Stone & Chalk partners with Enterprise Ireland

Stone & Chalk has announced it is partnering with Irish trade and innovation agency Enterprise Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland is seeking a landing pad in both Sydney and Melbourne for Irish fintech companies seeking to enter Australian and Asia–Pacific markets.

S&C was chosen for its market-leading record of generating commercial outcomes between ventures and corporates, and its exceptional network of start-ups, scaleups, mentors, investors and corporate partners, which CEO Alex Scandurra calls a “one-of-a-kind marketplace for supply and demand in fintech innovation”.

“It takes a metaphorical village to raise a fintech, and this type of highly connected and high-quality village is what we offer here at Stone & Chalk. We don’t sell space, we enable success,” said Scandurra.

“For innovation to thrive, we require more than just a room full of computers, a few motivational posters and a common Wi-Fi. We need to bring together all the different parties on either side of the supply/demand model within the one mutually beneficial ecosystem — including from across international borders.

“The partnership with Enterprise Ireland will create a highly valuable bridge between Ireland and Australia. As Stone & Chalk residents, Irish ventures will join our unique marketplace that includes 27 Australian and international corporate partners, and over 650 entrepreneurs working in over 100 start-ups and scaleups. They will gain access to our corporate and government partners, and our mentor and investor communities, who have helped our start-ups and scaleups secure over $320 million to date.”

Enterprise Ireland is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. It’s the third-largest VC in Europe by deal count, investing $37 million into 132 Irish start-ups in 2018 alone, and has a portfolio of 200+ financial services and fintech firms that generated over €1 billion in revenue in 2017.

Australia is also the third-largest market globally for Irish fintech exports after the UK and US, including such success stories as Taxback, Currency Fair, Fexco, Daon, Fineos, Fenergo, Kyckr, Brightflag and Priviti.

“As part of the Global Ireland 2025 initiative, Ireland is expanding our global footprint particularly in the Southern Hemisphere and Asia–Pacific region through increased investment in our international offices, travel connections and building exciting partnerships such as this with Stone & Chalk. I look forward to seeing the great results that will come from Australian and Irish innovators working closely together to shape the future of the fintech industry both here in Australia, back in Ireland and across the globe,” said Ireland’s Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys.

“Cultivating an environment that allows start-ups and entrepreneurs with global ambition to prosper is a key focus of Enterprise Ireland. As one of the world’s largest seed capital investors, we help develop a pipeline of cutting-edge Irish companies and give international partners a gateway to Irish innovation. Our goal is to build successful, long-term business relationships between international companies and Irish partners, creating connections that will accelerate Irish companies’ entry and scale in global markets. We believe partnering with Stone & Chalk will do just that,” said Kevin Sherry, Executive Director of Global Business Development at EI.

Image courtesy of Stone & Chalk.

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