.ie
- R&D tax credit: 30% of qualifying R&D spending for accounting periods starting on or after 1 January 2024. Revenue
- Compare other countries in our guide to startup visas in Europe.
How to get the most out of Ireland startup events
- Plan around November. The SME & Clusters Assembly, the AI Awards, the National Startup Awards, the Technology Ireland Awards and the Fintech Ireland Summit all fall within four weeks.
- Look beyond Dublin. PorterShed in Galway runs hackathons and pitches, and Cork hosts ISBE this year and TechFest each May.
- Use your Local Enterprise Office. LEO events are mostly free, and Local Enterprise Week in March is the easiest way to meet local advisers and lenders.
- Enter awards early. The National Startup Awards and the AI Awards close their entries months before the ceremonies. See more startup competitions.
- Buy early bird tickets. Dublin Tech Summit's early bird rate is about 40% below its full price.
List your event in this guide
Do you run a startup, tech or investor event in Ireland? Send us the name, dates, venue and official link, and we'll check whether it fits this guide. We list events for founders, with a real date and an official page.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
🔗 Add an awesome event
Startup events in other countries
FAQ
What are the biggest startup events in Ireland?
Dublin Tech Summit (26–27 May 2027, RDS) is the largest tech conference. In November 2026, the National Startup Awards (19 November) and the Fintech Ireland Summit (26 November) are the main dates in Dublin.
Are there startup events outside Dublin?
Yes. PorterShed in Galway hosts an AI hackathon (21 November 2026) and THE €10K PITCH (3 December 2026), and Cork hosts the ISBE conference (5–6 November 2026).
Where can I pitch my startup in Ireland?
At THE €10K PITCH in Galway, at the National Startup Awards (entries open each autumn), at Pitch Perfect during Local Enterprise Week in March, and through Dublin Tech Summit's startup options.
Are there events for women founders in Ireland?
Yes: the Going for Growth programme (apply by 27 November 2026), the Female Founder Startup award at the National Startup Awards, National Women's Enterprise Day each October, and Network Ireland events.
Are there free startup events in Ireland?
Local Enterprise Week events are mostly free, Dublin Maker is free, and the SME & Clusters Assembly streams its key sessions online on 3–4 November 2026.
Can foreign founders start a company in Ireland?
Yes. Non-EEA founders can apply for the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) with €50,000 in funding. Read more in our guide to startup visas in Europe.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
