Furthr Foundry Finale 2025: Celebrating Startup Innovation

On Tuesday, May 27th, Furthr Foundry closed out its 12-week pre-accelerator with an unforgettable finale, celebrating the passion and progress of ten outstanding early-stage startups. From bold ideas to refined business plans, each founder showcased just how far they’ve come on the journey to becoming investor-ready.

Over the programme, participants engaged in mentorship, expert-led workshops, and strategic 1:1 sessions—all designed to prepare them for real-world growth and investment.

A Night of Recognition

The standout award for ‘Most Investable Startup’—voted by a panel of seasoned investors after one-on-one meetings—was awarded to RiskCortex, founded by Gautam Hotti and Arun Parekkat. Their pitch and investor interactions highlighted a powerful solution for regulatory compliance in the financial sector, paired with a clear path to market.

But they weren’t the only ones to walk away with honours—this year’s audience vote for 'Best Pitch' ended in a tie, with resounding applause for both RiskCortex and Furry Finders, makers of sleek GPS collars for small pets.

“We’re incredibly honoured to be recognised as the ‘Most Investable’ at the Furthr Foundry Finale. The past 12 weeks have been transformative—refining our vision, connecting with incredible mentors, and building alongside inspiring peers,” said Gautam and Arun of RiskCortex.

Investor Thanks

We’re deeply grateful to the investors who gave their time, insight, and support to the programme and finale. A huge thank you to:

• Mairead Walsh – ACT Venture Capital

• Maurice Roche – Delta Partners

• Keelan Paliani & Peter Leyton – Elkstone Private Partners

• Helen McAuliffe – Enterprise Ireland

• Richard Watson & Caroline Smart – Furthr VC

• Dylan Scully – Frontline Ventures

• Niamh Sterling – HBAN

• Chris Burge – Spark Crowdfunding

• Saurabh Kumar – Sure Valley Ventures

  
  

Their involvement helped founders prepare for the real-world fundraising environment and gave invaluable feedback that will shape these startups as they move forward.

Meet the 2025 Cohort

This year’s cohort brought together a remarkable range of ideas and technologies:

• Risk Cortex – Eliminating the risk of regulatory compliance.

• Xtatiq – Converting complex data into sustainable customer growth strategies.

• Electric Blue Technology – GreenTech company developing hardware and software products for building energy monitoring.

• Furry Finders – Lightweight, stylish GPS collars built for small pets, ensuring safety without compromising style.

• CalmOKids – Next Generation mental health platform helping kids aged 5–12 develop emotional resilience and self regulation, through fun interactive experiences rooted in science.

• Islandbridge – The intelligent interaction layer for enterprise software.

• EchoByld – AI-powered co-pilot that automates construction project scoping, pricing and tendering, generating BoQs, benchmarking bids and flagging risk from day one.

• Solathraí – Digital supply chain automation technology for business that purchase from wholesale suppliers.

• NSights –Purpose built software for financial advisors. Helping navigate rising regulatory demands and evolving client expectations, particularly in the investment and pensions space.

• ScenarioWorX – a intelligent practice platform for SMEs, turning learning into practical, actionable skills using it's Hyper-personalised Soft Skills simulator.

  
  

Each team impressed with their dedication, creativity, and commitment to solving real-world problems.

Looking Ahead

As the 2025 Foundry cohort graduates, they leave with sharpened pitches, powerful networks, and ambitious roadmaps. We couldn’t be prouder of the talent and determination on display—and we’re excited to see what’s next.