WEALTH April 14, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Future: KPMG’s 2026 Global Tech Innovator Competition Is Your Ultimate Launchpad—Are You Ready to Dominate?

Ever wondered how some tech startups just seem to soar from local fame to global stardom overnight? Well, KPMG Ireland is rolling out the red carpet once again with the 2026 Global Tech Innovator competition — and trust me, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill pitch contest. Now entering its sixth year, the GTI challenge is where ambitious Irish tech pioneers come to battle it out for the chance to headline on the world stage in Lisbon this November. Remember Akara? That Dublin healthtech whizz kid didn’t just participate; they snagged the first runner-up spot at the 2025 global final, proving that even small countries can pack a heavyweight punch in global innovation. So, what’s it going to take to be the next game-changer? If you’re an Irish or Northern Irish tech-driven company with a bold vision ready to change the world (or at least shake up the tech scene), this might just be your rocket fuel. But heads up — the clock’s ticking, with applications closing on May 22 and the Ireland final happening June 30 in Dublin. Ready to make some noise and claim your spot on the podium? LEARN MORE

KPMG Ireland has opened entries for the 2026 Global Tech Innovator competition.

Now in its sixth year, GTI is contested by ambitious Irish technology and tech-enabled companies seeking to represent Ireland at the global final in Lisbon this November.

“Dublin healthtech company Akara’s achievement in Lisbon was one of the competition’s strongest years for Ireland,” said Anna Scally, global head of technology, media and telecommunications at KPMG.

“Akara finished as first runner up at the 2025 global final, and it showed 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.”

Reflecting on last year, Akara co-founder and CTO Niamh Donnelly said: “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 has opened doors we couldn’t have imagined. For Akara, this competition wasn’t just an award; it was a launchpad.”

The competition is open to pure technology or tech-enabled, tech-driven, or tech-led businesses which have operated for seven years or less, have generated revenue of between $1–15m, or have raised at least $500,000 in equity, and are registered and based in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Shortlisted entrants will pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to a panel of judges, including successful entrepreneurs and investors, for the chance to be crowned Ireland’s winner and to compete at the global final.

Applications must be submitted by 22 May and entrants must be available to appear in person for the Ireland final, which will be held in Dublin on 30 June.

Ireland’s track record of Irish finalists and winners to date reflects the breadth of the country’s innovation, from Akra and Emma Meehan’s Precision Sports Technology (2024 Irish winner) to Conor Sheridan’s AI powered hospitality platform Nory, Barry Lunn’s accident prevention firm Provizio, and Terry Canning’s Belfast-based CattleEye, the world’s first hardware independent autonomous livestock monitoring platform.

To enter, find out more about the competition and watch all the previous Irish finalists’ pitches, visit kpmg.ie/GTI.

Photo: Anna Scally. (Pic: File)