KPMG opens Global Tech Innovator entries in Ireland

KPMG in Ireland has opened entries for its 2026 Global Tech Innovator competition, which will select an Irish winner to compete in the global final in Lisbon.

The programme is open to technology and tech-enabled businesses based in Ireland or Northern Ireland that have been operating for seven years or less. Entrants must have generated between USD $1 million and USD $15 million in revenue, or raised at least USD $500,000 in equity.

Shortlisted companies will pitch to a judging panel of entrepreneurs and investors at a national final in Dublin. The winner will then represent Ireland internationally.

Now in its sixth year, the initiative follows a strong showing for Ireland in the previous edition. Dublin-based healthtech company Akara finished as first runner-up at the 2025 global final.

Anna Scally, Global Head of Technology, Media, and Telecommunications at KPMG, said that result reflected Ireland's recent performance in the competition.

"Dublin healthtech company Akara's achievement in Lisbon marked one of the competition's strongest years for Ireland. Akara finished as first runner up at the 2025 global final, showing the world that Ireland punches well above its weight in technology. We now want to find the next Akara, an ambitious Irish tech founder ready to compete on the world stage," said Anna Scally, Global Head of Technology, Media, and Telecommunications, KPMG.

Entry Criteria

Eligible applicants can be pure technology businesses or companies that are tech-enabled, tech-driven or tech-led. They must also be registered and based on the island of Ireland.

The format is aimed at early-stage and growth businesses, with financial thresholds designed to capture companies that have moved beyond the earliest start-up phase. Judges will assess both the underlying innovation and the entrants' growth ambitions during the selection process.

The competition is one of several platforms used by professional services firms and investors to identify fast-growing technology businesses across markets. For founders, national recognition can raise visibility with potential investors, commercial partners and customers, particularly in sectors where international expansion is a priority.

The Irish winner will gain domestic and international exposure through the competition, as well as access to peer networks, judges and advisers. Participants may also benefit from feedback on their business and presentation approach.

Irish Record

Ireland's recent entrants reflect the breadth of local technology businesses across health, sport, hospitality, road safety and agriculture. Alongside Akara, previous Irish finalists and winners have included Precision Sports Technology, Nory, Provizio and CattleEye.

That mix highlights the range of founders the competition is targeting, from software businesses to companies applying technology to established industries. It also reflects the growing role of Irish and Northern Irish companies in specialist areas such as healthtech, agritech and AI-led services.

Akara's experience has been used to illustrate the potential value of the process for participating firms. Its leadership said the exposure from the competition had a direct effect on the company's profile.

"Winning the Irish competition validated years of hard work and confirmed that what we're building at Akara genuinely matters. But representing Ireland on the global stage and finishing as first runner up out of 21 of the world's most promising tech startups opened doors we couldn't have imagined. For Akara, this competition wasn't just an award, it was a launchpad," said Niamh Donnelly, Co-Founder and CTO, Akara.

The wider programme began in 2021 as an expansion of KPMG in the UK's Best British Tech Pioneer competition. The 2026 edition has expanded to include countries and jurisdictions across mature and emerging markets.

That broader reach gives participating companies exposure to a larger international field and places national winners in direct comparison with peers from other technology hubs. For Irish founders, the contest offers a route into a global network at a stage when many are seeking overseas customers and funding.

Shortlisted entrants from Ireland will present their businesses to a local panel, with the Irish winner then moving to the international round as the country's representative.