MASV.com

I’ve spent a lot of my career thinking about how to make customer experience beautiful. How we listen more, respond faster, and connect more meaningfully. That’s why I recently said yes to joining the board of Momntum. What Brian, Pat, Keith, and Kieran are building isn’t a smarter chatbot. It’s a complete rethinking of what customer support can be. One that’s emotionally intelligent, scalable, and built around how people actually engage today. It reminds me a little of where Voxpro started, with big ambitions, a great team, and a belief that if you put people first, the rest follows. I know how rare that clarity is in the early days. I’m excited to help however I can because I believe in what they’re doing. It’s a chance to back a team that’s genuinely trying to change something that’s long overdue a major shake-up. More here: https://lnkd.in/eTYarMEx via Ciara O'Brien in The Irish Times

🚀 Another milestone for Momntum! Business Post just wrote about our news that Dan Kiely, who grew Voxpro from a Cork start-up into a 7,000-person global CX leader, is joining our board. Dan's experience will be invaluable as we re-imagine customer service from the ground up. Why this is so important to us: • Vision validation – Dan “completely understands where we’re going… we’re here to re-imagine CX, not bolt another layer on top.”  • Real-world traction – Laila already resolves 85 % of conversations autonomously in 700+ languages and growing! • Fuel for scale – Backed by SVV (Sure Valley Ventures) and Act Venture Capital, we're growing faster than ever! Huge thanks to Emma Hanrahan for the great write-up and to everyone cheering us on. The momentum (pun intended) keeps building! 🚀 https://lnkd.in/ehAq2AKb #AI #CustomerExperience #IrishTech #Startups #ScaleUp

Not every investment is just about the numbers. Some are about people, and backing those you believe in. Linda and I met Dan Fox when Johnson Hana was little more than a big idea and a brave ambition. He was sharp, relentless, and, more importantly, grounded in the kind of values I deeply respect. He was also willing to ask for help, which takes more strength than most people realise. Like any founder, I’ve made my share of mistakes. I’ve also had the privilege of learning from some great ones. If sharing those lessons helped even a little on his journey, then I’m grateful for the opportunity. The news over the last couple of weeks is a credit to Dan, his team, and their belief in doing things differently. It’s a story I’m proud to have been a small part of. Well done Dan. You earned every inch of this! https://lnkd.in/eYC_GXpy via Business Insider Melia Russell

Business Insider has formally broken the good news: Johnson Hana Hana has been acquired by Eudia — a groundbreaking generative AI firm based in Silicon Valley backed by some of the world’s greatest VCs like Floodgate and General Catalyst This moment marks more than just a milestone for our business. It’s the convergence of two powerful ideas: that the legal market must change, and that people and technology — together — can drive that change in a way that benefits everyone in the system. Disrupting legal services has never been just about technology. Nor has it ever been only about service innovation. It has always been about what happens when both are brought together under one mission — a mission that goes beyond profit. A mission that puts people first.That empowers lawyers and legal professionals to work flexibly and sustainably.That uses technology to augment human brilliance — not replace it. That’s what this combination represents. And that’s why I’m so proud of what comes next. I’m deeply grateful to our extraordinary team at HQ and our global legal professionals, to our bold and brilliant clients, and to the early believers who have been with us from day one who helped shape the company from its earliest days. And to our champion investors — Dan Kiely and Linda Green-Kiely ,Tom Hickey , AIB (Alan Mahon Finlay McFadyen Cathy Bryce), Enterprise Ireland ( Jenny Melia Leo Clancy Michael Hayden ) , and friends/mentors like John Purdy and our Chair Gareth Lambe and so many others who backed us when it was just an idea hatched in a coastal coffee shop - Alexander Fox thank you for the patience And tenacity. I’m also incredibly excited to work together with the visionaries who stand behind Eudia. Ashish Agrawal , David Van Reyk and Omar Haroun are remarkable business people who have already made a major dent in their own fields. Being part of this journey with talent like this — and the team they’re building, and the energy that surrounds it — is a genuine privilege. But in truth, this is not the end of a journey — it’s the beginning of one. We’ve already taken a massive bite out of the Irish legal market, disrupted it for the better, and made huge international strides along the way. Now, as one combined force, we are going to fundamentally reshape how legal services are delivered — globally. This is a category-defining moment. A model that the market has never seen before. And we’re just getting started. To the next step. Dan Caroline Kelly Barry Doyle Alexander Fox Aaron Doyle Sinead M. Lee Morrissey Riona McHale Emer O'Hora Annelie Walsh Laura Butler Alan Daly Carol Browne Caroline Goulding Gerard Brady Vedant Suri Arjun Chopra Deirdre Coleman Grainne McLaughlin https://lnkd.in/ekFF_hKs

