Western Development Commission

What they do

Western Development Commission (WDC) is a government institution that offers economic and social development services to Galway, Clare, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo counties. It provides employment creation; population growth, employment patterns, education levels, and social exclusion analysis; and infrastructure development services. Additionally, the commission offers telecommunication, public transport, and renewable energy sectors development services in rural areas. It also provides business development services in rural tourism, marine, technology, and organic agriculture sectors. WDC was founded in 1997 and is based in Ballaghaderreen, Ireland.

What they look for

The WDC aims to foster sustainable economic growth, retain talent, and create high-quality jobs in the West of Ireland by providing long-term, patient risk capital. They seek both a financial return on investment and a measurable socio-economic impact for the region. They look for high-potential start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs that are either headquartered in or relocating to the 7 Western counties, with a long-term vision, capacity to scale globally, and a focus on innovation, particularly in DeepTech, MedTech, and Life Sciences.

Stage

Seed, Pre-seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Deeptech, Healthcare, Climate, Media, SaaS, AI, Food and agriculture

Based

Ballaghaderreen, IE