Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
Subscribe Today!
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Mayo woman who founded Galway-based company praised by UK and Irish Consul Generals
Siobhan Kelleher who founded OnaWave was one of a group of Irish female founders praised for their achievements at an event in New York with AwakenHub/AwakenAngels
Siobhan Kelleher addressing the event in New York.
Reporter:
Edana Flynn
13 Feb 2025 12:00 PM
Siobhan Kelleher who lives in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo and founded OnaWave Medical in Galway is among a group of women founders who have been praised for their achievements by the Acting British Consul General to New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE, and Helena Nolan, Consul General of Ireland in New York.
Siobhan was part of a delegation of women founders from the island of Ireland on a trade mission to the US last week, with both Consul Generals describing the women as "a real inspiration" and “bringinga positive energy and a sense of empowerment, innovation and action.”
Founder of OnaWave medical, Siobhan's company is developing a digital biomarker-based platform and associated wearable solutions that can help identify patients with pelvic conditions such as endometriosis and subfertility.
Her company also aims to support clinical decision-making and enhance the delivery of personalised care for the individual.
Expressing her support for the AwakenHub/AwakenAngels trade mission, Irish Consul General for New York, Helena Nolan, said: "The Consulate General of Ireland in New York has been very pleased to welcome AwakenHub, and subsequently AwakenAngels, here to NYC, since February 2023, in collaboration with InvestNI and Enterprise Ireland.
"We are delighted to see the organisation grow on the island of Ireland and expand their reach in the US, including in New York, Connecticut and in Boston where they have been hosted by Irish Consul General Sighle Fitzgerald."
She continued: "The Awaken team bring a positive energy and a sense of empowerment, innovation and action which we warmly welcome; we wish them continued success and we look forward to seeing them once again in our new Ireland House on February 7.”
Speaking after hosting the women at a reception and pitching event at the British Consulate residence in New York, Melanie Hopkins OBE said: "These founders are a real inspiration, showcasing the best of a modern Northern Ireland from new solutions for dementia care to tackling leather waste.
"Supporting growth in Northern Ireland is a priority for the UK Consulate, and I hope that these examples of innovation and excellence will reach a wide audience of potential investors here in the US."
She concluded: "I'm delighted to once again partner with AwakenHub/AwakenAngels, as well as our friends at the Irish Consulate, to boost trade and innovation across the entire island."
Speaking about the mission, Clare McGee, co-founder and CEO of AwakenHub/AwakenAngels , said: "The innovation and determination of the women on this mission who have built, and are scaling companies from across Ireland is inspirational.
"The opportunities afforded to our participants by this trade mission will prove to be pivotal to their future success. We all feel extremely privileged to have secured access to vital contacts and investors through the invaluable support of the British and Irish Consulates in Boston and New York."
She continued: "It is testament to our impact that the women have invested in themselves by self-funding to join our mission. We are thankful for the support of Invest NI, Bank of Ireland NYC Hub, Irish American Partnership and DFA’s Emigrant Support Programme.
“We are also delighted that well-known organisations such as Underscore VC have also opened their contacts and doors to all our founders. The AwakenHub/AwakenAngels community across our island continues to grow and we are all excited to get back home now and to build further on this success.”
To continue reading this article, please subscribe and support local journalism!
Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.
Subscribe
To continue reading this article for FREE, please kindly register and/or log in.
Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy a paper
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