I’m really thrilled to see the news that Johnson Hana, a company I proudly backed as its first investor, has been acquired! From the very beginning, I believed in Dan Fox and his vision to reshape legal services—and today’s deal validates the incredible journey he has been on. Massive congratulations to Dan Fox and the entire Johnson Hana team on reaching this fantastic milestone. It’s been an exciting ride, and I’m delighted to see your hard work pay off. (Looks like news travels fast!) https://lnkd.in/eDmEu9rg Onwards and upwards! 🚀 #JohnsonHana #Exit #IrishTech

What does it take to scale a Dublin AI startup into a Silicon Valley-backed company serving 50+ global clients? For Solidroad, it started with a bold leap into Y Combinator — and led to an $8 million funding round, a shift from Zoom calls to in-person customer visits, and a mindset transformation from “solid business” to “Solidroad Tower”. Co-founder Patrick Finlay opens up about the role of family influence, the value of proximity in San Francisco’s startup ecosystem, and how face-to-face customer time reshaped their growth path. Read more here - https://lnkd.in/eKDShm4S

We are excited to share that Solidroad has raised $6.5 million in Seed funding led by First Round Capital and participation from Y Combinator and some amazing business angels. Solidroad exists to raise the quality bar for every customer interaction. Our AI QA & training platform helps scaling CX teams increase CSAT without increasing cost. We review 100% of customer conversations to constantly improve every interaction, generating individualized training simulations for human reps and refinement recommendations for AI agents. This is a very exciting milestone for us. I want to take the opportunity to thank our early employees, investors, and customers who have trusted us to date. We are only getting started! We have also used this opportunity to go live with our new brand and website. We are shipping fast and growing our team in San Francisco. Read more about our journey and what this funding means in the article that Patrick Finlay and I wrote, which you can find in the comments.

371 days 1 new baby (Louis!) 1 amalgamation A new 3 year strategy A new brand and brand identity 2,000 new students (our biggest ever intake) A €14m investment plan approved by Council for digital transformation 4 new member conferrings 3 Jubilee conferrings 1 FCA conferring 7 Universities visited and my old secondary school! 8 running events with members incl. 5 parkrun 6 countries visited 🇺🇸🇦🇺🇧🇪🇫🇷🇬🇧🇦🇪 2 new international chapters re-launched 1 new International MRA signed CPA Australia 4 international Accounting Bodies visited + IFAC+ Accountancy Europe And of course, the thousands of members of Chartered Accountants Ireland I have met or spoken to throughout the year as President. It really has been thousands which has been incredibly rewarding. Thank you to each and everyone of you for taking the time to say hello, to listen or to provide some feedback. To all of the team in the Institute, the year would not have been what it was without your support, encouragement and hard work - we as members are so lucky to have such an incredible team. I could call out everyone but a particular mention to Institute Secretary Heather Briers FCA for your unwavering dedication to our Institute and your invaluable support to me this past year. To Stephen Molloy who I’m sure will be relieved that I will (likely!) stop pestering him, to Jill Farrelly MPRII and Amy Dawson for making me sound far more intelligent than I actually am and to Kate Jameson for ensuring I was actually where I needed to be!! But also to Eamonn Siggins, Cróna Clohisey, Brendan O'Hora, Gillian Duffy, Arlene Gibbs, Linda McGee, Karin Lanigan, Zara Duffy, Orla Hyland, MSc, MII, and Ian Finn. Thank you too, to my fellow Council members and in particular the Officer group of Pamela McCreedy FCA and Joan Curry, FCA as well as Henehan Clodagh. Good luck to Pamela in the year ahead and congratulations to Niall Walsh on his nomination as VP. To Sinead Donovan, thank you so much for everything, I have taken so much of your time, your advice throughout the year has been invaluable and always spot on. To Barry Dempsey, your leadership has been invaluable these past 8 years. I wish you well in your next endeavor. And to Rosemary Keogh, I am looking forward to working with you in the year ahead. A huge thank you to the team at MASV.com and in particular Dan Kiely and Linda Green-Kiely. This year would not have been possible without your support and encouragement. Thanks to David McCadden and Brendan Binchy for being there in the background! And finally, the biggest thanks of all goes to my wife Aisling Doyle who has single handedly kept the family show on the road this past year and been an incredible support. Since I became President, we finished a house renovation and welcomed our son Louis - it has been full on! And as much as our daughter Sofia would like to keep the President’s chain, it’s definitely time to pass it on to Pamela McCready. It has been an honour, thank you.

