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What do Waxy O’Connor’s, Angels, Northern Ireland, The Bible Code Sundays and VCs have in common? Well on the face of it very little, especially in London and often in a tech investment world that is so wrapped up in itself ….. so cool….. so inner game. But you know what – that is just on the surface, a veneer that belies great people doing wonderful things and very open to new ideas or opportunities. Obviously the Guinness and Irish music helped as usual on the 12th May at the informal gathering at Waxys in London. I had guessed that not only would the group in from Belfast meet interesting people, some they had never heard of before, but my instinct was the London crowd would meet others from London that maybe they had heard of but just never touched on. So it was all right on the night so to speak, real players in the room from named VCs and those Angels you hear about doing sweet deals and of course the Northern Irish extending their hospitality to hear thoughts and stories that start a journey for them. It’s a long game as they say and what is lovely about this one is the people involved from NI and London giving so much of themselves on the night and in the future. Entrepreneurship in NI and the links to the wider world will take time and consistency of contact and engagement to help both sides understand the mutual benefits. So if you are an Angel or VC or feel you should be in the loop keep an ear to the ground or make contact for the next London gathering …. a big clue….. almost certain to be an Irish setting in the West End of London, see you there. (Ironically it might just turnout to be the coolest invite in London)
Mentor & Board Advisor 