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Tech, Venture and Cultural Summit

Castlebar, Ireland - October 15/16 2026

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Get to the NASDAQ, via Castlebar

Republic of Work has partnered with West X West (WXW) to find, shortlist, and elevate 32 of Ireland’s highest-calibre early-stage startups. Are you ready to pitch to US Venture Capitalists?

Pitch live at West X West alongside Ireland's most ambitious tech founders. This is your opportunity to connect with US investors, mentors, and enterprise leaders from Ireland, the UK and the US. Four winners will then be selected and flown to New York, to take advantage of Irish Tech Week.

Submission deadline: 4 September 2026

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A man in a suit standing at a clear podium giving a speech on stage, with a large screen behind him displaying his photo and the text "West x West Opening Remarks" and "Alan Dillon." The stage has four empty chairs with water bottles on them, and the background is dark with blue stage lights.

Connecting Founders, Capital, and Culture

At its core, West X West (WXW) is where the creative spirit of the West connects groundbreaking founders with global capital. This October, the summit returns to Castlebar as an expanded, high-energy forum where tech, enterprise, and culture converge.

To mark this year's summit, Republic of Work has joined forces with WXW to run the prestigious WxW Pre-Seed Challenge - a high-stakes launchpad for the next generation of Irish tech giants.

 

We are selecting a shortlist of high-calibre startups to join us. If selected, you won't just showcase your business in Mayo; you will open a direct pipeline to global venture funding, culminating in an exclusive investor pitch trip to New York City.

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Are you Eligible?

The WXW Future Foundry is open to ambitious companies at Pre-Seed stage who are building something with real potential.

You should apply if:

  • Your company was registered in Ireland at least 12 months ago

  • At least one founder per entry can attend and pitch at WXW26 in person on 15–16 October

  • You operate in MedTech, B2B/Software, AI or FinTech

  • Places are curated, not first-come — only 32 founders are selected

  • You can submit both a pitch document and a 90 second summary video

  • Submissions without a document and pitch video attached will not be reviewed

  • ONLY Founders can apply. We will not accept submissions from CFOs/CMOs/BD

Not sure if you qualify? Email info@westxwest.ie before the deadline and we’ll point you in the right direction.

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