As Barry Doyle concludes his term this Friday as the youngest-ever President of Chartered Accountants Ireland (aka Boss Baby, hat-tip Sinead Donovan) we want to take a moment to celebrate an extraordinary year of impact, innovation, and bold leadership. Throughout his presidency, Barry has steered the Institute with remarkable foresight—championing vital conversations on AI ethics, private equity, and the evolving future of the profession. His vision has not only elevated Chartered Accountants Ireland but has inspired a new generation of finance professionals. At MASV.com we’re especially proud to have Barry as our Investment Director. His strategic acumen, integrity, and relentless drive continue to shape our journey and push us toward new horizons. Linda Green-Kiely and I are truly honoured to work alongside someone whose leadership leaves a lasting impression—wherever he goes. Here’s to Barry’s incredible achievements and the exciting road ahead! Great article acknowledging his work from Killian Woods in the Business Post https://lnkd.in/e_wd_fEy

Over the weekend, my horse Dark Viper crossed the finish line first at Leopardstown—a win that’s been a long time coming. The horse had finished second in eight races (three of them just last October) before this breakthrough victory. Just over a year ago, a seasoned racing insider advised me to sell Dark Viper, since he hadn’t yet proven himself. It was well-intentioned advice from someone far more experienced in the horse racing world than I was. I’ll admit, after so many near misses, I was tempted to follow it. But I simply couldn’t shake my belief in this horse’s potential. Race after race, Dark Viper kept almost winning. Each time he came in second, it was equal parts heartbreaking and encouraging. Heartbreaking, because you never come so close unless you’re capable of winning; encouraging, because it proved he had it in him. Instead of seeing those runner-up finishes as failures, I saw them as evidence that his day would come. The road to success—whether it’s a race or a company—is rarely a straight shot. It’s grinding through the 'almosts,' the near-misses, and the moments you’re told to pack it in. I back founders who don’t fold at the first 'no,' because I’ve seen what happens when you trust your gut and keep pushing. Dark Viper’s win is a reminder: potential doesn’t always scream from the start—it reveals itself through persistence. This past weekend, when Dark Viper found that extra gear and surged past the post first, it felt like vindication. Hearing the commentator riff on the old saying (“try and try and try and try again!”) as the crowd cheered was the perfect capstone. I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. For me, Dark Viper’s journey is more than a racing story. It’s a lesson in belief and perseverance. In business, in startups, in any endeavor, we all face moments when conventional wisdom says “give up” or “cut your losses.” Sometimes that advice is right — but not always. There are times when you’re the only one who sees the potential, and you have to trust your gut. Whether you’re an entrepreneur launching a startup, a leader building a team, or anyone striving toward a goal, Dark Viper’s journey is a reminder to hold onto your vision. Not every story will have a Leopardstown win at the end, but you’ll never know if you give up too soon. If at first (or eighth) you don’t succeed… well, you know the rest 😉 Check out the race video—starting with the commentator’s take on never giving up!