Mary Mc Kenna Tech Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

Mary is originally from Tyrone, now living in Inishowen. A serial entrepreneur and angel investor, Mary travels the globe supporting new start ups in the tech industry and working as a consultant and expert advisor. 

A very accomplished  business woman, Mary has spoken at events in Beirut, New York and more recently in Brussels and since the first lockdown she has gained global work in countries such as Switzerland, Cyprus, Germany and England. 

On current trends, Mary tells us that the necessity of proximity is finished and  COVID-19 has taught us all that we can connect and network with people from all over the world, she has mentoring founders in Africa, Spain and the US and this lady definitely lives local in the beauty of Inishowen but connects and works globally.

Throughout our interview, Mary was modest to mention her MBE awarded in the 2014 New Years Honours list, for her contribution to Digital Tech, Innovation and Learning. A powerhouse of knowledge and connections she has recently co-founded a network called “Awaken Hub”, that connects female led founders and co-founders. Discover more here www.awakenhub.ie .

A few of the many valuable gems of knowledge Mary imparted during our interview was that competition is important when it comes to approaching investors. No apparent competition, may lead the investors to believe that there is no market for your business.

 Mary also shared a statistic from her experience and work with female start ups, women get treated much differently when they approach investors. She told us – “Only one penny from a pound that comes from investors will go to a woman.”

This is why she is so passionate about empowering female start ups, helping them source funding and connecting like minded women in the tech sector.

Mary finished up with some sound advice “Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help,  good deeds and support to others will always come back to benefit you and always make sure you surround yourself with people that will support and help you grow.”

Mary Mc Kenna is  an inspiring and motivational lady who calls Donegal her home but operates on a global stage supporting and mentoring those in the tech sector and who  will surely benefit from her knowledge and wisdom.

Marys Top Tips

• Create a great business plan.
• Find and consider sources of capital, such as Angel Investors.
• Find a co-founder –  You will gain more skill sets and diversity. Family and friends can be a bad idea when considering this!
• Test your idea.
• Look to find and build business networks.
• Upskill where necessary.
• Create a website that will stand out from all others.
• Empower others through your support.