Galway’s Platform94 recently held a UK trade event to boost regional business expansion.
Galway innovation hub Platform94 successfully hosted one of Ireland’s largest UK market-focused trade events recently, drawing representatives from 76 West of Ireland scaling companies.
The ‘Scaling to the UK’ event was designed to strengthen Irish-UK trade relations and provide practical insights for Irish businesses looking to expand into the UK market.
“Scaling companies need to be informed, intentional, and well-connected to succeed”
Sponsored by Flynn O’Driscoll and delivered in partnership with the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Enterprise Ireland UK, and Skillnet Innovation Exchange, the event brought together key UK trade experts, including senior officials from multiple organizations and regional investment leads from Wales, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.
Breaking down barriers to growth
“This event was all about breaking down the real-world barriers to international growth,” said Marie Donnellan, CEO of Platform94.
“The UK is Ireland’s closest trading partner, with a population of over 67 million. But each region has its own ecosystem, buyer expectations, regulatory nuances, and talent landscape. Scaling companies need to be informed, intentional, and well-connected to succeed.”
Platform94 is a regional innovation hub dedicated to supporting businesses across the west and northwest of Ireland in their scaling and international expansion efforts. Through events, resources, and community building, Platform94 aims to strengthen the region’s economic development and business success.
Donnellan added: “Our long-standing relationship with the Department for Business and Trade has been central to making this event possible. Today showed what’s achievable when Irish founders get direct access to the right people, practical insights, and on-the-ground expertise to guide their UK expansion journey.”
Practical insights from successful entrepreneurs
The event featured a panel of Irish founders with proven UK scaling success, including Brian O’Rourke, CEO & Co-Founder of CitySwift. Panelists shared first-hand lessons on winning customers, building UK operations, and adapting to local market expectations.
Topics covered ranged from market readiness and sector-specific opportunities to on-the-ground support available across various UK regions.
The event marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Platform94 and UK government trade entities, highlighting a shared commitment to accelerating high-quality trade between Ireland and the UK.
It is part of Platform94’s wider strategy to support internationally scaling companies through its SCALE by Platform94 community – a fast-growing network of ambitious indigenous companies across the West and Northwest of Ireland.
Main image at top: Brian O’Rourke, CEO of Cityswift, Marie Donnellan, CEO of Platform94 and Martin Pathan, Head of Trade & Investment, Ireland at Department for Business and Trade
-
Bank of Ireland is welcoming new customers every day – funding investments, working capital and expansions across multiple sectors. To learn more, click here
-
For support in challenging times, click here
-
Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. All episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:
-
Spotify
-
SoundCloud
-
Apple
