Patrick and John Collison received the Impact Ireland Award 2025, presented by Venturewave Capital, recognising global entrepreneurship, responsible innovation and a lasting contribution to Ireland’s technology story. The award was conferred during the closing gala of the Impact Ireland Convention & Global Advisory Council (GAC) 2025 at The Shelbourne, Dublin, an event hosted by Venturewave Capital and supported by Bank of America Corporation. The week’s programme brought together leaders from business, policy and culture to show how AI, sustainable finance and transparent governance reinforce one another. The Collison brothers’ recognition underscored the central theme: growth and integrity are not competing goals; the best systems do both.

Alan Foy with Patrick Collison, John Collison, The Edge and An Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Venturewave Capital’s Impact Ireland Convention
Alan Foy with Patrick & John Collison, The Edge and An Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Venturewave Capital’s Impact Ireland Convention

The Impact Ireland Convention convenes investors, founders and policymakers from five continents to advance outcomes-driven investment aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Venturewave’s Impact Ireland Funds back companies across clean energy, health, agri-food, education and sustainable finance, using the Venture Impact Score (VIS) to track measurable progress.

Last year’s Impact Ireland Award went to former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the first U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, at Dublin’s Mansion House. The honour recognised decades of climate leadership from signing the Paris Agreement on behalf of the United States in 2015 to mobilising public-private coalitions for the net-zero transition. In his remarks, Kerry warned that climate impacts are arriving “bigger, faster, more destructive” than predicted and stressed that the transition cannot succeed without private capital. These themes set the tone for this year’s focus on standards, accountability, and intelligent capital.

About the Impact Ireland Award. The award recognises leaders who prove that enterprise can scale positive outcomes alongside financial returns. Honourees embody responsible innovation, long-term stewardship, and a distinctive contribution to Ireland’s technology story, as evidenced by the Venture Impact Score (VIS).

In the coming weeks, we will share highlights from this year’s programme spanning AI & impact, energy security & affordability, and standards-led governance. To revisit previous recipients and remarks, see the Impact Ireland Award archive, and browse sessions from the Impact Ireland Convention.

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