The Cantillon Foundation – Ireland’s New Foundation for Entrepreneurship
26th September 2016
Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor officially announced The Cantillon Foundation, Ireland’s new foundation for entrepreneurship, in Carton House, Co Kildare on Friday evening in the company of fifty top US and fifty top Irish entrepreneurs, mentors and experts who have been taking part in the Pipeline Innovators Summit 2016.
The Cantillon Foundation is a not-for-profit entity, set to anchor, advance and evolve the entrepreneurship environment in Ireland through policy, research, education, awareness, funding and resources.
Modelled in context of The Kauffman Foundation, which is one of the largest private foundations in the United States, with an asset base of approximately $2 billion, The Cantillon Foundation will place entrepreneurship at its core. Speaking at the launch, the co-founder of The Cantillon Foundation, Maree Helena says, “We couldn’t think of a better environment to announce The Cantillon Foundation than in the company of entrepreneurs who are its heart and soul. Cantillon will do for Ireland what Kauffman does for the USA by fostering an entrepreneurial society in Ireland of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens”.
The Kauffman Foundation, who are celebrating 100 years this year, joined the new foundation to host this week’s Summit, the first time Pipeline Entrepreneurs has run one of its modules outside of the US.
(Pictured L-R: Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, co-founder of The Cantillon Foundation, Maree Helena and VP for Research and Policy.)