GRID Foundation

Today marks 10 years since myself and my best friend Sean O’Riordan signed the incorporation papers for GRID. So I thought it would be a good day to outline the launch of one of our centrepiece initiatives in the GRID Foundation – The National Fintech Awards. The National Fintech Awards will be the first of two events. The second will be a financial health and fintech focused conference in February of next year. 

So why is the GRID Foundation launching the National Fintech Awards?

There were two key inspirations for me to come back to Ireland do something about the banking problem in 2013 (remember back then we were just coming out of the IMF programme and unemployment was 14%). Those inspirations were my time working for GOAL in Haiti and Uganda and my time working for PwC in the US. These experiences showed clearly the need for change in financial services and the opportunity for technology to drive that change. With that mix of experience I was also really keen to build a business that was purpose driven while also in business to make money. It is the melding of the profit motive and purpose objective that you get the highest impact. Over the last 10 years I have been utterly blessed to have met extraordinary people building the future of financial services in Ireland and elsewhere. Many of these people put people and the pain they encounter in the financial system at the centre of their solutions and services. Many of these people driving change are in traditional financial institutions and organisations. 

In Ireland there is an extraordinary community of people and businesses building every day and individually having an impact. That impact in aggregate is what drives the type of systemic change that everyone in our society benefits from. So, the idea behind these awards is to showcase and highlight these amazing people and businesses – to recognise their hard work and achievements in building a better financial system for all. 

Central to the awards is inclusivity – whether you are working in a cutting edge Fintech, a traditional bank, are a policy maker or central banker there is a category relevant for you/your business. We want to showcase the highfliers as well as those who are quietly working away in the background making a difference. Please come join us and help us celebrate on September 14th in the Mansion House. 

Right now we need nominations for each category – so please get nominating at www.fintechawards.ie  and please help us spread the word. 

I have never been more optimistic about the opportunity for positive change in the next 10 years. I am very fond of the quote below and it helps keep me motivated to keep driving on – See you at the awards.