Building a World-Class Startup Ecosystem

Explore what makes the world’s leading startup ecosystems thrive and what Ireland can learn from them to create an even stronger environment for founders.

Next Edition

September 8, 2026

Applications Close

10 September, 10:00 - 11:30AM
Masterclass Date

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From Idea to Hackathon

Have you ever wanted to run a hackathon but didn’t know where to start?

From choosing the right format and attracting the right participants to designing the experience and making sure everything runs smoothly on the day, this Masterclass will take you through the fundamentals of running a successful hackathon.

Drawing on years of experience delivering hackathons through NDRC, alongside outside expertise from our friends at Give(A)Go, we’ll break down what works, what to consider and how to approach your first hackathon with confidence.

Knowledge You Will Gain

Practical guidance to help you design and deliver a hackathon that works for your audience, your objectives and your team.

What works in Ireland

Explore the conditions that have helped Ireland produce successful technology founders and companies, from talent and investment to networks, infrastructure and international connectivity, and consider how we can build on those strengths.

Where Can We Improve?

Examine the barriers founders still face in Ireland and explore the policy, funding and ecosystem changes that could create a better environment for entrepreneurs to start and scale companies.

Learning From the Best

Look beyond Ireland to understand what successful startup ecosystems around the world are doing differently and identify ideas, approaches and policies that could work here.

An Interactive & Immersive Schedule

This Masterclass will explore how successful startup ecosystems are built and what Ireland can do to strengthen its position as a home for ambitious founders.

1. The State of Ireland’s Startup Ecosystem

Where Ireland stands today
The strengths of the Irish startup and innovation landscape
The conditions that have helped create successful Irish founders
What the data tells us about the ecosystem

2. What Makes a World-Class Ecosystem

The building blocks shared by successful startup economies
The role of talent, capital, policy and infrastructure
Creating the conditions for founders to start and scale
Why some ecosystems consistently produce more high-growth companies

3. Where Ireland Can Improve

The challenges facing founders in Ireland today
Policy and structural barriers to entrepreneurship
Access to funding and support at different stages
Opportunities to strengthen the founder journey

4. Learning From Other Ecosystems

Lessons from leading startup ecosystems internationally
What other countries are doing differently
Ideas and approaches Ireland could adopt
Where Ireland has an opportunity to lead

Course Details

When is it: Thursday 24 September, 10:00 - 11:30AM

Time Commitment: 1.5 hours

Format: Fully virtual session

How to Prepare: Download/update the Zoom desktop app, make sure your video and audio are clear, and have a stable internet connection

Description: What does it take to build a world-class startup ecosystem? This Masterclass will examine the strengths of Ireland’s startup environment, the challenges founders continue to face and the opportunities to make it even stronger. Through data, expert perspectives and lessons from successful startup ecosystems internationally, we’ll explore the conditions that help ambitious founders start, build and scale globally successful companies.